Date of Award

7-17-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

School Name

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Health Professions

Major Advisor

Pam Cartor, PhD

Second Advisor

Barbara Jackson, PhD

Third Advisor

Tara Ising, PhD

Abstract

Longer lifespans across the population are contributing to a rise in chronic illnesses that require ongoing treatment. This increase has furthered the need for evidence-based clinical tools to effectively treat long-term diseases. Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based method used by physicians and other healthcare practitioners, including physician associates (PAs), to help patients facilitate health behavior changes. PAs are licensed, highly trained healthcare professionals who practice medicine across all specialties and settings. PAs focus on patient-centered, team-based care and play a key role in expanding access to healthcare and improving overall health outcomes (AAPA, 2023b). While MI’s efficacy has been proven, PAs’ perceptions of using MI in practice have not been thoroughly explored. A transcendental phenomenological study of physician associates’ (PAs) experiences using motivational interviewing was performed with the aim of answering the research question: Do physician associates perceive MI to be an effective clinical tool in influencing patient outcomes, specifically health behavior changes? Semi-structured interviews and fieldnotes from 11 participants were gathered and analyzed to produce a thorough understanding of the MI experience for the participants. Giorgi’s five step method was employed for interview data analysis. Three major themes materialized: (1) Improving Outcomes by Changing Behaviors, (2) MI: Assets and Obstacles, and (3) MI: Learning the Basics, Developing the Skills. The study offers key insights into PAs' clinical experiences and highlights implications for research, practice, and education, while making recommendations for future research.

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