Interview is an integral part of any research. How to interview the interviewee by the interviewer is important one. For conducting any interview we have to follow some basic principles and techniques.

1. Dr Mohan Lal
Professor
Community Medicine

2. 2
Helps in finding answers of social problems
Helps in ascertaining knowledge ,attitude
,behaviour & practice of population in relation to
health & related events .
Provides basic framework for planning &
programming public health services

3. 3
Interview Methods( techniques)
Questionnaire Method
Case -Study Method

4. 4
Face to face interaction between
interviewer(investigator)
and
interviewee(respondent)

5. 5
 Both an art and science
 Device for investigation
 Instrument of research
 Serious intentions
 Specific goals

6. 6
 Collect information by direct contact
 Information is processed & Hypothesis formulated

7. 7
 Direct or Structured(closed –ended)
 Non –directive or unstructured
(open ended )
 Focused Interview

8. Social scientist uses interview
technique in investigation.
Important contributions of social
science to modern medicine.

9. 9
 Diagnostic interview
 Therapeutic Interview
- to educate patients
- build up confidence
Modify their behaviour to adapt to the life
situation successfully.

10. Clinico-social case
Project work
Family Study

11. 11
 Individual Interview- respondent single.
 Helps to collect personal information in detail.
 Hence, called as “unit interview”.

12. Group Interview
This method helps to collect more information in
less time with less effort

13. 13
Show interest
Pause
Repeat the question
Say again the reply

14. 14
 Never ask long demanding questions.
 Attitude and what emotions you
display on your face also help the client
to become positive towards you.
 This is of great value to the success of
the interview itself.

15. 15
 Make the head or other family comfortable by being
friendly, relaxed and confident.
 Ask relevant question in an easy to understand
language (Vernacular language)
 Be a good listener in order to understand the
psychology of the interviewee and interpret their
answers correctly.

16. 16
 Establishing contact
 Appropriate climate
 Establishing rapport
 Appropriate Questioning
 Appropriate response

17. • Appropriate attitude
• Appropriate direction
•
• Recording
• Closing Interview
• Reporting

18. 18
Requisite before conducting an interview :-
 To establish contact with interviewee
 Prior appointment regarding time & place of
interview is always desirable.
 It gives interviewee a sense of satisfaction
 Feeling of importance that time has been valued.

19. 19
• Interview should be comfortable & easy for both
interviewee and interviewer
• Appropriate start and create an appropriate
climate .
• Introduce to the respondent
• Explain the purpose & relevance of the interview .

20. 20
• Establish Rapport
• Breaks communication barriers
• Start with general discussion of problem
• Create an atmosphere in which interviewee
freely tells his story in his own way.

21. •Interviewee do most of the talking
•Interviewer listen attentively, guide and direct
•All controversial matters must be carefully avoided.

22. 22
•Body language
•Encourage smile
•Nod in the affirmative
• Eye contact
•Inspires confidence

23. 23
Ask question exactly as written
 Listen/determine relevant information
 Record answers in correct place
 Probe to increase accuracy/ clarity &
 completeness
 Avoid unnecessary reinforcement: “oh,
that’s very good!”
 Never suggest an answer (otherwise called
prompting)
Great Care should be taken to see that the respondent does
not go out of track

24. 24
 Non- judgmental
 Avoid leading questions
 Ask open-ended questions.
 Language must be adapted
vernacular/Understandable
 Level of family.

25. 25
 Active listening
 Use verbal skills
 Sensitivity towards family conditions

26. 26
• Should be obtained from respondent by encouraging
that what he is telling is correct
• Interviewer must be alert in detecting incomplete and
non specific answers furnished by the respondent

27. 27
 Provide inform action
 Put forward solution or give
feedback correctly.
 Use non –verbal behavior
appropriately
 To communicate empathy and
understanding

28. 28
 Interviewer must maintain an attitude of professional
detachment
 Should neither give an impression of approving
remarks nor opposing it.
 Should maintain an appropriate distance & an attitude
of neutrality

29. 29
 Doesn't give irrelevant answer
 Suppose respondent gives
- vague
-Diffused
- Incomplete answers
 Put proper questions
 Avoid putting leading questions

30. 30
 Recording should be reduced to minimum during
course of an interview
- Flow of conversation will slow down .
-Interviewee will be conscious that statements
being recorded .
The researchers should note down only important
points.

31. 31
 Should not be ended suddenly
 Should bring the interview to a natural close
 Followed by usual forms of greetings.
 Interviewee should not feel that he has shared
many of secrets to a stranger

32. 32
Compile report immediately after interview when
mind is still fresh about narration

33. 33
 Receive constructive feedback
 See yourself
-Body language
-Expression
-Nervous habits
 Listen to yourself
 - Speech patterns
 -Effective communication of
message

34. 34
•Be very familiar with the survey questions
•
• Read the questions exactly as written
•Probe when multiple answers are
possible or initial responses are unclear
• Record responses completely and properly

35. 35
 Face to face contact between interviewer and
interviewee
 Observe facial impression and body language of the
respondent
 Acts as a catalyst to get more information
 In unstructured interview, unpleasant situation can be
avoided.
 Can apply even to illiterate

36. 36
 Not economically efficient
 Requires training ,Skills ,understanding and maturity
of the investigator
 May feel uncomfortable & with hold sensitive
information.
 Modify questionnaire to secure confirmation of his
own views
 Biased & loses its scientific value

37. 38
 Greeting and introduction
 Ice breaker/small talk
 Maintain good eye contact.
 Listen attentively.
 Facilitate verbally and non-verbally.

38. • Use language which interviewee can understand
•Let interviewee tell their own story in their own way
•Use open questions initially and specific (closed)
questions later
• Keep your notes-taking to a minimum when talking

39. •Clarify the meaning of any lay terms which
interviewee use
•Remember that the history includes events up to the
day
•of interview
• Summarize (reflect back) the story for the
interviewee to check
• Utilize all available sources of information
• Summary statement
• Closing and Thank you & follow-up

40. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR
ATTENTION
I Acknowledge all the sources .