Type II diabetes is a serious problem in Taiwan. The prevalence of Type II diabetes in the whole population is between 5 to 10% and 11% in people over 45 years of age. Diabetes is the fifth leading cause of death, and care costs are 4.3 times higher than for people without diabetes. Self-management is the cornerstone of diabetes control. Failure to motivate or empower people to self-manage their diabetic condition has been identified as an important issue in research literature. Developing effective and efficient strategies to promote self-management of diabetes is important in order to prevent serious complications. The aim of the present study was to determine whether participation in a Motivational Interview (MI) by Taiwanese people with Type II diabetes would improve their self-management and well being. This three phase RCT included a small qualitative component. The sample was made up of 286 people from a large tertiary teaching hospital in Southern Taiwan. Participants were randomly allocated into either the MI group or the usual care group. Phase I provided baseline measures, phase II the intervention and phase III involved re-testing to establish the effectiveness of the intervention at three months follow-up. Content of the interview was modified according to an assessment of participant’s Stage of Change; an approach underpinned by the Transtheoretical Model (TTM). The Motivational Interview (MI) encompassed a variety of interviewing and counselling techniques and information sharing. The control group was provided with usual care that included diabetes educational sessions and attendance at a Diabetes Club provided by hospital nursing staff...