Teaching brief interventions for smoking cessations via an interactive computer-based tutorial

Argues that many current smokers do not plan on quitting any time soon. For these smokers, the immediate treatment goal is not a quit attempt, but an increase in readiness to stop smoking. In the present study the authors developed an interactive multimedia simulation and tutoring environment that teaches health-care professionals to provide brief motivational interviewing-based smoking cessation interventions tailored to the patient's current readiness to change. This tutorial utilizes a cognitive science-derived learning approach that provides tailored feedback and lessons based on learners' pre-existing knowledge, is highly interactive and allows learners to practice skills in simulated clinical situations. Results from 2 pilot studies (Study 1, n=25; Study 2, n=28, aged 24-66 yrs) indicate that health-care professionals and students found the software easy and enjoyable to use and successfully learned motivational interviewing-based strategies for smoking cessation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)