Certified Case Manager Practice Test

Which type of questions should be avoided when interviewing a child?

1. Open-ended questions

2. Leading questions

3. Closed questions

4. Clarifying questions

The correct answer is: Leading questions

Leading questions are the type that should be avoided when interviewing a child because they suggest a specific answer or steer the child toward a particular response. This can compromise the validity of the information being gathered, as it may pressure the child to conform to an expected answer rather than express their own thoughts or feelings. For example, asking, "You were scared when that happened, right?" may lead the child to agree with the assumption rather than share their true feelings or perceptions. In contrast, open-ended questions allow children to express themselves freely, offering more comprehensive insights into their experiences and feelings. Closed questions can be useful in certain contexts but may limit the child's responses and lead to short, uninformative answers. Clarifying questions help ensure understanding and allow the child to elaborate on their responses. Each of these question types plays a valuable role in gathering information, but leading questions risk leading to inaccurate or biased information, making them inappropriate when conducting interviews with children.