Questioning Techniques
Asking questions is a common part of any conversation; effective questions get us relevant information for the goal we are trying to achieve. We may want to ask a lot of questions of a client to get information and better understand their circumstances, yet, “the overuse of questions can cause a client to feel as though they are being interrogated thus causing them to shut down the communication process” (Brammer & MacDonald, 2003, p. 58). To effectively ask questions, one must be actively listening, self-aware, and emotionally intelligent. Below are some questions to ask oneself before questioning a client:
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- Is this information necessary and relevant to the services I am providing?
- Will this question be triggering or intrusive?
- Is this question being asked for the client’s benefit?
Simply asking yourself these questions does not ensure that the client will respond positively. Therefore, it is advisable to continuously reflect on and observe the client’s responses during interviews and conversations. Once we reflect on the intentions of the question, we will have options about which specific question styles elicit a helpful response.
The most common questioning styles are closed and open. There are many more question techniques and styles, but for the purpose of this introduction we will focus on these two. A closed question will require a yes/no or single word answer. These may be used when you are seeking clear and direct information. For example, “Do you exercise daily?” According to O’Hara et al. (2016), closed questions can also be used to challenge clients to “consider the consequences of their actions, for example: ‘Is that what you really want to happen?’”
Typically, closed questions should be used infrequently and open questions should be used more regularly. Open ended questions require a more detailed response than yes or no, and give the client flexibility on how to respond (O’Hara et al., 2016, p. 118). Open ended questions allow space to engage more deeply with the issue being discussed, and create an opportunity to paraphrase what you hear back to the client. This encourages them to self-reflect on the issue being discussed. The choice of words in questioning is also very important. How you phrase a question may make it effective or ineffective.
Watch the following video interview with Dr. Beverly Ford (2013) for a useful perspective on how to formulate an effective question: Oregon Department of Human Services. (2013, March 4). Asking questions [Video]. YouTube.
Exercise
Take a moment to reflect on the video:
- What types of questions do you notice you most frequently ask people?
- If you ask an open-ended question, are you able to follow up effectively with their response? If not, where do you notice the conversation stalling?
- What is problematic about “why” questions?
Paraphrasing is a developed skill whereby the support worker relays what they hear back to the client to provide insight and an opportunity for reflection. This ensures the worker is correctly understanding the client’s words and intentions and gives the client an opportunity to reframe what they said, or to clarify if the worker has interpreted their words differently than they intended. To paraphrase effectively, we restate the client’s idea, saying what we heard but in different words. We don’t parrot back to them; we restate the key point to achieve clarity and reflection. This skill may take some time to develop for the conversation to flow naturally, but with time it will be a very useful skill to have.
As we practice paraphrasing, we will also have an opportunity to reframe ideas. According to Morin (2023), “The essential idea behind reframing is that the frame through which a person views a situation determines their point of view. When that frame is shifted, the meaning changes, and thinking and behavior often change along with it.” For example, if your client is highly critical of themself, you can reframe using strengths-based language.
An example is a client who states, “I will never find a job, nobody understands me, and everyone thinks I am lazy and unreliable.” As a worker, you can paraphrase this statement by stating, “What I am hearing you say is that obtaining a job feels very challenging, as you are often mistaken by others. You feel they perceive you as unambitious and assume that you cannot be counted on. Is that an accurate statement of how you feel?” Then, you may reframe by first pointing out the tendency of catastrophizing and black and white thinking. Next, offer a reframe, such as, “although job seeking is challenging, there are opportunities for all skill levels. I have observed the opposite of you being lazy, as you arrive for all your appointments on time, you come organized and prepared, and you are following through on your job searches even though you have found it to be discouraging. I would see these traits as demonstrative of your commitment and motivation to yourself and your employment options.” This will help to model a new way of seeing themself, or a new way of processing a situation.
The above skills will be used throughout the client session, which will be discussed in later chapters.
References
Brammer, L. M., & MacDonald, G. (2003). The helping relationship: Process and skills (8th ed.). Allyn and Bacon.
Morin, A. (2023, May 9). How cognitive reframing works. Verywell mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/reframing-defined-2610419
O’Hara, A., Weber, Z., & Levine, K. (2016). Skills for human service practice: Working with individuals, groups and communities (2nd ed). Oxford University Press.
Oregon Department of Human Services. (2013, March 4). Asking questions [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/VZZCMEu9J_w
Image Credit
Figure 2: Active listening chart by Imelda Bickham, CC BY-SA 3.0.
A process of searching within to understand who you are, your preferences, motivations, and biases that form your personality and actions.
