The behavioural interview is a technique of inquiry and collection of information used in the field of clinical psychology and psychological treatment .

It is a tool based on scientific principles and necessary to apply at the beginning of the therapeutic process to know which are the situations and the problematic behaviours of the patient that must be addressed and modified.

In this article we explain what the behavioral interview is, what its objectives are and other interesting details.

Behavioral Assessment in Psychology

Behavioral assessment in psychology and, particularly, within cognitive-behavioral therapies, is a paradigm that emerged as an alternative to traditional assessment based on non-observable phenomena and abstract constructs, more typical of the psychodynamic approach, which has dominated much of clinical psychology during the last century.

Treatment based on a behavioural approach affects observable behaviour and is the focus of the assessment and subsequent psychological treatment. Although hidden variables are not discarded, they are not considered to have a direct influence on the person’s behaviour. This type of assessment is therefore based on scientific principles and assumptions that can be validated through inquiry and inference, with methods such as behavioural interviewing and other techniques.

Different methods and procedures can be used to carry out a behavioural assessment, with the aim of detecting problem behaviours and their parameters (background, mediating and moderating variables, consequences, etc.). One way to reduce contamination and errors during the assessment process is to use multiple assessment instruments and information sources (co-workers, family members, friends, etc.).

Among the most commonly used assessment instruments are: behavioural observation, cognitive-behavioural assessment, psycho-physiological assessment and behavioural interview, which we will discuss in more detail below.

Behavioral interview: definition and objectives

The behavioral interview is an assessment tool designed to collect information about patient demands and the relevant parameters of problem situations and behaviors. Although it has an interview format, it can also be used in a self-administered way.

The application of the behavioral interview should meet the following objectives:

  • Provide the patient with an explanation of what is to be done during the interview, the reasons why detailed and specific information is needed about their specific problems, situations and behaviors.

  • Identify the parameters of the problem behaviors, as well as their frequency, intensity and duration (e.g., how many times does it occur, how long has it been occurring?)

  • Identify the problem behaviors and define them in behavioral terms, in an objective and precise way (e.g., what exactly happens in that area, what doesn’t work in your work?)

  • Determine the history of the occurrence and non-occurrence of the problem behavior (e.g., what happened before it happened, what you were thinking before you did that).

  • Determine the consequences of the problem behavior (e.g., what happened right after, what did it feel like right after the behavior ended).

  • Identify the patient’s resources and strengths.

  • Establish the measurement of relevant behaviors, such as who or when they will be recorded.

  • At the end, make a summary and assess whether the person interviewed has correctly understood the whole process and agrees.

Phases and process of application

To correctly conduct a behavioral interview a series of phases and guidelines must be followed . First, the general objective of the interview should be established and the patient’s current functioning should be investigated in order to identify the existence of maladaptive and inappropriate behaviours in one or several contexts.

Sometimes, in this first phase, the interviewer may focus too much on the subject’s history; and although understanding the origin and genesis of the problems may provide additional knowledge, the really important information is the current one and the one the patient provides at the present time .

In order to be able to satisfactorily assess all the problem behaviours, it is necessary to try to make as precise a description as possible, always including the parameters of frequency, intensity and duration in relation to the different situations in which they occur, since this will facilitate the clinician’s task during the entire behavioural interview, when determining whether these behaviours are a problem because they are deficient or because they occur in excess.
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Normally, if the patient does not have previous experience doing cognitive-behavioral therapy, he or she may have certain difficulties when it comes to identifying and answering questions that involve differentiating and distinguishing between thoughts, emotional states, behaviors and physiological responses, all organized in a behavioral structure. However, the task of the professional is also to educate the patient in the discrimination of different levels of behaviour.

During the behavioural interview, it is important that the clinician helps the patient to operationalize behavioural traits, attitudes and moods; that is, it is a matter of making concrete descriptions, which are objective and precise, in order to later intervene on the variables in an effective way.

Finally, we must not forget to collect information regarding the process of generalization that the problem behavior has had in other areas of the patient’s life. This may lead to a more exhaustive analysis of certain environments (work, school, home, etc.) in order to intervene in them . At the end of the interview, the clinician will provide a conceptualization of the problem, detailing the intervention strategies to be followed, as well as a rough estimate of the duration of the treatment.

An example of a behavioral interview

Here are some of the most common questions asked in a typical behavioral interview:

  • Please describe in detail the reason for your inquiry.

  • Describe as best you can what is happening to you (what you are feeling, what you think, what you think of the problem that brings you here).

  • Specify the last time the problem occurred (What, how, where and when).

  • In general, how often does the problem occur, how long does it last, and how severe is it (on a scale of 1 [none] to 5 [a lot])?

  • How do you feel the problem that brings you here affects your daily life?

  • Does the problem occur in specific situations? Please describe which ones (characteristics of the situation, people present, what happens before and after, etc.).

  • Tell more about the history of the problem. When did these demonstrations begin?

  • Specify what, when, where and how it happened to you the first time they appeared, and under what circumstances.

  • Since then, has the problem worsened? Is it still the same intensity? Is it more intense? Less?

  • Have you sought help before? If so, with what professionals, what treatments and on what dates.

  • Finally, what do you think your problem is?

Bibliographic references:

  • Caballo, V. E., Buela-Casal, G., & Sierra, J. C. (1996). Manual of evaluation in clinical and health psychology. Siglo XXI de España Editores.

  • Edelstein, B.A. and Yoman, J. (1991). The behavioral interview. In V.E. Caballo (Comp.), Manual de técnicas de terapia y modificación de conducta (pp. 751-775). Madrid: Siglo XXI

  • Fernández, M. Á. R., García, M. I. D., & Crespo, A. V. (2012). Manual of cognitive-behavioral intervention techniques. Desclée de Brouwer.