Previous research has demonstrated that a child’s ability to overcome sexual abuse inflicted by a parent is often determined by the support the child receives from their non-offending parent; most notably, their mothers. Supportive behavior is defined by both belief in the child’s account of the abuse and protective actions to protect the child from further abuse. Some mothers, however, need to be motivated to offer support and protection to their children. As such, the author examines how both the Stages of Change model and Motivational Interviewing can be useful tools for motivating mothers to believe in their children and take protective actions. The Transtheoretical Stages of Change model posits that people who are in a change process go through different motivational levels: precontemplation, contemplation, determination, action, and maintenance stages. Applied to mothers who have learned of their child’s allegations of sexual abuse, a different intervention approach can be applied depending upon the stage of change the mother is in. The idea is to motivate the mother by nudging her along the continuum of change. Motivational Interviewing techniques can be used as the mechanism to motivate the mother through the stages of change. Motivational Interviewing techniques are discussed, and include reflective listening, eliciting problem recognition, and concern for the problem. The author offers a case application involving an exchange between a social worker and a mother to demonstrate the use of Motivational Interviewing and the Transtheoretical Stages of Change model. References