Chapter 5—Questions: Opening Communication
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. “Could you share more about that?” This is a(n) ______ question.
a.
open
b.
closed
2. “So, its you we need to work on. Is that right?” This is a(n) ______ question.
a.
open
b.
closed
3. “Does he do a good job?” This is a(n) ______ question.
a.
open
b.
closed
4. “What’s happening with you today?” This is a(n) ______ question.
a.
open
b.
closed
5. When you use open questions effectively as an interviewer, you can predict the client will:
a.
often become very defensive.
b.
pay more attention to interviewer instructions.
c.
give more details and talk more.
d.
express more emotional release.
6. When you use closed questions effectively as an interviewer, you can predict the client will:
a.
often become very defensive.
b.
pay more attention to interviewer instructions.
c.
give more specific information but may close his or her talk.
d.
become more talkative and expressive.
7. Which of the following is TRUE about questions?
a.
They provide a systematic framework for directing the interview.
b.
They help an interview begin and move along slowly.
c.
They help to open and close client talk.
d.
All of the above.
8. Which of the following is TRUE about questions?
a.
They bring out specific detail in client’s stories.
b.
They guide the manner in which a client talks about an issue.
c.
They help to open and close client talk.
d.
All of the above.
9. Proficient counselors ________________________.
a.
know that questions are absolutely required to complete an effective client session
b.
always use questions more than any other skill during client sessions
c.
never use questions during client sessions
d.
recognize, that while essential, there are potential problems associated with questioning
clients
10. Open questions ________, and closed questions ________.
a.
focus the interview; provide maximum information
b.
encourage others to talk; bring out specifics
c.
bring out specifics; encourage others to talk
d.
can be answered with few words; cannot be answered with few words
11. Excessive use of questions:
a.
is appropriate with specific practice theories.
b.
is prohibited in most interviewing methods.
c.
gives too much power to the interviewer.
d.
gives too much power to the client.
12. Which of the following is MOST TRUE for counseling practice, according to the authors?
a.
Closed questions should be used rarely.
b.
Closed questions should never be used.
c.
Closed questions can be helpful in bringing out client specifics.
d.
Closed questions are the basis of clear decision making.
13. Which of following is NOT a danger of questions?
a.
The client may be put on the defensive by why questions.
b.
The interviewer can take too much control of the session.
c.
Client stories may be made more concrete and specific through questioning strategies.
d.
In cross-cultural situations, too many questions may destroy the relationship.
14. Which of the following questions will NOT help the client provide more information?
a.
“What else is going on in your life?”
b.
“What might we have missed?”
c.
“What did I tell you?”
d.
“Have we missed anything?”
15. Memories studied via brain scans reveal:
a.
memories that are false can be identified clearly.
b.
memories that are true can be identified clearly.
c.
no distinction between false and true memories.
d.
false memories activate different parts of the brain than true memories.
16. The above brain information is:
a.
very valuable to the practicing counselor so that challenges to false ideas can be addressed.
b.
an interesting research finding that currently has little practical use for daily practice.
c.
such that it leads interviewers to challenge past research.
d.
such that it leads to proof of past research.
17. Which of the following is FALSE about concreteness?
a.
Concreteness helps the session come alive.
b.
Concreteness clarifies what the client is saying.
c.
Concreteness is of no value for empathic understanding.
d.
All of the above.
18. The excerpts of the interview with Kelly (pages 121-125) illustrates all EXCEPT which of the
following?
a.
It helped to give Kelly more talk-time and room to explore what is happening.
b.
Questions helped clarify what is happening.
c.
There were no dangers in using too many questions.
d.
Question stems such as why, how, and could have some predictability in expected client
responses.
19. Which question opener will be MOST useful for bringing out client feelings and emotions?
a.
Could
b.
What
c.
How
d.
Why
20. Which of the following statements best describes how the interviewer uses question and encourages
less verbal clients to talk?
a.
You may draw out client talk with open questions only.
b.
You may draw out client talk with closed questions only.
c.
You may draw out client talk with a careful balance of open and closed questions.
d.
You may draw out client talk without the use of questions at all.
21. Which of the following questions is most likely to bring out data that was missed earlier, according to
the authors?
a.
“Could you tell me more?”
b.
“What happened specifically? Could you give me an example?”
c.
“How do you feel about that?”
d.
“What else?”
22. Which of the following is NOT one of the several major issues around questions, discussed in the
book?
a.
Open questions help elaborate and enrich the client’s story.
b.
Questions are critical in assessment.
c.
Questions promote trust in cross-cultural situations.
d.
Questions help begin the interview.
23. Which question opener will be MOST useful for bringing out specific facts within the client’s story?
a.
Could
b.
What
c.
How
d.
Why
24. Which question opener is MOST helpful in encouraging clients to talk?
a.
Could
b.
What
c.
How
d.
Why
25. Which of the following is a TRUE statement?
a.
Closed questions can overwhelm clients.
b.
Interviewers can totally control the session using closed questions.
c.
Specific critical details can be expressed using closed questions.
d.
All of the above.
26. “Why did you do that?” This question may:
a.
Make clients feel defensive.
b.
Bring out client reasons for what they did.
c.
Help clients think about what they did and why.
d.
All of the above.
27. “Last week we talked about you speaking with your partner. How did that go this week?” Which of the
following statements provides the BEST reason for an interviewer to use this quote to open a client
session?
a.
The quote leads with an open question.
b.
