The study analyzed the effectiveness of motivational interviewing (MI) to decrease the amount of substance use among adults who have depression in outpatient psychiatry. The sample size was 104 participants, including people who said they were involved in hazardous drinking, illegal drug use, or misuse of prescription drugs, and who scored less than 15 on the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). The patients would be receiving outpatient depression cases and telephone interviews, in addition to MI or learning about alcohol and drug use risks. Overall, it was noted that the participants treated with MI were less likely to report hazardous drinking at the 3-month mark.