ABSTRACT
Background/Aim: Self-regulatory behaviour change techniques such as motivational interview (MI) have been consistently linked with positive changes in health behaviour including physical activity. However, while there is emerging evidence for the effectiveness of face-to-face MI on health behaviour change, there are no reviews on the extent of the use of virtual MI as a novel approach to promote health behavioural changes. The study therefore aimed to determine the use of virtual motivational interviewing as a novel approach to promote health behavioural changes. . Methods: The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses) guidelines for scoping reviews were used to conduct this scoping review. Databases including Web of science, MedLine via Ovid, CINAHL via EBSCOhost, Embase via Ovid, AJOL, and PsycINFO were used to identify studies reporting the use of virtual means for delivering MI in promoting health behaviour change. Further, grey literature such as PROQUEST, Google scholar, MSPACE, and IPEN were also searched for additional articles. Full-text articles were screened using the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results were charted and summarized using narrative synthesis. Results: Virtual motivational interviewing (MI) sessions, ranging from 5 to 6 sessions, were delivered via Zoom or videophone calls, addressing various components of a healthy lifestyle based on The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) model. These sessions positively impacted physical activity levels, self-awareness, and diabetes management skills, with reported reductions in sedentary behavior and improvements in glycemic control among older adults. Despite benefits such as convenience and empowerment, limitations included communication challenges and dropout rates, suggesting the need for further optimization of virtual delivery methods for MI interventions. Conclusion: Utilizing platforms such as Zoom and video phone, virtual Motivational Interviewing (MI) interventions are successful in encouraging healthy behaviours despite obstacles such as communication barriers. More improvements in delivery methods and continued evaluations of long-term effects are necessary to completely grasp their importance in promoting lasting behaviour change. Registration: A review protocol was developed and registered with the Open Science Framework database, with the DOI https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/TGVJ8. Keywords: Virtual Motivational Interviewing, health behaviour change.
