Deck 7: Effective Intake Interviewing Skills

Question 1

James is a case manager for a homeless shelter. His responsibilities include conducting intake interviews with applicants, identifying appropriate resources, and coordinating treatment team meetings for his clients.
Maria is a Latina woman who has been living in her car with her two children. She has just come into the shelter and meets with James for an intake interview.
(1)James:  Come in, Maria, and have a seat . (Extends his hand)
(2)Maria:  Thank you . (Shakes James's hand)
(3)James:  How can I help you?
(4)Maria:  Well, I need clothes for my two children, and we are hungry.
(5)James:  OK, we can help with that. Do you have a place to stay?
(6)Maria:  No .
(7)James:  Would you like to find a place to stay?
(8)Maria:  Yes .
(9)James:  Why are you homeless?
(10)Maria:  My husband died. (Looks down and is wringing her hands)
(11)James:  How did he die?
(12)Maria:  (Begins to cry)He had a heart attack.
(13)James:  When did he die?
(14)Maria:  (Visibly upset)Two months ago.
(15)James:  So, how did you lose your home?
(16)Maria:  (Crying)My two babies are so young, I didn't want to leave
(17)them alone, and I lost my job . (She pauses)
(18)James:  Ummm…what about other family?
(19)Maria:  They are all in a different part of the country.
(20)James:  Oh…
(21)Maria:  (Sits silently, crying, with her head down)
During the dialogue, James asked several questions. James's style of questioning was: ​

A)harmful, because he focused Maria's attention in a particular direction.
B)helpful, because he was able to elicit specific information.
C)helpful, because he was able to fill silences when Maria was upset.
D)harmful, because he placed Maria in a position of being interrogated.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Clients with a background of Spanish language and customs: ​

A)are submissive to authority and need to be questioned directly.
B)view informality as an important part of any activity.
C)look to the case manager for advice about the future.
D)have none of the above characteristics.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

James is a case manager for a homeless shelter. His responsibilities include conducting intake interviews with applicants, identifying appropriate resources, and coordinating treatment team meetings for his clients.
Maria is a Latina woman who has been living in her car with her two children. She has just come into the shelter and meets with James for an intake interview.
(1)James:  Come in, Maria, and have a seat . (Extends his hand)
(2)Maria:  Thank you . (Shakes James's hand)
(3)James:  How can I help you?
(4)Maria:  Well, I need clothes for my two children, and we are hungry.
(5)James:  OK, we can help with that. Do you have a place to stay?
(6)Maria:  No .
(7)James:  Would you like to find a place to stay?
(8)Maria:  Yes .
(9)James:  Why are you homeless?
(10)Maria:  My husband died. (Looks down and is wringing her hands)
(11)James:  How did he die?
(12)Maria:  (Begins to cry)He had a heart attack.
(13)James:  When did he die?
(14)Maria:  (Visibly upset)Two months ago.
(15)James:  So, how did you lose your home?
(16)Maria:  (Crying)My two babies are so young, I didn't want to leave
(17)them alone, and I lost my job . (She pauses)
(18)James:  Ummm…what about other family?
(19)Maria:  They are all in a different part of the country.
(20)James:  Oh…
(21)Maria:  (Sits silently, crying, with her head down)
In the preceding dialogue, the question that James asked in line (3)is a good example of a(n): ​

A)open inquiry.
B)closed inquiry.
C)general inquiry.
D)specific inquiry.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

James is a case manager for a homeless shelter. His responsibilities include conducting intake interviews with applicants, identifying appropriate resources, and coordinating treatment team meetings for his clients.
Maria is a Latina woman who has been living in her car with her two children. She has just come into the shelter and meets with James for an intake interview.
(1)James:  Come in, Maria, and have a seat . (Extends his hand)
(2)Maria:  Thank you . (Shakes James's hand)
(3)James:  How can I help you?
(4)Maria:  Well, I need clothes for my two children, and we are hungry.
(5)James:  OK, we can help with that. Do you have a place to stay?
(6)Maria:  No .
(7)James:  Would you like to find a place to stay?
(8)Maria:  Yes .
(9)James:  Why are you homeless?
(10)Maria:  My husband died. (Looks down and is wringing her hands)
(11)James:  How did he die?
(12)Maria:  (Begins to cry)He had a heart attack.
(13)James:  When did he die?
(14)Maria:  (Visibly upset)Two months ago.
(15)James:  So, how did you lose your home?
(16)Maria:  (Crying)My two babies are so young, I didn't want to leave
(17)them alone, and I lost my job . (She pauses)
(18)James:  Ummm…what about other family?
(19)Maria:  They are all in a different part of the country.
(20)James:  Oh…
(21)Maria:  (Sits silently, crying, with her head down)
When working with clients who have a background of Spanish language and customs, such as Maria, questioning should be: ​

