Case Situation: You are interviewing a man who has been accused of molesting his 13-year-old
stepdaughter. He is required to receive counseling to stay out of jail while the judge considers whether to proceed
with felony charges. During the interview, he says, “I don’t know why she said that I did those things. It really hurts
me. I’ve been good to her and her mother. She’s just lying, and I don’t know why. Maybe she’s nuts.”
a. Which questions would you ask to elicit facts from your client?
What will be an ideal response?
ANS: Students' answers will vary. The first primary use of the questioning skill typically occurs as you and the
client conclude the beginning phase. By this time, you have introduced yourselves, reached a tentative
understanding of the purpose for meeting and possibly your respective roles, discussed relevant policies and ethical
principles, and sought feedback. The initial exploratory question represents the first substantive consideration of the
issue or problem that led to the contact (Perlman, 1957, p. 88). Commonly, we phrase the question in such a way as
to allow clients maximum opportunity to express themselves freely, fully, and in their own way. For example, you
might ask, "When you telephoned the other day, you mentioned something about family problems. What's
happening with the family that concerns you?" It may also be useful to ask about precipitating events related to the
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presenting concern. For instance, you might ask, "What led you to contact us about the family problems at this
time?"
Helping professionals occasionally phrase questions as requests or directives. For example, you could say,
"Please share your concerns about the difficulties that trouble you at this time." In the case of an involuntary client,
you might say, "I understand that the judge required you to come here for counseling. I know quite a bit about the
situation, but I'd like to hear the full story from you. Please describe what happened." In general, however, questions
are preferred because directives may implicitly suggest a power or status differential. Phrasing questions as
directives, such as "Tell me" or "Describe" is, in effect, a command that may subtly indicate that the social worker is
the superior person in this encounter.
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