Chapter 6—Encouraging, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing: Key Skills of Active
Listening
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The checkout is also called a:
a.
reality check.
b.
perception check.
c.
sensation check.
d.
language check.
2. Which of the following statements is TRUE of active listening?
a.
Active listening demands that the interviewer fully participate in the interview by
encouraging, paraphrasing, or summarizing.
b.
Active listening demands serious attention to empathy.
c.
Active listening enables the interviewer to see the client’s worldview more completely.
d.
All of the above.
3. If you use an encourager correctly, you may anticipate that the client will ____.
a.
elaborate on the topic that has been encouraged
b.
accurately paraphrase what you have said back to you
c.
indicate that he or she appreciates what you are doing
d.
stop talking about the topic and move on to something more important
4. If you use paraphrases effectively, you may anticipate that the client will ____.
a.
change or jump topics
b.
give more detail without repeating exactly the same story
c.
indicate that he or she appreciates what you are doing
d.
stop talking about the topic and move on to something more important
5. If you use summarizing correctly, you may anticipate that the client will ____.
a.
thank you and move on to a different topic
b.
give more detail without repeating exactly the same story
c.
feel heard and learn how parts of important stories are integrated
d.
stop talking and jump to another story
6. Paraphrasing and summarizing communicate to clients ____.
a.
that it is time for the session to end
b.
that the interviewer is skilled
c.
that they have been listened to
d.
that interviewer talk is important during the helping session
7. Encouraging, paraphrasing and summarizing ____.
a.
clarify for the client what he or she has said
b.
help clients to talk in more detail about issues of concern
c.
communicate to the client what they have said
d.
all of these
8. A proficient demonstration of active listening requires the interviewer to ____.
a.
listen intently and evaluate client responses to determine appropriate treatment
b.
listen intently, with a nonjudgmental attitude, and clarify what clients have to say
c.
listen intently and convey his/her approval and support of the client’s topic
d.
all of these statements demonstrate active listening
9. The most important function of summarizations is that
a.
they feed back the essence of many things that might have been missed otherwise.
b.
they break the routine of paraphrasing, questioning, and encouraging.
c.
they bring together the things a client has been saying in an organized fashion.
d.
they provide an opportunity for the interviewer to summarize his or her own ideas.
10. When the counselor repeats short statements, two or more words, exactly as used by the client, this is
known as a ____.
a.
paraphrase
b.
summary
c.
restatement
d.
reflection
11. Which of the following is NOT an additional dimension of empathy?
a.
Unconditional positive regard
b.
Concrete language
c.
Acceptance
d.
All of the above
12. Empathy can be rated as:
a.
interchangeable.
b.
subtractive.
c.
additive.
d.
all of the above.
13. Client: “There’s this group of girls that make fun of me and call me names, and I feel sad. They keep
making fun of my shoes, just ‘cause I don’t have name brand shoes. I try to ignore them, but still the
feeling inside me just hurts.”
Counselor: “They keep making fun of your shoes?”
Classify this response.
a.
Encouraging
b.
Paraphrasing
c.
Summarizing
d.
Restating
14. Counseling children requires ______________.
a.
more extensive use of questions than with adults
b.
using more concrete language
c.
avoiding the repetition of paraphrasing
d.
summarizing constantly what the child is saying
15. Which one of the following is a key interviewer behavior when working with children?
a.
Be prepared to help children focus on a single issue.
b.
Allow them to play with clay or draw to expend excess energy.
c.
Soften your tone when you must look down at their level.
d.
Ask broad open questions to allow them room for their creative responses.
16. Which of the following openings would be useful to draw out a child’s story?
a.
“Honey, could you tell me what happened?”
b.
“Tell me everything that occurred, Joey.”
c.
“Nelson, where were you when the fight started?”
d.
None of the above.
17. If anything, informed consent when working with children is ___________________.
a.
not an issue when you work in a well-organized school system
b.
perhaps even more important than with adults
c.
a concern to parents
d.
all of the above
18. Accumulative stress is:
a.
the result of a major stressor such as rape, cancer, or other traumatic event.
b.
best handled with minor medication.
c.
seldom an important issue.
d.
repeated and repeating “minor” insults and stressors received by a client.
