Motivational Interviewing Practice Test

The Motivational Interviewing Practice Test is a free beginner-level, 15-minute skill test from Science of Apps. It tests motivational interviewing (MI) knowledge and skill — the spirit and four processes of MI, the core OARS skills, and recognising and responding to change talk, sustain talk and discord — written to Miller and Rollnick's Motivational Interviewing (4th edition, 2023) and Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers resources for 2026. Score 70% or more on its 15 questions to earn a verifiable Motivational Interviewing Readiness certificate (SOA-MIX). Every question is based on published standards and research — including Miller WR, Rollnick S. Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change and Grow (4th edition, 2023) (Guilford Press), Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) (MINT) — and each answer is explained with its source.

Science of Apps offers a free Motivational Interviewing Practice Test, updated for 2026 and 2027. It measures spirit and processes, core skills: OARS and change talk, sustain talk and discord and gives instant results with a shareable certificate.

Read the three skill areas on this page, then take the 15-minute test online — no fee, course or sign-up. You see every answer explained when you finish. Score 70% or more and you get a Motivational Interviewing Readiness certificate straight away, on screen, as a PDF and by email, with a credential ID anyone can verify.

Yes. The questions are original scenarios written by Science of Apps, and each one is based on a public source you can read: Miller WR, Rollnick S. Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change and Grow (4th edition, 2023) (Guilford Press); Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) (MINT). The source is shown under each question and linked in the answer review. Science of Apps doesn't copy questions from other tests.

Three skill areas with five questions each, drawn from a bank of 10 per area so a retake brings new questions: Spirit and Processes (MI spirit, The four processes and Ambivalence); Core Skills: OARS (Open questions, Affirmations and Reflections and summaries); Change Talk, Sustain Talk and Discord (DARN-CAT, Responding to sustain talk and Discord). Every question is an original scenario written to the 2026–2027 standard, with the published source named under it.

Counsellor or psychotherapist, Nurse, doctor or health coach, Social worker or probation officer, Addiction or peer support worker and Teacher, coach or manager supporting behaviour change. It suits anyone who wants a quick, verifiable way to show Motivational Interviewing knowledge in 2026 and 2027, from students and career switchers to experienced professionals.

Motivational interviewing is a collaborative, person-centred way of talking with people about change, developed by William Miller and Stephen Rollnick. It helps people explore and resolve ambivalence by drawing out their own reasons for change rather than persuading them.

OARS are the core communication skills: Open questions, Affirmations, Reflections and Summaries. Skilled practitioners use more reflections than questions, and many of them are complex reflections that add meaning or emphasis.

Yes. The test is online, in English and free everywhere — people take it from India, the US, the UK, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Your certificate is dated with your own local date and can be verified from anywhere at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/.

15 questions — 5 from each of 3 skill areas — with a 15-minute limit. You need 70% (11 of 15) to pass and 90% for distinction.

We rate it Beginner: no experience needed: fundamentals and clear reasoning. It has 15 scenario questions — 5 from each of 3 skill areas — and a 15-minute limit. You need 70% (11 of 15) to pass and 90% for distinction.

Nothing. There is no fee to take a test, to receive the certificate, to have it emailed or to verify it, and no sign-up.

On our server, not in your browser. The answers never reach the page until you submit, so a certificate can only be earned by passing. Each certificate gets a unique credential ID stored by Science of Apps.

You see your score for each area and every question with the correct answer and why, with the published source behind it. You can retake after 30 minutes, and the retake draws questions you haven't seen yet.

No. Every certificate is dated, so it always shows when you passed. Retake a test any time for a newer date or a higher score.

Yes. After you pass, Add to LinkedIn opens the Licenses & certifications form with the certificate name, Science of Apps as the issuer, the issue date, your credential ID and the verification link filled in. You can also download it as a PDF or PNG, and it's emailed to you as a PDF.

Every certificate has a credential ID and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the ID at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/, shows the holder's name, the certification, the score and the issue date from our records.

No. They are Science of Apps' own assessments of applied skill. They aren't issued by a university or standards body, and they work best alongside a portfolio that shows the skills in real work.