Objective: To investigate the effect of motivational interviewing and transtheoretical model on self -management behavior scale score, quality of life scale, treatment compliance, blood glucose level, and BMI of type 2 diabetic patients. Methods: Ninety type 2 diabetic patients from May 2016 to April 2017 were divided into an observation group and a control group in accordance with the random number table. The patients in the control group were given routine nursing intervention, while the patients in the observation group were given the combination of routine nursing intervention and motivational interviewing and transtheoretical model. The drug use, diet control, regular exercise, blood glucose monitoring, abnormal glucose coping ability and foot care, quality of life, treatment compliance, FPG, 2h PG, HbA1c, and BMI were compared between two groups after 6-month treatment. Results: The self -management behavior scale score of patients in the observation group was significantly higher than that of patients in control group after 6 months treatment (P<0.05). The quality of life scale of patients in the observation group was significantly higher than that of patients in the control group after 6 months treatment (P<0.05). The treatment compliance of patients in the observation group was significantly higher than that of patients in the control group after 6-month treatment (P<0.05). FPG, 2hPG, HbA1c and BMI were remarkably lower than that of patients in the control group after 6-month treatment, respectively (P<0.05). Conclusion: Motivational interviewing and transtheoretical model contributes to up-regulate the self-management behavior scale score and quality of life scale, improves treatment compliance and controls blood glucose level and BMI.