Motivating Pregnant Women to Stop Drinking

(Review reprinted with permission from Projections publication of Addiction Research Foundation.)

Subject Heading: Counselling; FAS/FAE; professionals No. 1301

Year: 1997 Reviewed: February, 1998

Distributor: Behavior Therapy Associates

9426 Indian School Rd NE Road NE, Suite 1

Albuquerque, NM 87112

(505) 342-2474

Producer: Southwest Productions

1209 Mountain Road Place NE

Albuquerque, NM 87110

(505) 265-0224

Available From ARF library? Yes

Cost: $49.00

Details: VHS, 20 minutes

SYNOPSIS

Young Jonathon is seen as he strums a guitar; he has fetal alcohol syndrome. Betty, his adoptive mother, talks about what he must endure and that if his biological mother could see him now, she probably would never have used alcohol during her pregnancy. While we look upon the silhouette of a pregnant woman, the voice of a female narrator discusses how alcoholism is difficult to detect during pregnancy, relevant statistical information and some of the problems which result in FAS. Dr. Stan Handmaker reports that as many as one in five women uses alcohol during her pregnancy and Dr. William Miller suggests that a non-confrontational brief intervention can help. The narrator explores the Stages of Change Model and provides some illustrations of each stage. Some strategies to deal with defensiveness are respectively illustrated by Drs. Reid Hester and Nancy Handmaker as they attempt to help pregnant women in two separate case scenarios. The four aspects of motivational interviewing are identified as: dealing with defensiveness; empathic listening; contrasting drinking with one=s values; and, supporting the patient=s belief in change. In the end, the viewer is advised that the safest practice is for pregnant women to completely abstain from alcohol use. In this regard, motivational interviewing will increase one=s effectiveness in motivating pregnant women to stop drinking.

SCIENTIFIC ACCURACY

Acceptable.

GENERAL EVALUATION

Good (4.4 on a 6-point scale). Motivating Pregnant Women to Stop Drinking is a contemporary, technically well produced video with a clear message. It should be helpful in influencing audience attitudes and decision making, especially if it is presented as part of a professional in-service. Some of the graphics however, were difficult to read and some viewers may not agree with the counsellor=s intention to refer the client to another clinician for more in-depth care. The use of summary points to highlight the essential aspects of motivational interviewing were helpful and the message of advising abstinence for the pregnant woman will likely be well received by all viewers.

AUDIENCE

Students, health professionals, parents, general broadcast.