The Power of Language - Persuading Addicts to Change their Lifestyle on TV : A conversation analysis of the documentary show "Intervention Canada", 15p

Abstract: Intervention is a successful method for families and friends in which they encourage addicts to change their lifestyles together with a professional interventionist. This study is a qualitative investigation on how language was used in televised interventions from the documentary show “Intervention Canada”. The focus of the study was to look into the intentional persuasion of the interventionist and trace patterns of the addict’s emotional driven response by using conversation analysis. The findings revealed that the interventionists used empathic- tone and body language, strategic pauses before and after voicing important information, and powerful words in short sentences when talking. Thus, even though they shared strategies, each situation required them to be flexible. Additionally, similar reactions among the addicts’ talk-in-interaction were indicated, where silence and ambiguous utterances were a sign of hesitation when responding the interventionist.