MTN-003 Training

General Interviewing Techniques

Some specific tips for administering the Screening interviewer-administered CRFs SSP Section 14

MTN-003 Interviewer-administered Screening CRFs

Form:
Screening Part 1 Eligibility

Completed at:
Screening Part 1

Demographics

Screening Part 1

Screening Part 2/Enrollment Behavioral Eligibility

Screening Part 2, Enrollment Visit

Overview of Presentation
Tasks to complete before the interview Basic interviewing skills

Minimizing bias
Considerations during the interview Reviewing the CRF at the end of the interview
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Before the interview

Familiarize yourself with the interviewer-administered forms Read through each question Read through form instructions Learn wording, definitions, skip patterns

Review p. 1-9 of Question by Question (QxQ) Guide (End of SSP Section 14) Review interviewing probes (SSP Section 14.5)

Prior to study start, complete enough role-play interviews (at least 2) among site staff until interviewers feel comfortable administering forms
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Basic Interviewing Skills

Create privacy
Pace the interview
Let the participant know she can tell you if the interview is going too fast or too slow

Get comfortable asking personal and sensitive questions

If you are comfortable the participant will be too

Provide encouragement
Such as were making good progress with the interview; youre giving this a good effort

Assure confidentiality
Remind participant of the confidential nature of the interview
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There are no right or wrong answers

Basic Interviewing Skills

Be attentive and respectful during the interview

Monitor participant cues (verbal and non-verbal)

Be careful when responding to a participant when: she has a negative reaction to a question (s)

she asks questions

she requests information she shares information requiring follow-up, such as counseling or referrals

Basic Interviewing Skills

For negative reactions

I know sometimes these questions can seem personal. If you are very uncomfortable you do not have to answer a question.

For general questions

Thats a great question. Let me try and answer it at the end of this interview.

For requests for information

I would be happy to give you a handout about that topic after the interview has been completed.

When participant shares information that requires follow-up

It sounds like you have some important concerns. Id like to address them after the interview is over.
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Basic Interviewing Skills

Listening is key. Providing brief, straightforward answers is OK. However

As a general rule, interviewers should not offer feedback during the interview. Do not agree with, disagree with, or correct statements made by participants. Defer general questions, information requests, and referrals until after completion of the interview.
Why is this important?
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Minimizing Bias
The interviewer should:

Conduct interviews with a non-judgmental approach.

Avoid injecting his/her personality into the interview Not deviate from asking the questions the same way for every participant Limit his/her influence on participant responses
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Minimizing Bias
This will help to avoid socially desirable reporting
collecting inaccurate data missing data possibly enrolling an ineligible participant

For these reasons it is important that riskreduction counseling occurs after the interview
is done by a different staff member than the one administering the form
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During the interview

Introduce yourself Make the participant feel comfortable Dont read CRF titles or question numbers Vary tone of voice to avoid sounding automated Emphasize bolded words to convey meaning Read all introductory statements Read the questions in the order in which they appear on the assessment Read each item word-for-word to all participants in all interviews When clarification is needed, repeat the item and/or response categories or ask the participant to give her best answer
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Avoid re-phrasing an item

During the interview

Use probing techniques (SSP Section 14.5)

Probing is a technique used to help participants:

clarify a response
decide between two similar, but different answers

report something more precisely

remember an answer
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Interviewing Probes (SSP Section 14.5)

Effective probing should not:

bias a participants responses judge a participants responses Therefore, all probes must be neutral.
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Interviewing Probes cont.

Repeat Probe The repeat probe is used by repeating the item or response categories (if the response categories are a part of the question).
Let me repeat the question ...

So what you are saying is...

Echo Probe

The echo probe is usually used by repeating back to the participant exactly what she says to you.
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Interviewing Probes cont.

Silent Probe

The silent probe is used by pausing briefly after a participant gives what seems to be an uncertain answer.
If I am quiet I can give her extra time to think about her response.

Non-verbal Probe

The non-verbal probe is used by giving hand or facial gestures that may help the participant with a response.
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Interviewing Probes cont.

Specification Probe The specification probe is used by asking the participant to give a more precise answer.

Can you be more specific?

Historical Probe

Lets look at a calendar.

The historical probe is used by asking whether the event in question occurred anytime around major holidays or personal events. This helps with recall of dates (e.g., when capturing medical history and medication use)
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During the interview

Watch for skip patterns - It is extremely important for the interviewers to be very familiar with these forms before conducting his/her first interview.

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During the interview When possible, clarify inconsistent responses during the interview

- Each interviewer should be familiar with

responses requiring consistency before conducting his/her first interview.

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During the interview

Use appropriate visual aid when prompted

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During the interview

Make sure participant understands time frame in question

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During the interview

Pay attention to notes re: participants study eligibility

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During the interview

If a participant gives a response during an eligibility assessment that indicates she is not eligible for the study, what should the interviewer do?

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At the end of the interview

Review completed questionnaires while participant is still with the interviewer. This way, errors and inconsistencies can be addressed with the participant before she leaves. Each questionnaire is a source document responses cannot be added or clarified once the participant has left the interview

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It is important that all interviews be standardized within and across study visits and study sites!

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Questions?

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