About the Student Checkup
The Student Checkup
The Student Checkup is a semi-structured school-based motivational interview designed to help adolescents adopt academic enabling behaviors (e.g., participation in class). Ultimately, the Student Checkup is a tool to be used along side of skillful Motivational Interviewing (MI) practices. In 2011, Strait and Colleagues published the first randomized experimental trial on the Student Checkup, originally known as “Report Card Coaching”, which was followed by a replication and two experimental studies on a two session version of the Student Checkup (Strait et al., 2018; Strait et al., 2011; Terry, Smith et al., 2013; Terry et al., 2014; Terry et al., 2014). All four studies showed one consistent finding: Middle school students receiving one to two sessions of the Student Checkup had significantly higher post-treatment grades in comparison to control groups. These experimental trials demonstrated the promise of semi-structured student focused MI interventions for improving academic performance.
On this website, you can download the Student Checkup Manual for free, access links to other school-based MI websites, and learn about MI training opportunities.
School-Based Motivational Interviewing
Motivational Interviewing is a brief client-centered counseling style used to motivate adolescents and adults to change risky behaviors and adopt healthy or productive behaviors (Miller & Rollnick, 2012). School-Based Motivational Interviewing (S
BMI) is specific type of MI used in the school setting to either motivate teachers or parents to adopt positive behavioral support strategies or to motivate students to adopt academic enabling behaviors (e.g., participation in class). SBMI incorporates the spirit and processes of Motivational Interviewing. The spirit of MI includes Partnership, Acceptance, Compassion, and Evocation. The four processes include Engagement, Focus, Evocation of Change Talk, and Planning for change. In order to lead students, parents, and teachers through the four processes and capture the spirit of MI, interviewers must use open-ended questions, affirmations, reflections, and summaries (OARS).
Training
The Student Checkup is a tool designed for practitioners with prior training and experiences using Motivational Interviewing. If you do not have prior training, you should attain training that includes opportunities to learn, practice, and receive feedback on your MI skills. Our MI resource area provides links to informative MI websites. In addition, Dr. Gerald Strait offers group, workshop-based, and individual training in MI. To contact him, please click the link below and complete the contact form.
The Four Phases of the Student Checkup
Overview
The Student Checkup comes from a long lineage of semi-structured MI interventions (Strait et al, 2016). In the early days of MI, researchers and developers recognized the need for semi-structured motivational interviews to improve treatment fidelity and standardize treatment procedures in control trials—prompting the development of the Drinkers Checkup, the Family Checkup, the Classroom Checkup, and eventually the Student Checkup (Reinke et al. 2008; Dishion, Nelson and Kavanagh, 2003; Hester et al 2005; Rao, 1999). The Student Checkup has four structured phases in the single session protocol: 1) Introduction, 2) Self-Assessment and Normative Feedback, 3) Summary and Feedback, and 4) Change Plan Development and Commitment. The manual describes each phase in detail
You can download the Student Checkup manual and updated protocol for free, just click the download button below. Also, checkout out other resources for training and access to other academic and MI-based interventions.
Motivational Interviewing Training and Student Checkup News
SBMI Training Options
The Student Checkup News
The Student Checkup News
Don't learn how to become a motivational speaker, instead learn how to use motivational interviewing to motivate students, teachers, and parents. Here are some training options:
1 or 2 Day Workshop: Typically school districts or professional organizations sponsor these training programs. They include an in-depth review of MI processes and
Don't learn how to become a motivational speaker, instead learn how to use motivational interviewing to motivate students, teachers, and parents. Here are some training options:
1 or 2 Day Workshop: Typically school districts or professional organizations sponsor these training programs. They include an in-depth review of MI processes and skills and ample opportunities for attendees to practice MI and receive feedback from the trainer and peers. Workshops serve as an excellent introduction to MI and allow attendees to leave with new and developing client-centered skills
Small Group Training: This training is typically appropriate for small groups of professionals who have some basic training in MI but would like for more hands on live feedback about their use of MI skills.
To discuss training options and/or pricing please complete the contact form (see link below).
The Student Checkup News
The Student Checkup News
The Student Checkup News
The booster session is here!
Also, we want to thank Dr. Julia Strait for her artwork, which is featured above.
Motivational Interviewing Resources and More
Academic Mentoring Program for Education Development
Academic Mentoring Program for Education Development
Academic Mentoring Program for Education Development
An instrumental mentoring programs that infuses motivational interviewing with other academic enabling and evidence-based interventions.
Motivational Interviewing for the Schools
Academic Mentoring Program for Education Development
Academic Mentoring Program for Education Development
Resources for using MI in the schools!
The Psychologists Podcast
Academic Mentoring Program for Education Development
The Psychologists Podcast
Psychologists discuss and interview guests on a range of topics, such as mental health, parenting, trauma, creativity, burnout, and a lot more!
About the Author
Gerald G. Strait, Ph.D., LP, LSSP, NCSP
Dr. Gerald Strait is an Assistant Professor at the University of Houston-Clear Lake. He earned his Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of South Carolina. Dr. Strait is a Licensed Psychologist (Missouri) and a Nationally Credentialed School Psychologist. Prior to becoming an assistant professor, Dr. Strait worked as a school ps
Dr. Gerald Strait is an Assistant Professor at the University of Houston-Clear Lake. He earned his Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of South Carolina. Dr. Strait is a Licensed Psychologist (Missouri) and a Nationally Credentialed School Psychologist. Prior to becoming an assistant professor, Dr. Strait worked as a school psychologist in Texas and Missouri schools where he provided consultation, assessment, and intervention services. He has published over 10 peer-review articles on School-Based Motivational Interviewing and he has conducted a number workshops, trainings, symposiums, mini-skills, and paper presentations on the topic. Importantly, Dr. Strait co-developed and experimentally evaluated the Student Checkup (originally know as Academic Report Card Coaching).