EBP Simplified

Enhance Intrinsic Motivation

This principle is often misunderstood and read as “increase motivation.” The “intrinsic” part is vital. An offender’s environment rarely cooperates with interventions and therefore strong internal motivation is necessary. This principle assumes (rightfully, in most cases) that offenders have good reasons to change but need help tipping the scales in favor of change.

Intrinsic Motivation Law #1:  Fear is an effective short-term strategy for behavioral change but a poor long-term strategy.

Intrinsic Motivation Law #2:  Long-term, behavioral change requires moving toward something (e.g., being a better father), not just moving away from something (e.g., “I don’t want to be incarcerated again”).

Intrinsic Motivation Law #3:  Eliciting the offenders’ personal values is the more effective way to assist them to be motivated for something.

Intrinsic Motivation Bottom Line:  While offenders usually have many reasons not to change, they also have multiple reasons to change their lifestyle. Discovering and helping the client to articulate the reasons to change is more effective than any external forces you create.