AFFILIATION QUESTIONS Why should I consider using affiliation questions? Many clients seem to come to the initial therapy interview with feelings of dread--they harbor the expectation that in order to get over their problem, they must confess their wrongdoings and mistakes. It can be a refreshing experience for them to disco ver that they can actually start the process by discussing some of their strengths. Similarly, therapists may feel more a greater sense of ease when they start by asking about positive aspects of their clients' lives. Asking these early in the interview tends to put children and adults at ease and get them into a cooperative response set, making it easier to get information about solutions. Client answers also tend to give you "contexts of competence" which are useful for designing interventions. When should I ask affiliation questions? Affiliation questions seem to be particularly useful when starting work with apparently "reluctant" clients (those referred by court or workplace), adolescents, and clients whose cultures tend to discourage self-disclosure or attach a stigma to seeing th erapists. In general, when "saving face" is a concern, using these early or during the first session seems to help clients feel more comfortable and participate more fully. With reluctant clients, it is particularly useful to find ways to "join" with th em in the initial stages of the session. These questions invite the client to say and hear positive things about him/herself early in the session, when the risk of alienation is the greatest. (See Robbins, Alexander, Newell, and Turner, 1996). Even late r in the first session, or in other sessions, it may help to return to affiliation questions whenever a client seems reticent, reluctant, defiant, uncomfortable or irritated. What are affiliation questions about? Ask client about their interests - strengths, abilities, fun, favorite color, type of music, things they like to do with friends or at school, any talents <> Express interest in, and respond with amazement at any skills, talents, good behaviors, etc. reve aled. So, what are affiliation questions? "Affiliation questions" are any questions that reveal skills, abilities, talents, competence, or other resources of the clients. They can be considered a subset of "exception-finding" questions--anything the client does that's good, interesting, effecti ve, or fun (from BFTC). Express interest in, and respond with amazement, at any skills, talents, good behaviors, etc. revealed. If they if they deny having any talents, compliment them on their modesty, and ask, "What do other people think you're good at ?" Once an ability has been identified, it is then helpful to inquire further about that ability. The more detailed and specific those questions are, when asked in a spirit of genuine curiosity, the stronger the connection that is built between therapis t and client, and the more the competence of the client is highlighted. It also helps if the questions are age-appropriate for the client. How about some examples? What are some things that you like to do (or used to do) for fun? What do you like to do with your family? What subject do you like best at school? (for truant teens: What subject do you dislike the least?) What else? What subjects are easiest? What kind of work do you do? How long have you done that? How did you get into that field? Wasn't that difficult at first? What kinds of music do you like? What groups (or radio stations, or symphonies, etc)? What would you say is one of your favorite songs? Why? What else do you like? If I were talking to one of your friends, someone who really knows you well, what would they tell me that you're good at? For young children: What's your favorite ice cream? Are you sure? How about your favorite color (dessert, animal, pizza, cartoon, TV show, etc)? --- Copyright 1996, 1997 by Richard B. Ebling, LCSW. All rights reserved.