Which question would best encourage a client to discuss their reaction to an accident?

Which question would best encourage a client to discuss their reaction to an accident?

• A. What happened after the accident?
• B. Tell me more about your reaction to the accident?
• C. Are you sad today?
• D. What time did the accident occur?

Answer: (B)

Open-ended, client-centered questions are most effective for encouraging a client to discuss their emotional reactions to trauma. Phrasing like “Tell me more about your reaction to the accident?” invites the person to describe feelings, thoughts, and meanings they attach to the event in their own words, which helps build rapport, shows empathy, and gives them control over what they share. It avoids constraining or judging responses and signals that their emotional experience is the focus, not just the sequence of events. In contrast, questions about what happened after the accident or what time it occurred push for factual details, and a yes/no prompt about being sad shuts down deeper exploration of the client’s current coping and emotional state. This open invitation to discuss feelings is essential for assessing impact, distress, and needs for support or intervention.

Open-ended, client-centered questions are most effective for encouraging a client to discuss their emotional reactions to trauma. Phrasing like “Tell me more about your reaction to the accident?” invites the person to describe feelings, thoughts, and meanings they attach to the event in their own words, which helps build rapport, shows empathy, and gives them control over what they share. It avoids constraining or judging responses and signals that their emotional experience is the focus, not just the sequence of events. In contrast, questions about what happened after the accident or what time it occurred push for factual details, and a yes/no prompt about being sad shuts down deeper exploration of the client’s current coping and emotional state. This open invitation to discuss feelings is essential for assessing impact, distress, and needs for support or intervention.