Motivational Interviewing Intervention and Recidivism in Lifetime Imprisoned Inmates: An Experimental Study

The research aimed to find out the effects of a motivational interviewing intervention on the recidivist behavior of imprisoned inmates. The study followed a qualitative approach, and a quasi-experimental design was used. The sample was selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria from Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore, and Central Jail, Sahiwal. A self-appraisal questionnaire (SAQ) was used to collect information from six male respondents (n=6) who had been imprisoned for their entire lives. The data was gathered through eight sessions periodically conducted with each respondent. The data was analyzed on SPSS, and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test was used for data analysis. The study findings show a significant positive effect of a motivational intervention on recidivist and antisocial behaviors. It is proposed that motivational interviewing can be promulgated as an effective technique to bring positive change among people with recurrent criminal tendencies.