Deck 3: An Overview of the Interview Process

Question 1

Putting the client at ease is an integral part of the therapist's job. Using small talk is one way to accomplish this. Safe and nonjudgmental subjects to talk about with adults include all of the following EXCEPT:

A) Recent news events
B) Sporting events
C) Clothing they are wearing
D) The weather
E) All of the above are safe topics to broach with adults.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Which of the following defines the Introduction Stage?

A) It involves first contact. b. It involves the first face-to-face meeting.
C) It includes initial rapport-building and putting clients at ease.
D) All of the above.
E) Only a and b.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

When addressing clients, it's a good idea to:

A) Offer coffee. b. Call all clients by their first names to establish an informal atmosphere.
C) Shake every client's hand.
D) Both b and c.
E) None of these are always advisable.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Miguel is working with a client who is very verbal. What might he try to control the client's verbal output?

A) Use psychoeducation
B) Directly tell the client to be quiet
C) Progressively ask more closed questions
D) All of the above
E) Only a and c

Question 5

The opening statement of the therapist should consist of:

A) A direct inquiry about the referral source.
B) Reassurance that the client's problems will be solved.
C) A direct inquiry into the client's concerns.
D) A statement about therapist theoretical orientation.
E) Nothing, the therapist should stay silent and let the client talk first.

Question 6

During the introduction stage, clients should be informed of everything EXCEPT which of the following?

A) The length of the session
B) Your credentials
C) The limits of confidentiality
D) The purpose of the interview
E) All of these are part of the introduction stage.

Question 7

Letting clients struggle with an unstructured opening may be important because:

A) It allows you to evaluate their coping skills.
B) It allows clients to recover from a faltering start and demonstrate their ability to express themselves.
C) It allows you to see how much help clients need in expressing themselves.
D) All of the above.
E) None of the above-you should not let clients struggle.

Question 8

The clinical interview involves a sequential or organized set of interactions between clinician and client. It should be:

A) Conducted using a rigid step-by-step approach. b. A relatively smooth and continuous process.
C) Conducted without any direct questioning.
D) Both c and d.
E) None of these are true because the clinical interview is unstructured.

Question 9

When scheduling the initial appointment with a client, therapists should:

A) Arrange their schedule to fit that of the client.
B) Request that clients arrange their schedule to fit the interviewer.
C) Collaborate with the client to find a suitable time.
D) Ask the client to drop by the office whenever the client is in the area.
E) Have the receptionist take care of this detail.

Question 10

How would you describe this therapist statement? "How about since you're here, we try out working together today and then toward the end of our time together I'll check back in with you and you can be the judge of whether this might be helpful or not?

A) It's a confrontation.
B) It's an introduction.
C) It's an invitation for collaboration.
D) It's not recommended to give clients so much power.
E) It's an example of progress monitoring.

Question 11

The introduction stage of a clinical interview:

A) Involves putting the client at ease.
B) Ends when the interviewer asks the client for his or her paperwork.
C) Cannot be begun on the phone.
D) Should not include scheduling an appointment.
E) Both b and c are true.

Question 12

When setting up appointments, a therapist must do all EXCEPT which one of the following?

A) Express that he or she is looking forward to meeting the client.
B) If he or she has a conflict in scheduling, explain in full detail why he or she cannot meet with the client.
C) Make sure to repeat the appointment time.
D) Tell the client what to do when arriving at the clinician's office.
E) All of the above are appropriate things for a therapist to do when setting up appointments.

Question 13

According to Shea, clinical interviews have an inherent sequence. The stages of this sequence include:

A) Introduction, plot, and theme.
B) Theme, body, and termination.
C) Introduction, opening, body, closing, termination.
D) Opening, closing, and theme.
E) None of the above

Question 14

The opening stage of the interview may be best described as:

A) The use of direct questions to gather basic client information.
B) A nondirective or unstructured interview stage lasting about five to eight minutes
C) A brief period of informal and casual small talk that allows therapist and client to get acquainted with one another.
D) The use of specific questions to assess the client's concerns.
E) None of the above

Question 15

The pace of the clinical interview is an important issue. The pace needs to:

A) Be in the firm control of the interviewer from beginning to end.
B) Give the client a sense of safety and shared control.
C) Be set entirely by the client so as to give the interviewer important information about the client.
D) B and C
E) None of the above

Question 16

How would Maria convey the Latino principle of personalismo during an interview?

A) Express her own unique personality throughout the interview
B) Using a vocal tone and gestures particular to the client's culture
C) Talking in a casual and friendly way about commonalities between herself and the client
D) By pointing out differences between herself and the client
E) Both b and d

Question 17

Similar to personalismo, some African Americans refer to concepts of _________

A) "person to person connection"
B) "respect and reciprocity"
C) "learning about each other"
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 18

Which of the following is/are recommended as evidence-based relationship guidelines for responding to clients who struggle with their opening statement?