19. As an interviewer you may help alleviate the occurrence of accumulated stress or posttraumatic stress
responses in clients by your careful listening and support. Which of the following is an example of
accumulated stress?
a.
Being teased and excluded by classmates
b.
Experiencing discrimination and prejudice in the community
c.
Continuing harassment in the workplace
d.
All of the above
20. Discrimination and prejudice are examples of:
a.
a historical legacy of oppression.
b.
the result of institutional racism.
c.
a major cause of accumulative stress.
d.
all of the above.
21. Positive facial expressions, minimum verbal utterances, and head nods are effective demonstrations of
____.
a.
encouraging
b.
paraphrasing
c.
summarizing
d.
empathizing
22. Silence, minimum verbal utterances, and head nods are effective ways of
a.
encouraging.
b.
paraphrasing.
c.
summarizing.
d.
reflecting feeling.
23. All of the following are encouragers EXCEPT ____.
a.
head nods
b.
single-word repetitions
c.
well-phrased open questions
d.
open palm
24. Client observation skills are important in paraphrasing because
a.
nonverbal patterns of behavior may change the meaning of the client’s words.
b.
examples of movement synchrony may show when you hear the client accurately.
c.
repeating patterns of client language may be observed.
d.
all of these.
25. Which of the following lists the four dimensions of an accurate paraphrase?
a.
Sentence stem, key words, essence of what the client has said, and a check-out
b.
Key words, essence of the client’s story, reflection of feeling, and a closing
c.
Key words, mirroring client body language, quoting the client, and a closing
d.
Sentence stem, reflection of feeling, a closing, and a check-out
26. An accurate paraphrase usually consists of which of the following four dimensions?
a.
Key words, essence of the client’s story, reflection of feeling, and a closing
b.
Sentence stem, key words, essence of what the client has said, and a check-out
c.
Key words, mirroring client body language, quoting the client, and a closing
d.
Sentence stem, mirroring client body language, reflection of feeling, and a check-out
27. A check-out at the end of a paraphrase may take all EXCEPT which of the following forms?
a.
A head nod indicating agreement.
b.
A closed question (“Is that right?”).
c.
A raised vocal tone at the end that almost turns the paraphrase into a question.
d.
All of these.
28. Which of the following is TRUE of an accurate paraphrase?
a.
Clients have an opportunity to correct inaccurate interviewer perceptions.
b.
Avoid parroting the client; capture the essence of client talk.
c.
Use key words used by the client.
d.
All of these choices are true of an accurate paraphrase.
29. Client: There’s this group of girls that make fun of me and call me names, and I feel sad. They keep
making fun of my shoes, just ’cause I don’t have name brand shoes. I try to ignore them, but still the
feeling inside me just hurts.
Counselor: Demaris, it sounds like it hurts when they make fun of your shoes.
This response can be classified as _______.
a.
encouraging noting emotions
b.
paraphrasing noting emotions
c.
summarizing noting emotions
d.
restating noting emotions
30. Client: There’s this group of girls that make fun of me and call me names, and I feel sad. They keep
making fun of my shoes, just ’cause I don’t have name brand shoes. I try to ignore them, but still the
feeling inside me just hurts.
Counselor: You are having trouble at school. Some girls call you names, make fun of your shoes, and
it feels hurtful inside.
This response can be classified as _______.
a.
encouraging
b.
paraphrasing
c.
summarizing
d.
restating
31. When the interviewer opens a session, “Let’s see, last time we discussed...,” he/she is most likely ____.
a.
encouraging
b.
paraphrasing
c.
summarizing
d.
restating
32. Summarizing encompasses a longer period of conversation and is used to ____.
a.
define your agenda for the counseling session
b.
begin or end an interview
c.
organize the auditory, visual, and kinesthetic primary representational system
d.
close a session and prepare for the next visit
33. Summarizing is primarily used to ____.
a.
begin or end an interview
b.
organize clearly in your mind the auditory, visual, and kinesthetic primary representational
system
c.
define your agenda for the counseling session
d.
all of these
34. All your clients like to be listened to accurately. If your client is culturally different from you, it may
be more difficult for the client to trust you to hear him or her correctly. Which of the following would
NOT be helpful to establish the necessary trust?
a.
