Behavioral Interviewing Exercise

Determine whether the question is behavioral, theoretical or leading and place a check mark in the correct box.

QUESTION / BEHAVIORAL / THEORETICAL / LEADING
1. You say that you enjoy working with children? Does that mean you like most any age child?
2. Tell about the time you wanted to quit something difficult. What did you do to continue?
3. So, you say that your extended family is supportive?
4. If a child lies to you, what would you do?
5. How will you handle children who misbehave?
6. What was the reason you took that action?
7. You mentioned that you didn’t like the ABC foster care agency. What would your ideal agency look like?
8. How would you work with a birth parent?
9. What was your role on the daycare planning committee?
10. So, did you call them back to clarify or just forget it?
QUESTION / BEHAVIORAL / THEORETICAL / LEADING
11. How do you feel
about birthparents?
12. How do you expect adoption to impact your marriage?
13. Tell me about a time your family experienced an addition of a new person to the family, even if it was only temporary and how that impacted your marriage.
14. Tell me about your most difficult experience in dealing with a child.
15. You say that your children are real excited about having an adopted child in your family, so that means they are in favor of it?

Rewrite the following questions from a theoretical to a behavioral question.

THEORETICAL QUESTION / BEHAVIORAL QUESTION
Why do you think you could help children with behavior problems?
What will you do when you experience a family problem?
How would you handle a conflict with a birth parent?
Do you think that you would feel a sense of entitlement to your child despite birth family involvement?

Rewrite the following questions from a leading to a behavioral question.

LEADING QUESTION / BEHAVIORAL QUESTION
I guess you enjoy parenting?
So, it sounds like your extended family is very excited about your adoption plan?
It seems to me that working with the birth family wouldn’t be a problem for you?

*Jayne E. Schooler NACAC Workshop