A) Articulate positive expectations about the helpfulness of therapy.
B) Express empathy and positive expectations
C) Encourage the client take the lead
D) Emphasize collaboration
E) All of the above

Question 19

Foley and Sharf identified five important parts of a clinical interview; they include all of the following EXCEPT:

A) Putting the client at ease.
B) Structuring and determining outcomes.
C) Eliciting information
D) Maintaining rapport.
E) Bringing closure.

Question 20

Which of the following is true about the opening statement?

A) Most clinicians use a standard opening.
B) Your opening should vary, depending on a variety of factors.
C) "What brings you here" is a common opening.
D) Both a and c are true.
E) Both b and c are true.

Question 21

Which theoretical orientation views assessments and interventions as inseparable?

A) Psychoanalytic
B) Person-centered
C) Solution-focused
D) Cognitive-behavioral
E) None of these

Question 22

Role induction should be revisited when:

A) Clients are unclear about how they should behave in therapy
B) Clients are motivated
C) Clients have been cooperative and insightful
D) None of the above
E) Only b and c

Question 23

In which stage would a therapist do the most work to facilitate client change?

A) Introduction
B) Body
C) Plot
D) Closing
E) Therapists do equal work to facilitate client change in any of the stages.

Question 24

The ending or termination stage of the clinical interview includes which of the following issues?

A) Being able to observe and evaluate the client's termination behavior
B) Watching the clock to make sure there is enough time to terminate on schedule
C) The realization that many clients find termination difficult
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 25

Progress monitoring has been shown to:

A) Increase treatment failure rates
B) Decrease treatment failure rates
C) Decrease client motivation
D) Have no distinct effect on treatment
E) Increase client insight

Question 26

Olin wants to offer reassurance to a client during the closing stage. Which statement is NOT recommended?

A) Don't worry; I'm sure I can help you.
B) Many of my clients have concerns similar to yours, and they usually benefit from counseling.
C) It's natural for this to feel a bit uncomfortable or weird at the beginning of therapy.
D) Lots of people feel uncomfortable at first, but it usually gets better as we get to know each other more.
E) These are all appropriate statements of reassurance.

Question 27

Which of the following would NOT be included in the closing stage of the intervention?

A) Reassuring and supporting the client
B) Applying a new intervention
C) Summarizing crucial themes
D) Guiding and empowering the client
E) Instilling hope

Question 28

A therapist using the Universal Exclusion Criteria uses which of the following questions to help aid in diagnosis?

A) Is the client's behavior rationally, culturally justifiable? b. Is the client's behavior caused by a medical condition?
C) Is the client's behavior dysfunctional?
D) The Universal Exclusion Criteria has nothing to do with diagnosis
E) Only a and b.

Question 29

A main purpose of obtaining information during the body of the interview is to:

A) Assess the client's level of functioning.
B) Put the client at ease.
C) Develop a contract with the client.
D) Establish rapport.
E) All of the above

Question 30

Yoshimo is explaining the use of clinical interviews as assessment tools to her new classmate, Cindy. Which of the following would be an accurate statement that she might share?

A) Clinical interviews allow clinicians to gather information to accurately predict human behavior. b. All interviews fall short of knowing the truth about clients.
C) More structured (standardized) clinical interviews produce more reliable and valid data.
D) All of the above.
E) Only b and c.

Question 31

Doorknob statements are usually described as:

A) Statements made by clients as they enter the room.
B) Statements made by clients when they schedule the initial appointment.
C) Statements made by clients as they leave the room.
D) Statements made by clients that provide an insight or doorway to their unconscious conflicts.
E) Statements made by clinicians as clients exit the room.

Question 32

The body stage of an interview includes which of the following?

A) A focus on assessment
B) A focus on intervention
C) Unstructured listening
D) Depending on the circumstances and setting, it could be a, b, or a combination
E) Only a and c

Question 33

Which clinician behaviors are linked to the closing stage?

A) Reassurance and support.
B) A revisiting of role induction
C) Summarizing of crucial themes and issues
D) All of the above
E) Only a and b

Question 34

The general criteria for judging whether a client is experiencing a mental disorder include:

A) Behavior the client finds distressing.
B) Behavior that is disturbing to the client or others.
C) Behavior that is rationally justifiable.
D) All of the above.
E) Both a and b

Question 35

Before offering to share a case conceptualization, therapists should:

A) Ask the client to offer his conceptualization of his case
B) Consult with another mental health professional
C) Ask the client's permission
D) Tell the client "brace yourself"
E) None of the above

Question 36

If a therapist can provide an accurate case formulation for the client the client will often experience:

A) Insight
B) The sense of being known or understood
C) Enhanced motivation
D) Hope for change
E) All of the above

Question 37

Ricardo says that his main problem is his chemistry professor. He says that she makes his life miserable on purpose and if he could only change majors or get a different professor his life would be great. Ricardo could be described as a(n) ___________________ client.

A) Self-blaming
B) Resilient
C) Internalizing
D) Externalizing
E) Verbose