ABSTRACT

The clinical interview is the most widely employed assessment tool in clinical psychology (Watkins, Campbell, Nieberding, & Hallmark, 1995). Often, an interview is the only method a psychologist uses when evaluating a client. But even when an assessment also includes testing, observation, or other data collection methods, the interview almost always plays a central role. Defined simply, an interview is a conversation. Taken out of context, it can be difficult to distinguish an interview between a psychologist and client from a social conversation. Julia

How have you been?

Beth

Fine.

Julia

Really?

Beth

I don’t know. I guess not. It seems like all that Jim and I do lately is fight. He wants do things with his buddies, and I understand that; it’s just that we both work long hours all week and there doesn’t ever seem to be time for the two of us on the weekends.

Julia

I thought you and Jim had planned to go away together this past weekend?

Beth

So did I. But it never happened.

Julia

What went wrong?