Feasibility and Acceptability of a Classroom-Based Motivational Interviewing Intervention for Ninth-Grade Students at Risk for School Dropout.

This article examines the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of the Aspire Group Intervention (AGI), a Tier 2 classroom-based motivational interviewing (MI) program designed for ninth-grade students at high risk of school dropout. Implemented in two classrooms at a southeastern U.S. high school, the nine-lesson AGI curriculum integrates MI's core processes—engaging, focusing, evoking, and planning—with self-determination theory and positive youth development. Findings indicate that both students and teachers generally found the intervention acceptable and helpful, though teachers expressed concerns about student engagement and group size in the classroom setting. While the intervention was feasible to implement with some modifications, no significant changes were observed in students' academic motivation, school connectedness, or social skills, highlighting the need for further refinement and more rigorous evaluation. The study underscores the potential of classroom-based group MI as a Tier 2 strategy to support at-risk students, while noting limitations related to sample size, setting, and measurement.