Investigative Interviewing Skills

Ask questions and use statements that encourage the person to give information. The tips in the table below give ways to gather clear, correct, and complete information.

Skill Type Description Examples Open-ended questions Are worded so the question cannot be answered with “yes,” “no” or just one-word. Encourage discussion. Begin with words like "who", "what", "where", "when", and "how". NOTE Most questions in the DD 0-5 tool are “yes” or “no”, but still need more details. For example, how often the customer completes the task or how long it takes. Who helps the customer get dressed? What does the customer’s personal hygiene routine look like? What is the customer doing on their own, and what do they need assistance with? How was the customer physically aggressive? When was the last time the customer was physically aggressive? Where did the customer go when he ran away? Inquiry statements Encourage the person to volunteer information. Allow for a wide range of answers. Tell me more about what happens when she is having a tantrum. Please explain how your child… Describe how the... Clarifying questions Prevent or correct misunderstanding and confusion. You may need to ask more than one question to clarify the information. The customer’s mother said: “Johnnie can make a bowl of cereal and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but he’s really messy." You say: “So you said Johnnie can make a bowl of cereal and a sandwich. Does he do this all by himself? Is he able to clean up after himself when he is done?" Restating information Repeating exactly what was said to be sure it was heard correctly. This confirms what was said and avoids misunderstanding. You said you “check the customer after she bathes by smelling her hair and checking her hands and feet to make sure they are clean.” Is that right? Paraphrasing Restating information using your own words. Paraphrasing confirms that the information is understood correctly. The customer’s father said: “When Johnnie is having a bad day and gets really mad, he just loses control and breaks everything around him.” You say: “So Johnnie only loses control and starts breaking things when he gets really angry? Is that correct?”