What are the four core techniques in Motivational Interviewing abbreviated as OARS?

• A. Open-ended questions; Affirmations; Reflective listening; Summaries.
• B. Open-ended questions; Analysis; Rebuttals; Summaries.
• C. Yes/No questions; Encouragement; Directives; Brief summaries.
• D. Closed questions; Affirmations; Reflections; Silence.

Answer: (A)

Motivational Interviewing relies on four guiding communication skills known as OARS: Open-ended questions, Affirmations, Reflective listening (reflections), and Summaries. Open-ended questions invite clients to explore their thoughts and ambivalence in their own words. Affirmations recognize their strengths and efforts, boosting motivation and self-efficacy. Reflective listening demonstrates empathy by accurately reflecting the client’s feelings and meaning, which helps deepen engagement and evoke change talk. Summaries pull together what has been discussed, reinforce motivation, and set the stage for next steps. Together, these techniques foster a collaborative, nonjudgmental dialogue that supports autonomy and helps clients articulate their reasons for change.

Other approaches often involve closed or yes/no questions, directiveness, or confrontational tactics like rebuttals or heavy analysis, which can hinder rapport and ambivalence exploration. The four OARS elements best capture the skill set MI uses to elicit and strengthen change talk.