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Enhancing Rehabilitation Participation in Patients With SCI/D Using Motivational Interviewing

Enhancing Rehabilitation Participation in Patients With Spinal Cord Injury or Disorder Using Motivational Interviewing

Who can join

Ages 18 and older · All sexes

Therapist Inclusion Criteria:

* Inpatient therapist specializing in spinal cord injury patients for at least 3 months;
* Practicing at the designated SCI inpatient units at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Baylor Scott \& White Institute for Rehabilitation and University of Washington-Harborview Medical Center;
* Willing to audio record conversations during regularly-scheduled rehabilitation therapy sessions with patients;
* Willing and able to participate in 16 hours of MI training; and
* Willing to receive feedback on MI skills.

Therapist Exclusion Criteria:

* Inability to speak and understand English
* Inpatient therapist specializing in spinal cord injury patients for less than 3 months; and
* Unwilling or unable to follow the study protocol

Patient Inclusion Criteria:

* Adults (18+)
* Presence of a traumatic or non-traumatic spinal cord injury
* Inpatient in the spinal cord injury unit of the three study sites
* Has a physical or occupational therapist who is a participant in the study

Patient Exclusion Criteria:

* Inability to speak and understand English
* Cognitive deficits
* Unwilling to allow for therapy sessions to be recorded

About the study

The purpose of this multi-site clinical trial is to see whether people with spinal cord injury or disorder (SCI/D) demonstrate higher level of participation in rehabilitation sessions and other outcomes when their therapists are trained in a counseling style called motivational interviewing. We want to answer the following questions:

1. Do inpatients with SCI/D treated by physical therapists (PTs) and occupational therapists (OTs) who receive MI training and coaching demonstrate greater therapy participation compared to those treated by therapists who do not receive MI training and coaching? 2. Do inpatients with SCI/D treated by PTs and OTs who receive MI training and coaching demonstrate greater functional improvement at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation and greater community integration at 6 months after discharge compared to those treated by therapists who do not receive MI training and coaching? 3. What are the potential moderators and mediators of the effect of training and coaching on MI skills on therapy participation?

Researchers will compare patient participation level and other outcomes of inpatients with SCI/D treated by PTs and OTs who receive MI training and coaching with those treated by therapists who do not receive MI training and coaching.

Therapist participants will:

1. Audio record 2 therapy sessions per week with each enrolled SCI patient participant 2. Half of the therapists will attend a 16-hour training on MI skills and 2 practice therapy session

Patient participants will:

1. Consent to audio recording of their therapy sessions 2. Complete one brief survey near the time of their discharge and another survey 6 months later

What is being tested

• Motivational Interviewing (behavioral)

Sponsor: Shirley Ryan AbilityLab · Participants: 180 · Started: Nov 1, 2025

Contact the study team

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07364773

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• Spinal Cord Injuries
• Spinal Cord Diseases

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.