| Course | DNP 671 Advanced Mental Health Assessment Across the Lifespan |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 9 |
| Paper type | Discussion board post and reply |
| Length | About 333 words |
| Format | Discussion post with APA 7 citations |
| School | Arizona State University |
| Program | Doctor of Nursing Practice |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for DNP 671 Module 9
Week 12 Discussion: Motivational Interviewing With a Teen Who Vapes Cannabis
Not Another Lecture: Motivational Interviewing With a Sixteen-Year-Old Who Vapes Cannabis
Initial Post
Yes, and I think adolescents may be the group for whom motivational interviewing fits best. Teens are working out independence, and a clinician who lectures confirms that adults do not listen. Motivational interviewing's respect for autonomy and its focus on the person's own reasons match that developmental stage (Miller & Rollnick, 2013).
An example. Jordan, 16, came with his mother for falling grades. I saw him alone after explaining what stays private and what I would have to share if he were in danger. Interviewing guidance for adolescents stresses this private time and a clear confidentiality explanation (Cepeda, 2010). I used a brief validated screen, the CRAFFT, which asks about riding in a car with someone using substances, using to relax, using alone, forgetting, family or friends telling you to cut down and getting in trouble while using (Knight et al., 1999). He answered yes to three items.
Me: "You've been honest with me. What do you like about vaping?"
Jordan: "It chills me out. Everyone does it."
Me: "It helps you relax, and it's part of being with your friends."
Jordan: "I guess. My coach noticed I'm slower, though."
Me: "Soccer matters to you."
Jordan: "I want to make varsity."
Me: "So you're wondering whether vaping and varsity fit together."
That reflection connects his own goal to his use without my saying it. I would ask what he wants to do, offer information only with permission and agree on a small step, such as not vaping before practice, rather than a demand to quit.
Adaptations for teens: keep sessions short, use his language, avoid scare tactics and involve parents in ways he agrees to.
Reply to a Classmate (Parents Who Want a Lecture)
You described a father who wanted you to "scare him straight." Explaining to parents that lectures tend to push teens away, and asking what the father hopes his son will choose, can bring him on board.
References
Cepeda, C. (2010). Clinical manual for the psychiatric interview of children and adolescents. American Psychiatric Publishing.
Knight, J. R., Shrier, L. A., Bravender, T. D., Farrell, M., Vander Bilt, J., & Shaffer, H. J. (1999). A new brief screen for adolescent substance abuse. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 153(6), 591-596. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.153.6.591
Miller, W. R., & Rollnick, S. (2013). Motivational interviewing: Helping people change (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
DNP 671 Module 9 instructions, in plain terms
Adolescent substance use is the Week 12 topic, with chapters from Cepeda, review of earlier readings on motivational interviewing and interviewing adolescents, and optional articles. The board asks whether you could use motivational interviewing with adolescents who use substances and asks for examples of using it in an interview. Dates and the rubric are in Canvas. Take a position, explain why the method does or does not suit adolescents developmentally, and give a concrete example of an interview, including how you handle confidentiality and screening. Adaptations for teens, such as shorter sessions and careful involvement of parents, show you have thought about the age group rather than applying an adult approach unchanged.
How this DNP 671 Module 9 example is built
The post takes a clear position and explains why motivational interviewing fits adolescent development. An example follows: a composite 16-year-old seen alone after a confidentiality explanation, screened with the CRAFFT, whose items are listed, and then interviewed with reflections that connect his own goal of making varsity to his vaping. The writer explains what she would do next, offering information with permission and agreeing on a small step. A list of adaptations for teens closes the post, and the reply addresses a parent who wants a lecture. Three sources support the post. The exchange ends on a goal the teen named himself. Adaptations for teens are listed so a reader can apply them quickly.
Where the marks sit in the DNP 671 Module 9 rubric
This board is likely graded on a clear position, developmental reasoning, a realistic interview example with motivational interviewing skills, attention to confidentiality and screening, adaptations for adolescents and a helpful reply. Credit goes to examples that show the clinician's actual words and the teen's own goals. Naming a validated adolescent screen shows evidence-based assessment. Discussing confidentiality limits reflects ethical practice. Adaptations show the student understands that teens are not small adults. Replies that address family involvement add a practical dimension. Posts that keep the teen's voice central, rather than the clinician's, usually stand out. Including the screen's items shows the student knows how the tool works, not just its name.
DNP 671 Module 9 help from the desk
A frequent weakness is an example in which the clinician quickly tells the teen to quit. Let the teen's own goals lead. Another is skipping confidentiality, which teens need to hear before they will talk. Use a validated screen rather than an informal question. A teen you have seen, described without identifying details, is enough for the desk to sketch an example interview. Keep the example short and realistic. Mention how you would involve parents with the teen's agreement. Include how you explained confidentiality before asking about substances. Keep scare tactics out of the example entirely. Show what you would say to the parent afterward.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Arizona State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
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DNP 671 Module 9 questions, answered
Where can I find a free DNP 671 Module 9 sample paper?
Read the full DNP 671 Week 12 post above, including a motivational interviewing exchange with a teen who vapes cannabis.
Does motivational interviewing work with adolescents?
Its respect for autonomy fits adolescent development, and it is widely used with teens who use substances.
What is the CRAFFT screen?
A brief validated screen for adolescent substance use with questions about riding in a car, relaxing, using alone, forgetting, family or friends and trouble.
Should a teen be interviewed alone about substance use?
Yes, after explaining what stays confidential and what must be shared if there is serious danger.
How do you adapt motivational interviewing for teens?
Keep sessions short, use the teen's language, avoid scare tactics and involve parents in ways the teen agrees to.