Talks that explore your reasons helped a bit, but no better than standard treatment.

The review

1. 01

   Who took part

   The review pooled 119 studies, mostly with adults who had drinking, drug or tobacco problems. Some included overweight college students and teenagers.

2. 02

   What they did

   People had talks with a trained helper that explored their own reasons for change. Some also got feedback from a standard assessment of their habits. The other groups got usual care, leaflets, a similar contact, or a different proven therapy.

3. 03

   What happened

   Compared with waiting lists, usual care or leaflets, the talks helped people a little. Compared with other standard therapies, they did no better. The talks raised people's plans to change more than the other groups did, but did not clearly raise their confidence to change. Among the weaker comparisons, the more careful studies found smaller effects. Some counts in the paper's tables do not add up, and the review did not test for missing studies.

What the review found

1. HelpedOther outcomes

   Across 88 comparisons, the talks helped people a little more than the other groups did.

   • Action: Talk through your mixed feelings about changingtested
   • Rule: With a coach or therapistused

   Pooled analysis of 0 studies · vs people on waiting lists, usual care or leaflets

2. No differenceOther outcomes

   Across 39 comparisons, the talks did no better than other treatments.

   • Action: Talk through your mixed feelings about changingtested
   • Rule: With a coach or therapistused

   Pooled analysis of 0 studies · vs people given another standard therapy

3. HelpedMotivation

   Across 17 comparisons, people who had the talks said they intended to change more than the other groups did.

   • Action: Talk through your mixed feelings about changingtested
   • Rule: With a coach or therapistused

   Pooled analysis of 0 studies · vs people on waiting lists, usual care or leaflets · they rated themselves

4. No differenceMotivation

   Across 9 comparisons, the talks did not raise people's confidence to change more than other groups.

   • Action: Talk through your mixed feelings about changingtested
   • Rule: With a coach or therapistused

   Pooled analysis of 0 studies · vs people on waiting lists, usual care or leaflets · they rated themselves

Source