Which of the following is one of the core interviewing skills (OARS)?

• A. Affirmations
• B. Open-ended questions
• C. Reflective listening
• D. Summaries

Answer: (B)

Open-ended questions are a foundational way to start and sustain a productive interview. They invite clients to share their thoughts, feelings, and motivations in their own words rather than giving a simple yes or no answer. This broad, descriptive storytelling provides rich information about where the client is, what matters to them, and what barriers they face, which is essential for guiding the conversation in a collaborative, client-centered way.

Using open-ended questions also sets the stage for the other OARS skills to be effective. Affirmations reinforce strengths and effort, reflective listening shows you’re understanding and paying attention, and summaries help verify what’s been discussed and clarify next steps. So while those tools are also core, open-ended questions most directly drive the depth and quality of information you gather, making them the best single example of an OARS component in action.