Background: Health risk behaviours (smoking, alcohol consumption and sedentary behaviour) initiated in adolescence often persist into adulthood. A pilot study was conducted in a low SES community youth group to assess the feasibility and acceptability of training young people in Motivational Interviewing (MI) and its delivery to their peers for health behaviour change. Findings informed the implementation of a feasibility trial conducted in four low SES community groups in Ireland.

Methods: Community stakeholders (n=8), participated in semi-structured interviews, considering the acceptability of adolescents’ participating in MI training and their capacity to facilitate MI sessions. Adolescent peer educators contributed in focus groups (n=7), providing insight into their experiences in MI training and engagement in the intervention. Thematic analysis was conducted.

Findings: Concerns arose at the capacity of the young people to acquire MI skills effectively, yielding recommendations to incorporate interactive training, enhancing their experience and capturing their continued attention. Peer educators reflected on their acquisition of MI skills and their perceived proficiency in delivering MI to their peers.

Discussion: Adapting MI training for participants was important, using dynamic and interactive methods to promote enthusiasm and engagement in the intervention. Anticipation of challenges in recruitment and retention rates of peers, as well as the perceived credibility of peer educators emerged. Continued support of youth workers in the study and their trusting relationships established with service users was key to implementation. Peer educators advised that proficiency in MI would be strengthened by the addition of MI supports for the feasibility trial.

[From research project: Peer-to-peer motivational interview intervention for smoking, alcohol and physical activity among at-risk adolescents in low SES communities: a feasibility trial]