The quote leads with an open question, and it will draw out more detail.
c.
The quote leads with an open question which will be followed with specific closed
questions to draw out more detail.
d.
The quote leads with an open question, and focuses the session in a specific direction.
28. Which question opener will be MOST useful for bringing out client reasoning?
a.
Could
b.
What
c.
How
d.
Why
29. Which question stem is often oriented to bringing out feelings and/or client process?
a.
What
b.
How
c.
Why
d.
Could
30. Why do “why” questions often put interviewees on the defensive?
a.
“Why” questions evoke a sense of being attacked.
b.
As children we all experienced some form of, “Why did you do that?”
c.
“Why” questions can cause discomfort.
d.
All of the above.
31. Too many questions together give too much control to the interviewer and can put the client on the
defensive. This is known as ________.
a.
questions as statements
b.
excessive questioning
c.
bombardment / grilling
d.
asset questioning
32. Which series of openers are most appropriate for open questions?
a.
Could, can, would, do, is, are
b.
Do, is, are, who, what, why, could
c.
Could, would, why, do, is, who
d.
What, when, why, could, would, can
33. Which series of openers is appropriate for closed questions?
a.
Could, can, would
b.
Do, is, are
c.
Could, would, why
d.
Who, what, when, where
34. Some interviewers may use questions to lead the client and sell their own points of view. This is
known as ________.
a.
questions as statements
b.
excessive questioning
c.
bombardment / grilling
d.
asset questioning
35. “Could you tell me a story where you had a success and felt good about yourself?” This question is an
example of which of the following?
a.
The positive asset search
b.
An open question that encourages self exploration
c.
A question that encourages client self-direction and control
d.
All of the above
36. A positive asset search can be performed through questioning. The asset search enables clients to
________.
a.
ignore really difficult problems
b.
search for times when their problem does not occur
c.
find positive strengths through family and cultural context
d.
search for times when their problem does not occur and find positive strengths through
family and cultural context
37. According to the authors, the positive asset search is:
a.
a strategy to avoid difficult issues.
b.
oriented to bringing out client strengths which they can then use to solve current issues.
c.
possibly too positive and clients may not face up to their real issues.
d.
an example of topic jumping.
38. Which of the following question will be part of a strength inventory?
a.
“What problem brought you here?”
b.
“What are some things you have been proud of in the past?”
c.
“What would you like to talk about today?”
d.
“How can I help you?”
39. Which of the following suggestions may encourage clients talk more freely with you?
a.
Build trust at the client’s pace
b.
Accept some randomness
c.
Search for concrete specifics
d.
All of the above
40. Which of the following statements is NOT true regarding questioning in a multicultural setting?
a.
Depending on your cultural heritage, questioning may be met with distrust.
b.
Depending on your cultural heritage, questioning is completely appropriate as needed.
c.
Extreme questioning style can produce mistrust with clients of all cultural groups.
d.
Extreme questioning style can produce mistrust when the interviewer and client are from
different cultural backgrounds.
41. Which of the following questions may help you clarify the statements of a client who talks in abstract
form with many vague generalities?
a.
“Could you tell me more?”
b.
“How do you feel about that?”
c.
“What happened specifically? Could you give me an example?”
d.
“What else?”
42. Working with children, it helps if:
a.
you are a warm, talkative person.
b.
you avoid leading questions.
c.
you use concrete language.
d.
all of the above.
43. Which of the following is a FALSE statement about question?
a.
Questions can facilitate conversation.
b.
Questions can help the client bring in missing information.
c.
Questions cannot be an easy “fix.”
d.
Overusing questions can damage an interview.
44. ___________________ is not a useful question in the search for positive assets.
a.
“What is the client doing right?”
b.
“What is the client doing wrong?”
c.
“What are the exceptions to the problem?”
d.
“What are client’s personal, family, and cultural/contextual resources?”
TRUE/FALSE
1. Questions are an essential component in many theories and styles of helping.
2. According to the authors, open questions can be answered in a few words and closed questions can be
answered in several sentences.
3. The authors believe that Carl Rogers was correct when he focused on positive regard and
unconditional acceptance.
4. The authors believe in questions but fear overuse and the fact that they can reduce equality in the
interview.
ESSAY
1. Assume you want to conduct an elementary assessment as part of an initial interview with a parent
whose child has been caught stealing from a local store. Using the newspaper rubric of assessment,
frame questions to bring out important data.
2. List questions below that bring out client facts, feelings, reasons, and their general view about
abortion.
3. Questions are sometimes a controversial skill in the helping profession. What is your position on the
use of questions? Include specific advantages and disadvantages of questioning techniques.
4. Discuss how family issues impact the interviewing process and may provide us with a window to
multicultural issues.
5. How does your own family background relate to the fact that you have chosen to consider being a
professional helper?
6. How might you use questions to help a less verbal client talk about her or his issue(s)?
7. How could you demonstrate that you have intentional competence in the questioning skill?
8. Discuss the positive asset search and how it can be used effectively in the session. Also, present your
thoughts on how it could conceivably be used incorrectly and actually interfere with client
development.
9. Present your own cultural/gender/family strength inventory. What are your own positive strengths that
might enable you to become an even more effective interviewer or counselor?
10. Describe the following potential limitations of questions and provide examples.
Bombardment/grilling
Multiple questions
Questions as statements
“Why” questions
11. Sometimes questions are essential. Explain this concept and provide two examples.