OARS + I: Core Motivational Interviewing Skills
OARS in Motivational Interviewing refers to Open Questions, Affirmations, Reflections and Summaries, with Information Exchange adding the + I to this core set of communication skills. Their value comes from how they are used within the MI Spirit: Partnership, Acceptance, Compassion and Empowerment.
OARS + I are not a checklist or a sequence to perform. They are flexible skills used in response to what is happening in the conversation.
The five OARS + I skills in Motivational Interviewing
Open Questions
Invite people to describe, explore and reflect rather than restricting them to brief factual answers.
Affirmations
Recognise strengths, effort, values, intentions and qualities without turning praise into judgement.
Reflections
Offer an understanding of meaning, feeling or direction and help conversations move beyond question and answer.
Summaries
Draw together important material, highlight themes and create useful transitions.
Information Exchange
Recognises that practitioners have knowledge, advice and concerns to share, while keeping the exchange collaborative.
Using OARS in Motivational Interviewing is not a checklist
MI skill does not mean trying to use one of each OARS + I response. A conversation may need several reflections, few questions and no information exchange. Another may require clear information about risk, options or professional responsibilities.
Reflective listening often occupies more conversational space than questioning because it helps people feel understood and gives their own meaning room to develop.
Why the + I matters
Practitioners often hold information that may be useful or necessary. A doctor may need to explain treatment. A social worker may need to state a concern. A probation practitioner may need to clarify a requirement. MI does not ask practitioners to hide expertise.
Ask → Offer → Ask
Ask: What does the person already know, or would it be useful to hear your perspective?
Offer: Share the information clearly and concisely.
Ask: Return to the person. What do they make of it?
This is why information exchange is a better description than simply information giving. The conversation continues after information has been offered.
How OARS + I can flow together
Person: “I know my drinking is affecting my sleep, but it is the only way I switch off after work.”
Reflection: “It helps you unwind, and you are also becoming concerned about what it is costing you.”
Open question: “What have you noticed about your sleep lately?”
Affirmation: “You have been paying close attention to the effect this is having.”
Summary: “So part of you values what drinking does for you in the evening, and another part is increasingly uncomfortable with the impact the next day.”
If information is useful, the practitioner can then use Ask-Offer-Ask and return to the person’s response. The skills support the conversation rather than controlling it.
Developing OARS + I
Practitioners often improve by practising one skill deliberately. You might use more reflections before asking another question, experiment with complex reflections, notice what happens after advice is offered, or review how often your responses support the person’s own thinking.
