What can clients tell us about whether to use motivational interviewing? An analysis of early-session ambivalent language

•Assessing clients’ language at the start of the session may tell clinicians whether to use motivational interviewing (MI)•Clients whose language is ambivalent early in the session may respond well to MI•For clients whose are ready to change, MI may be counterproductive•Measuring ambivalence as a balance of change and sustain talk may be a promising method for investigations of MI process and theory