For Guru Olivia Only

THE DISCUSSION IS DUE WEDNESDAY BY 10PM 04/14/2021

Week 1: Introduction to Interviewing

Paul, who just received his license to practice life skills consulting, is developing a set of interview questions to assess a new client who has a background of family and substance abuse problems. It appears on paper that this new client also has trouble getting and keeping a job. Paul wants to establish rapport with the individual and get the right kind of information so that he can provide the best services. He considers how he can avoid the pitfalls of asking inappropriate questions, instead asking questions that focus on the person’s strengths as well as challenges.

In this first week of Effective Human Services Interviewing, you will learn strategies for writing appropriate interview questions and for using a strengths-based approach to human services interviewing.

Objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

· Evaluate appropriateness of interview questions

· Analyze strategies for employing a strengths-based approach in questioning

· Write strengths-based interview questions that meet goals

Learning Resources

Required Readings

McClam, T., & Woodside, M. (2012). The helping process: Assessment to termination. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.

· Chapter 1, “Introducing the Helping Process”

· Chapter 4, “Effective Intake Interviewing”

De Jong, P., & Cronkright, A. (2011). Learning solution-focused interviewing skills: BSW student voices. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 31(1), 21–27.

MacArthur, J., Rawana, E. P., & Brownlee, K. (2011). Implementation of a strengths-based approach in the practice of child and youth care. Relational Child and Youth Care Practice, 24(3), 6–16.

Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Keith_Brownlee/publication/232697138_Implementation_of_a_Strengths-Based_Approach_in_the_Practice_of_Child_and_Youth_Care/links/55019dc40cf231de076a885d.pdf

Optional Resource

National Organization for Human Services. (2009). What is human services? Retrieved from http://www.nationalhumanservices.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88

Discussion: Appropriate and Inappropriate Questioning

Words can—and often do—inflict harm. They can damage relationships, create hostile environments, and decrease self-esteem. In the human services profession, it is important to think before speaking. Because of the often personal nature of the information being gathered from an interviewee and the interviewee’s unique circumstances, the interviewer must be aware of the appropriateness of lines of questioning. A number of factors may contribute to whether a question is appropriate or inappropriate. For example, a question may be inappropriate if it is overly technical or if it is insensitive.

In this Discussion, you will evaluate the appropriateness of questions in human services interviews.

To prepare for this Discussion:  

· Review Chapter 4 of your course text, The Helping Process: Assessment to Termination, focusing on the section titled “Essential Communication Skills.” Think about the appropriateness of interview questions.

· Select two of the following questions that you think would be inappropriate for an interview:

· What is your sexual orientation?

· How much money do you make?

· Did you fill out Form XYZ to see if you are eligible for the TANF program?

· Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior?

· Have you ever had an abortion?

· Have you ever been convicted of a crime?

· Are you a legal citizen of this country?

· Consider why you think the questions you selected would be inappropriate and if there are any situations in which these questions might be appropriate.

With these thoughts in mind:

By Day 4

· Post by Day 4 the two questions you selected. Then, explain why you think each of the two questions you selected is inappropriate. Finally, describe at least one circumstance in which each of the questions you selected might be appropriate and explain why.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

By Day 6

Respond by Day 6 to at least one of your colleagues’ postings in one or more of the following ways:

THIS IS DUE SATURDAY 04/17/2021 BY MIDNIGHT

Assignment: Writing Strengths-Based Interview Questions

The strengths-based (or solutions-based) approach to human services considers interviewees to be resilient individuals who have coped in the past. It focuses on the positive qualities an interviewee brings to the situation, rather than the deficits. Given this assumption, the interviewer uses a strengths-based approach, which aims to elicit the interviewee’s own strategies for coping with a current situation. This approach has the added advantage of lessening an interviewee’s defensiveness. It is important to establish a foundation of strength. It is also important for an interviewer to gather needed information, to focus the interviewee on the pertinent issue needing to be addressed, and to clarify issues and feelings. Interview questions must lay a foundation of strength while accomplishing these goals.

To prepare for this Assignment:

· Review the section titled “Strengths-Based Approach to the Helping Process” in Chapter 1 in your course text, The Helping Process: Assessment to Termination.

· Review the section titled “Questioning” in Chapter 4 of your course text, The Helping Process: Assessment to Termination. Focus on page 77, particularly the examples of questions after each appropriate use of questioning.

· Review the article titled “Implementation of a Strengths-Based Approach in the Practice of Child and Youth Care.”

· Review the article titled “Learning Solution-Focused Interviewing Skills: BSW Student Voices.”

· Consider the following scenario:

· A woman has come to you to see if she qualifies for a program that offers reduced child care fees to lower income parents. You need to determine her income from a variety of sources to see if she meets program criteria. The woman tells you she is not married and that she is working as a cashier at a convenience store. She seems nervous, however, and is reluctant to go beyond these bare facts.

By Day 7

The Assignment:

Using the scenario provided, submit by Day 7 a 1- to 2-page paper that includes the following:

· A set of two strengths-based questions that will help you achieve the goal of obtaining the information you need

· A set of two strengths-based questions that will help you achieve the goal of focusing the interview (you and the interviewee) on the pertinent issue

· For each set of questions, an explanation of your strategy for reaching the goal listed

Support your Assignment with specific references to all resources used in its preparation. You are asked to provide a reference list for all resources, including those in the Learning Resources for this course.