A)direct and oriented toward future circumstances and possibilities.
B)used to elicit specific details about the problem or problems.
C)used only after a rapport has been established.
D)used to place the client in a dependent role.

Question 5

When working with clients who are Native American, the case manager should: ​

A)maintain eye contact and lean toward the client to help him or her feel more comfortable.
B)help the client make decisions because he or she may not understand the available services.
C)understand that sharing personal information is difficult and sometimes embarrassing.
D)not treat the client in any special manner.

Question 6

Effective communication skills include which of the following?
I.Using language that the person understands
II.Congruence between verbal and nonverbal messages
III.Giving advice in an attempt to offer solutions
IV.Being sensitive to any cultural differences ​

A)II, III and IV
B)I and II
C)III and IV
D)I, II and IV

Question 7

In general, case managers who are culturally sensitive understand that:
I.each client is unique.
II.sustained eye contact is essential.
III.language has different meanings.
IV.biases can hurt the relationship. ​

A)II, III and IV
B)I, II, III, and IV
C)I, III and IV
D)I, II and III

Question 8

The case manager communicates helping attitudes by: ​

A)treating all clients in the same way.
B)showing respect, empathy, and cultural sensitivity.
C)drawing attention to a client's minority status.
D)assuming that the client understands what he or she is saying.

Question 9

The main purpose of an intake interview is to: ​

A)provide a starting point for providing help.
B)find a way to categorize an individual.
C)allow the client to complete intake forms.
D)offer solutions for the client's problem(s).

Question 10

James is a case manager for a homeless shelter. His responsibilities include conducting intake interviews with applicants, identifying appropriate resources, and coordinating treatment team meetings for his clients.
Maria is a Latina woman who has been living in her car with her two children. She has just come into the shelter and meets with James for an intake interview.
(1)James:  Come in, Maria, and have a seat . (Extends his hand)
(2)Maria:  Thank you . (Shakes James's hand)
(3)James:  How can I help you?
(4)Maria:  Well, I need clothes for my two children, and we are hungry.
(5)James:  OK, we can help with that. Do you have a place to stay?
(6)Maria:  No .
(7)James:  Would you like to find a place to stay?
(8)Maria:  Yes .
(9)James:  Why are you homeless?
(10)Maria:  My husband died. (Looks down and is wringing her hands)
(11)James:  How did he die?
(12)Maria:  (Begins to cry)He had a heart attack.
(13)James:  When did he die?
(14)Maria:  (Visibly upset)Two months ago.
(15)James:  So, how did you lose your home?
(16)Maria:  (Crying)My two babies are so young, I didn't want to leave
(17)them alone, and I lost my job . (She pauses)
(18)James:  Ummm…what about other family?
(19)Maria:  They are all in a different part of the country.
(20)James:  Oh…
(21)Maria:  (Sits silently, crying, with her head down)
Whenever Maria paused in line (17), James responded by asking another question. Which of the following would have been a more helpful response? ​

A)"So, your husband died and you lost your home because you didn't want to work."
B)"Where did you work?"
C)"I see."
D)"Everything will work out."

Question 11

In the acronym SOLER, the R stands for: ​

A)respond.
B)reflect.
C)review.
D)relax.

Question 12

During an intake interview, the client may lose confidence in the case manager if the case manager: ​

A)attempts to clarify what the client means.
B)asks questions to focus the client's attention.
C)pays attention to recurring themes.
D)tries to solve problems too early.

Question 13

People who are African American may: ​

A)like to share their personal stories.
B)feel comfortable in social service agencies.
C)prefer to focus on concrete needs.
D)make decisions without talking to their families.

Question 14

Restating the main idea of what a client has just said is called: ​

A)reflecting.
B)paraphrasing.
C)clarifying.
D)summarizing.

