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Table 4 Inappropriate verbal interactions for open-ended interviewing

From: Interviewing to develop Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO) measures for clinical research: eliciting patients’ experience

Type of inappropriate verbal interactions

Definitions

Closed-ended questions

The question invites a yes or no answer and so prevents from elaborating one’s ideas. However, these can be useful to avoid bias, get reticent people to respond and if followed up with open questions. For example: Do you have X? If yes, can you tell me more about that?

Leading questions

The question implies the desired answer and so may respond to the interviewer’s expectations and not reflect the interviewee’s authentic experience.

E.g., ‘So, your pain bothers you, right?’

Inappropriate probing

A comment or question expressed too early, before the interviewee has completely expressed his/her ideas.

Breaking the silence too early

The interviewer does not recognise the interviewee’s need to reflect before providing his/her answer; the interviewer is ill at ease during silence.

Rushing in questioning

Questions are asked too rapidly which prevents elaboration of the interviewee’s ideas.

Premature interpretation

A comment or interpretation is provided too early which is meant to express understanding, but might bias the patient or may reveal itself to be inappropriate, which may impact on the relationship between interviewer and interviewee.