Table 1.

Blended motivational interviewing (MI) and problem solving therapy (PST) intervention

	Summary of blended MI and PST sessions and objectives
Session 1, Week 1 45 minutes	• Conduct screening/assessment of alcohol use
	• Provide feedback on results of screening/assessment
	• Increase knowledge of how alcohol use impacts on course of HIV
	• Use MI to build rapport and develop readiness to change
	○ Assess readiness to change (using readiness ruler)
	○ Assess pros and cons of change (Decision-balance exercise)
	○ Use MI to try and shift participant and elicit a commitment to change
Session 2, Week 1	Patient check-in (using MI)
50 minutes	• Build the Rationale for PST
	• Explain the structure of PST
	• Explain the link between problems and alcohol use, and the rationale for PST
	• Establish positive problem orientation
	• Describe the steps of PST
	• Build the rationale for activity scheduling
	• Describe the steps of Problem Solving
	• First Problem Solving Session with counsellor (using the steps) and describe homework
Session 3, Week 2 50 minutes	• Patient check-in (using MI)
	• Review homework from previous week and challenges/difficulties
	○ Elicit positive change talk and affirm commitment to change using MI techniques
	○ Review PST steps and affirm attempts to change
	• Explain what can be done about problems that are not important (coping with negative thoughts)
	• Second Problem Solving Session with counsellor and an exercise
Session 4 Week 2 45 minutes	• Review practice exercises from session 3
	• Explain what can be done about problems that are important but cannot be solved 5 min (advancing the process of acceptance)
	• Third Problem Solving Session with counsellor and recap
	• Elicit positive change talk and affirm commitment to change using MI techniques