ABSTRACT
This chapter offers some person-in-environment (PIE) information-gathering metaframework for directing the formulation of questions for a comprehensive case investigation. Questions about employment status, housing conditions, perceived needs or problems, prior use of services, social support, and specific reasons for seeking help are common. While concepts are essential ingredients of questions, social workers can also construct information gathering questions by studying existing theory maps or by creating their own theory map and identifying salient theoretical propositions. Theory-based questions can be built from a theory's major terms after these are translated into words and phrases familiar to the client or members of the client system. In formulating theory-based information-gathering questions, the social worker should decide how to best categorize the theoretical concept in the specific circumstances. Information-gathering questions are also available in the form of rapid-assessment instruments. A rapid assessment tool often includes a list of questions related to a problem or challenging condition.