Question 15

According to Ivey, Ivey, & Zalaquett (2014), questioning is a complex skill because:
I.it may assist and inhibit the helping process.
II.women may not know how to respond.
III.the client may feel as if he or she is being examined.
IV.it focuses attention in a particular direction. ​

A)I, II and III
B)I, III and IV
C)II and IV
D)I and III

Question 16

During an intake interview, questioning: ​

A)should be used whenever the case manager needs to fill a silence.
B)should be used whenever a case manager needs to solve a problem.
C)should be used to begin the interview and identify client strengths.
D)should be used as the main method for gathering information.

Question 17

Whenever a case manager is conducting an intake interview with an individual, the physical arrangement of furniture should allow the case manager and the individual to be at right angles without tables or desks between them. This is important because: ​

A)clients cannot always be trusted, and the case manager should be able to see them.
B)clients who have a physical disability will sometimes try to exaggerate or minimize their disability.
C)it gives the case manager room to lean forward and touch the client if he or she is upset.
D)it facilitates appropriate eye contact, positive body language, and equality of position.

Question 18

James is a case manager for a homeless shelter. His responsibilities include conducting intake interviews with applicants, identifying appropriate resources, and coordinating treatment team meetings for his clients.
Maria is a Latina woman who has been living in her car with her two children. She has just come into the shelter and meets with James for an intake interview.
(1)James:  Come in, Maria, and have a seat . (Extends his hand)
(2)Maria:  Thank you . (Shakes James's hand)
(3)James:  How can I help you?
(4)Maria:  Well, I need clothes for my two children, and we are hungry.
(5)James:  OK, we can help with that. Do you have a place to stay?
(6)Maria:  No .
(7)James:  Would you like to find a place to stay?
(8)Maria:  Yes .
(9)James:  Why are you homeless?
(10)Maria:  My husband died. (Looks down and is wringing her hands)
(11)James:  How did he die?
(12)Maria:  (Begins to cry)He had a heart attack.
(13)James:  When did he die?
(14)Maria:  (Visibly upset)Two months ago.
(15)James:  So, how did you lose your home?
(16)Maria:  (Crying)My two babies are so young, I didn't want to leave
(17)them alone, and I lost my job . (She pauses)
(18)James:  Ummm…what about other family?
(19)Maria:  They are all in a different part of the country.
(20)James:  Oh…
(21)Maria:  (Sits silently, crying, with her head down)
The dialogue between James and Maria illustrates which of the following pitfalls of interviewing?
I.Giving advice
II.Rushing to fill silence
III.Premature problem solving
IV.Overreliance on closed questions ​

A)I and II
B)II and IV
C)I and IV
D)II and III

Question 19

James is a case manager for a homeless shelter. His responsibilities include conducting intake interviews with applicants, identifying appropriate resources, and coordinating treatment team meetings for his clients.
Maria is a Latina woman who has been living in her car with her two children. She has just come into the shelter and meets with James for an intake interview.
(1)James:  Come in, Maria, and have a seat . (Extends his hand)
(2)Maria:  Thank you . (Shakes James's hand)
(3)James:  How can I help you?
(4)Maria:  Well, I need clothes for my two children, and we are hungry.
(5)James:  OK, we can help with that. Do you have a place to stay?
(6)Maria:  No .
(7)James:  Would you like to find a place to stay?
(8)Maria:  Yes .
(9)James:  Why are you homeless?
(10)Maria:  My husband died. (Looks down and is wringing her hands)
(11)James:  How did he die?
(12)Maria:  (Begins to cry)He had a heart attack.
(13)James:  When did he die?
(14)Maria:  (Visibly upset)Two months ago.
(15)James:  So, how did you lose your home?
(16)Maria:  (Crying)My two babies are so young, I didn't want to leave
(17)them alone, and I lost my job . (She pauses)
(18)James:  Ummm…what about other family?
(19)Maria:  They are all in a different part of the country.
(20)James:  Oh…
(21)Maria:  (Sits silently, crying, with her head down)
What was James's first closed question? ​

A)Do you have a place to stay? line (5)
B)How can I help you? line (3)
C)How did he die? line (11)
D)Why are you homeless? line (9)

Question 20

Closed inquiries are appropriate whenever the case manager needs to: ​

A)talk about a particular topic.
B)allow for the expression of feelings.
C)offer the client flexibility in responding.
D)find out specific information.