Missouri Institute of Mental Health (MIMH)

1. Missouri Institute of Mental Health (MIMH) Consumer Operated Service Program (COSP) Interviewer Training

2. 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 Description of the Project

3. 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 The Survey ProcessIn order to avoid errors when collecting data:

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 respondent’s 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 respondent’s level of comfort or discomfort with the questions • Hear and understand the respondent’s 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. Show interest Pause Repeat the question Repeat the reply Get clarification Ask respondent to be specific Ask a neutral question Using Interviewer Probes

16. 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

17. 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

18. I see… Uh-huh/Um-hmmm Thank you Thanks Short Feedback Phrases

19. Long Feedback Phrases • That’s useful/helpful information • It’s useful to get your ideas on this • Thanks, it’s important to get your opinion on that • I see, that’s helpful to know

20. 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.

21. 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

22. 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

24. Interviewers should refrain from: • Touching other than to shake hands • Using profanity • Acting out (yelling, slamming furniture)

25. What about the respondent who gives an “I don’t know” answer?Consider what s/he might really mean: The respondent... • may not understand the question • may be thinking about his/her answer • doesn’t want to answer the question • doesn’t have an opinion on the subject

26. 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 person’s hand • Do not express “too much sympathy” for the person

29. 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

30. Interviewers have an important job Remember that the quality of the data collected depends on how well you do your job