The clients response does not correctly answer the

The client's response does not
correctly answer the previous
question. A change in body
language and slight hesitation
suggests that perhaps the
client had difficulty
understanding the question.
This could be due to
multicultural differences
which stem from a language
and communication
discrepancy between the
client and interviewer.
Interviewer: Yea (shifts
eyes)
Attending behaviour: body
language, eye contact, vocal
qualities; active listening:
nonverbal encouragement;
observation: awareness
The interviewer’s nonverbal
behavior indicates that he is
aware of the discrepancy
between the question and
answer; however, the
interviewer provides
encouragement for the client
to continue at her own pace to
place power back in her
18

HELPING INTERVIEW ASSIGNMENT
hands.
Client: Cause you need to do
the assignment on time and
your midterm is coming up.
(fingers counting numbers)
It’s really hard for us to do it.
Yea.
The client is very concrete,
and this is reflected by her
body language as she counts
the specific examples with her
fingers.
Interviewer: So a lot of
material coming all at once?
Closed question; active
listening: paraphrase;
attending behaviour:
perception check, eye contact
The interviewer paraphrases,
demonstrates interest, and
provides a perception check.
Client: Yes. Provides a checkout.
Interviewer: Yea. ( nods
head)
Active listening: nonverbal
encouragement; attending
behaviour: vocal qualities,
eye contact, body language
A head nod acts as a
nonverbal encouragement for
the client to continue.
Client: Yea. So we better
have a good time
management on our study.
The client mentions a quality
that is important for managing
a heavy workload: time
management. Free
communication has allowed
the client to discover her own
problem solution.
Interviewer: Yup. Attending behaviour: body
language, eye contact, vocal
qualities.
Continued support through
vocal qualities and single
word phrases.
Client: Yea. Provides a checkout.
Interviewer: Would
midterms and exams be
something (breaks eye
contact) that (um) make you
deviate from your weekly
schedule when that time
comes to write the midterms
and exams?
Closed question; active
listening: paraphrasing;
attending behaviour:
The ‘would’ component of
this question is deceptive
because this is actually a
closed question phrased
poorly. Asking about factors
related to negative outcomes
is potentially subtractive.
Another demonstration of the
power and potential outcomes
of questioning styles. Body
language and vocal tone
(nonverbal behaviour) also
19

HELPING INTERVIEW ASSIGNMENT
indicate that the interviewer
has struggled to maintain
direction.
Client: (biting lips) Ah, yea
cause like before the day of
my midterm and then I just
care about the midterm (right
hand moving downward) on
the next day and then I just
don’t study the midterms after
the following days, so that’s
why it would affect my (uh)
study plan or the schedule.