MICA Coding Assessment — Evaluate Motivational Interviewing Competency
The Motivational Interviewing Competency Assessment (MICA) is a structured, research-based tool used to evaluate the quality and proficiency of Motivational Interviewing (MI) skills. MICA coding provides organizations and practitioners with a reliable method for measuring MI competency, improving coaching effectiveness, and strengthening training outcomes.
IFIOC offers expert MICA coding services that help professionals and teams understand where they are in their MI skill development and how to improve performance over time.
MICA stands for Motivational Interviewing Competency Assessment. It’s a coding tool to help identify if someone is using the skill set Motivational Interviewing to fidelity or not.
What Is MICA Coding?
MICA coding assessment is a way to systematically evaluate how well a clinician or practitioner uses Motivational Interviewing skills in real conversations. A MICA rater listens to recorded sessions and scores them using a validated coding tool that reflects core MI intentions and strategies.
The MICA assesses practitioners across seven domains:
MI Intentions (5 domains)
- Partnering
- Evoking
- Guiding
- Expressing Empathy
- Supporting Autonomy and Activation
MI Strategies (2 domains)
- Strategically Responding to Sustain Talk
- Strategically Responding to Change Talk
Using MICA coding, organizations can measure MI fidelity, pinpoint strengths, and define targeted areas for skill improvement.
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Why MICA Coding Matters for MI Competency
MICA coding gives you more than a score — it provides meaningful feedback about how a practitioner interacts in real conversations. Some key benefits include:
- Objective Skill Measurement
MICA coding uses a validated assessment tool, not subjective judgment. - Progress Tracking Over Time
Repeated assessments help measure growth and training impact. - Better Coaching and Supervision
Coders and coaches can tailor feedback based on coded data.
These insights help both individuals and organizations move beyond theoretical understanding to measurable MI performance.
Competency and Proficiency:
The MICA helps identify competency and proficiency within the Motivational Interviewing skillset.
How IFIOC Supports Your MICA Coding Needs
At IFIOC, our experienced MICA coders work with learners, teams, and organizations to deliver reliable, actionable MI competency evaluations.
MICA Coding Services for Individuals
We assess recorded MI sessions and provide detailed skill reports tailored to individual growth goals.
Team and Organizational Coding Support
We work with agencies, training programs, and departments to code multiple users, aggregate data, and provide group competency insights.
Training-Integrated Coding Solutions
MICA coding can be paired with MI workshops and coaching so you measure progress before and after training.
Each coding package includes:
- Detailed scoring reports
- Written feedback summaries
- Recommendations for opportunities for growth
This makes MICA coding more than assessment — it’s a roadmap for sustained skill development.
Want to view an Example MICA coding Report?
MICA-example-report-accessableLearn more about using the MICA
Whether you are an individual wanting to improve, an agency wanting to create MI sustainability with MICA coaches or an individual already using the MICA tool, but wanting to use our website to create coding reports, we can help!
Below is an example of a coding report, click through it to view the different coding and coaching opportunities.
