Effects of Open-Ended versus Close-Ended Questions on Interviewees’ Problem-Related Statements

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of two interviewer-administered variables, open-ended versus close-ended questions and frequent versus infrequent encouragements, on number of interviewees’ problem-related statements. Female college students ( n = 40) participated in the four types of interviews, created by the 2 (questions) by 2 (encouragements) experimental design. Open-ended questions produced a significantly greater number of interviewees’ problem-related statements, although such questions did not produce substantively more talking by the interviewees. Frequent versus infrequent encouragements by the interviewers did not affect any dependent measure. These results suggest that interviewers use open-ended questions to help accomplish a major goal of assessment, that of problem identification.