An Investigation of Tasks and Techniques Associated With Dynamic Interview Adequacy

We examined the hypotheses that adequately conducted dynamic interviews would be associated with performance on five interview tasks, which, in turn, would be associated with specific clinical techniques. Ten subjects provided two dynamic interviews each, one rated higher and one lower in overall dynamic adequacy. Interviews were independently rated for completion of five interviewer tasks. Another rater independently categorized each therapist intervention as one of 10 therapeutic interventions. Dynamic interview adequacy was associated with four of five interview tasks, attributable to the interviewer's contribution, after controlling for the subject's contribution. Four tasks—frame setting, exploration of affect, interpretation, and synthesis—were associated with specific clinical interventions, whereas offering support was not. The overall thoroughness of completing the interview tasks was highly associated with dynamic adequacy and the ratio of exploratory to supportive interventions. The adequately conducted dynamic interview is associated with identifiable tasks and techniques that should facilitate teaching it for research or clinical use.