To Avoid Creating Interviewer Effects, do not:

1
Missouri Institute of Mental Health (MIMH)
Consumer Operated Service Program (COSP)
Interviewer Training
2
Description of the Project

• The Consumer Operated Service Program (COSP)
  will study the impact of participating in a
  consumer-operated service by examining the
  following outcomes

• Empowerment
• Housing
• Employment
• Social Inclusion
• Satisfaction with Services
• Costs

3
The Survey ProcessIn order to avoid errors when
collecting data

• Read questions as worded
• Do not probe directively
• Do not bias answers by the way you relate to the
  respondents
• Record your answers accurately
• Do not assume any answers, always ask the
  respondent questions directly

4
Preparing for the Interview (1)

• Understand Purpose of Survey
• Practice
• Reserve Interview Location
• Take Required Forms
• Take Supplies

5
Preparing for the Interview (2)

• Prepare Yourself
• Create a Favorable Environment
• Review Informed Consent Confidentiality
• Explain Interview Format

6
First Contact (1)

• Give your name and title of organization
• Provide brief summary of project
• Do not ask questions that may elicit undesired
  responses
• Assume respondent is willing to do interview and
  you are trying to find a convenient time

7
First Contact (2)

• Ask if the respondent has any accessibility
  accommodation needs
• Remind the respondent about confidentiality and
  the informed consent procedure
• Respect the respondents right to say No

8
Being Culturally Competent

• Disability Etiquette
• Basic Guidelines
• Common Courtesies
• Conversation
• Terminology
• Words to Avoid
• Preferred Terminology

9
Three Goals of Standardization

• Each respondent is exposed to the same question
  experience
• All answers are recorded in the same manner
• Any differences in answers should be directly
  attributable to differences between respondents,
  not to differences in the process that produced
  that answer

10
Avoid Creating Interviewer Effects

• Do not offer your own opinion during the
  interview
• Do not display approval or disapproval through
  your tone of voice, facial expression, or side
  comments
• Do not discuss your own experiences with the
  respondent
• Do not read questions using your own words
  instead of those written on the questionnaire

11
Listening Skills

• Good listening skills help interviewers
• Probe for more information when necessary
• Gauge the respondents level of comfort or
  discomfort with the questions
• Hear and understand the respondents answer so
  that it is recorded correctly

12
Body Language Non-verbal Cues

• Non-verbal cues can be conveyed through
• Facial expressions
• Posture
• Hand and foot movements

13
Reading the Questions (1)

• Read questions exactly as worded
• Read questions in the order in which they are
  presented in the questionnaire
• Ask every question unless there are skip
  instructions
• Read questions with no additions, deletions, or
  substitutions

14
Reading the Questions (2)

• Read each question slowly at about two words per
  second
• Use a tone of voice that conveys assurance,
  interest, and a professional manner that is
  neutral and non-judgmental
• Emphasize underlined words to enhance meaning
• Do not read aloud anything printed in bold in the
  questionnaire

15
Using Interviewer Probes

• Show interest
• Pause
• Repeat the question
• Repeat the reply

• Get clarification
• Ask respondent to be specific
• Ask a neutral question

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As an interviewer you must

• Read questions with no additions, deletions, or
  substitutions
• Read each question at two words per second
• Use a neutral, non-judgmental, and professional
  tone of voice
• Emphasize underlined words

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As an interviewer you must

• Read questions exactly as they are worded in the
  questionnaire
• Read question in the order in which they are
  presented
• Ask every question on the questionnaire

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Short Feedback Phrases

• I see
• Uh-huh/Um-hmmm
• Thank you
• Thanks

19
Long Feedback Phrases

• Thats useful/helpful information
• Its useful to get your ideas on this
• Thanks, its important to get your opinion on
  that
• I see, thats helpful to know

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Interviewing TipsDuring an interview, keep in
mind

• Read each of the responses
• on the response cards.
• When reading a list, repeat
• the question stem at least
• three times.
• Emphasize underlined words
• Do not read bolded text.

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Recording the Responses

• Common errors made by interviewers include
• Omitting an answer
• Recording the wrong answer code
• Circling more than one answer or entering more
  than one number
• Writing illegibly
• Using abbreviations that are not recognizable by
  the data entry staff

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Taking Breaks

• Be aware of signs that may indicate that a
  break is needed
• Fidgeting
• Non-verbal behavior that might mean the
  respondent is tired, restless or experiencing
  extreme emotion
• Need for a drink or snack so that medication can
  be taken

23
Troubleshooting

• End an interview immediately if the respondent
  is
• Uncooperative
• Rude
• Threatening or hostile toward the interviewer
• Responding in a sexually charged manner

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Interviewers should refrain from

• Touching other than to shake hands
• Using profanity
• Acting out (yelling, slamming furniture)

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What about the respondent who gives an I dont
know answer? Consider what s/he might really
mean

• The respondent...
• may not understand the question
• may be thinking about his/her answer
• doesnt want to answer the question
• doesnt have an opinion on the subject

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When interviewing a person with a hearing loss

• Make sure the respondent always has a clear and
  direct view of your face while you are talking
• When communicating through interpreter, always
  look at the respondent, not at the interpreter
• Speak with a normal voice, neither shouting nor
  whispering is appropriate

27
When interviewing a person with a visual
disability

• Speak in a normal manner, unless you have learned
  that the person also has a hearing loss
• Read absolutely everything do not rely on visual
  information
• If other people enter the room, always verbally
  describe what is going on and who is entering

28
When interviewing a person with a physical
disability

• Do not use insensitive language
• Do not hesitate to shake the persons hand
• Do not express too much sympathy for the person

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Editing the Interview

• Make sure every question has been answered
• Correct errors made in coding
• Make sure notations are clearly written in the
  proper place on the questionnaire

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Interviewers have an important job

• Remember that the quality of the data
  collected depends on how well you do
• your job