Step 3: Feedback
- Ask permission to share information
- Provide salient information
- Elicit Josh’s response
Ask Permission
PROVIDER: There is some information about alcohol use that I’d like to share with you. What do you think about that?
JOSH: Probably heard it before, but sure.
COACH: Asking for permission before sharing information shows respect and makes Josh feel like an active participant in the conversation. You can use either an open-ended question (“What do you think about that?”) or a closed-ended question (“Would that be okay?”), depending on your preference.
JOSH THOUGHT: I hope this isn’t the part where I get chewed out for drinking
Provide Feedback
PROVIDER: You’ve already experienced one of the most common consequences from drinking, which is getting injured. Each year in the U.S., almost 200,000 teenagers visit emergency rooms for alcohol-related injuries. You might have an even worse injury if you continue to drink, and making the varsity team next year is important to you.
JOSH: Hm.
COACH: Great job connecting your information to something Josh cares about- remaining eligible to play sports. In general, teens care about their appearance, so information about injury and disfigurement can be especially salient. When giving feedback about substance use, it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with NIAAA guidelines and statistics that are relevant to your context. Check out the Resources section for more information.
Elicit Response
PROVIDER: What do you think about this information?
JOSH: Huh, yeah. I really don’t want to end up here again.
COACH: Eliciting Josh’s thoughts on the information you provided built collaboration.
Provide Feedback
PROVIDER: Drinking can cause changes in your brain development in ways that affect your memory.
JOSH: Likehow?
PROVIDER: Heavy drinking interferes with the formation of cells, and can impact your ability to learn. People who drink regularly can lose brain cells in a part of the brain called the hippocampus, and that can make it harder for them to perform well in school.
COACH: Teens are often interested in the connection between substance use and brain development, especially when it is relevant to something that’s likely to be important to them, like their performance in school.
Elicit Response
PROVIDER: I wonder, what does that mean to you?
JOSH: Huh, yeah. I didn’t realize it could mess with your brain so much.
COACH: Josh is now better informed about substance use and how it can affect his life. Your next goal is to assess Josh’s readiness to change.