Learning the political / power structure of the client’s community.
b.
Accurately following the specified treatment plan designated for your client’s observed
ethnic group.
c.
Appropriate interviewer disclosure and an explanation of your methods.
d.
Enjoying yourself at cultural celebrations.
35. Which of the following energizes the brain and readies it for new information?
a.
Amygdala
b.
Hippocampus
c.
Dopamine
d.
Thalamus
36. ____ is demonstrated when the interviewer responds to the client, “You really feel frustrated, almost
crazy, over the situation.”
a.
Encouraging
b.
Paraphrasing
c.
Summarizing
d.
Reflecting feeling
37. Bilingual clients, according to Azara Santiago-Rivera, are ____.
a.
advantaged
b.
disadvantaged
c.
neither advantaged or disadvantaged
d.
in need of special help
38. Which of the following might be useful for the interviewer who wishes to work with bilingual clients,
even though not particularly skilled in the language of the client?
a.
Learning a few key words in the client’s language
b.
Suggesting that the client talk about especially important issues in his/her own language
and then translating them for the interviewer
c.
Becoming competent and knowledgeable in key aspects of a culture
d.
All of the above
39. The authors point out that ____ is essential if you are to truly master and become competent in the
interview.
a.
Practice!
b.
Practice, practice!!
c.
Practice, practice, practice!!!
d.
None of the above.
COMPLETION
Instructions: Which of the following are most likely identified as encouragers, restatements,
paraphrases, or summarizations?
E
for encourager
R
for restatement
P
for paraphrase
S
for summarization
Client: “I have been having a tough time with my sons. George has been having difficulty in school
and I have an appointment for the third time with a counselor. John is acting up in the junior high and
has been sassing his mother frequently. Yet, their grades are OK. I wonder if they need more to do.”
Counselor responses follow. Classify the response.
1. ____ “More?”
2. ____ “Sounds as if you’re having trouble with the kids, yet you note they are doing well and wonder if
doing more things is the answer.“
3. ____ “A tough time with your sons?”
4. ____ “Both are having trouble in school, yet they are doing OK academically.”
5. Which paraphrase might be more helpful to this client?
Counselor: “I am not sure how the problem should be seen. I get a picture of the kids fighting all the
time at home. Looks like they simply can’t get along, yet they are very bright.”
a.
“It appears that the scene at home is constant fighting despite their ability.”
b.
“Sounds as if the noise at home is something and it is constant despite their ‘smarts’.”
c.
“Does it seem like a bright picture or not?”
d.
“You feel confused and unsure of what to do.”
TRUE/FALSE
1. All clients have a need to know they have been heard.
2. Working with children uses only some of the microskills.
3. An important part of informed consent, when working with children, is clearly stating that parents
have the right to withdraw their permission at any point.
4. The sight of a person showing intense disgust turns on the observer’s brain areas associated with the
feeling of disgust.
ESSAY
1. What are the main characteristics and values of an encourager, paraphrase, and summarization?
2. Provide examples of encouragers, restatements, and paraphrases in response to the following client.
Client: This past year I have been feeling more and more down. I am getting to the point that nothing
seems to make sense. Nothing is going right. My car broke down, my boss is after me. I had an
argument with my son because he wouldn’t help me with the lawn. No matter what I do, it simply
doesn’t work.
3. Define from your own perspective the importance of the active listening skills of this chapter. How
would you contrast them with questioning techniques?
4. The school or community agency within which you work has a large Puerto Rican community, many
of whom still speak Spanish in the home. Assuming your main language is not Spanish, what are some
things that you can do to work more effectively with this group? If you come from a Puerto Rican or
Spanish background, what advice would you give to English-speaking interviewers?
5. Discuss how you would use the listening skills in working with children and adolescents.
6. Explain the concept of accumulative stress and discuss potential sources and impact.
