Which of the following is a guiding principle of motivational interviewing?

• A. Rely on coercion
• B. Roll with resistance
• C. Use rapid confrontation
• D. Rely on giving directives

Answer: (B)

In motivational interviewing, rolling with resistance is a core approach. It means recognizing when a client pushes back or hesitates and meeting that pushback with empathy, curiosity, and collaboration rather than opposition. Instead of arguing or trying to impose change, you reflect what the client has said, acknowledge their feelings, and invite them to explore their own reasons for change. This preserves the client's sense of autonomy and reduces defensiveness, making it more likely they will articulate ambivalence and begin to move toward change in their own time. The goal is to keep the conversation collaborative and to evoke the client’s own motivations for change, rather than to compel them.

Coercion, rapid confrontation, and giving directives clash with this approach. Coercion tries to force change, which typically increases resistance; rapid confrontation can trigger defensiveness and shut down open dialogue; giving directives undermines autonomy and diminishes the client’s ownership of the process.