Clinical Interview Questions

Ten Questions:
1. Please tell me about what type of person your father was and your relationship with him.

2. Please tell me about what type of person your mother was and your relationship with him.

3. Please tell me about your relationships with siblings and other close relatives...

4. Please tell me what you remember most about your childhood.

5. Please tell me about your most memorable experiences in grade school, high school, and college (if applicable).

6. Please tell me about any romantic relationships you have had and whether you are in a relationship now, or if you would like to be. Why or why not?

7. Please tell me about what makes you happiest in your current life.

8. Please tell me about what upsets you most in your personal life.

9. Please tell me about any dreams or fantasies you can remember.

10. How would you like to see yourself in five years from now?

Let’s assume I have a patient that has problems with depression due to issues that have happened throughout his or her life. The first question my patient responds by saying not that good. I would go into asking for more detail as to why the relationship with ones father was not good. I would learn if there was something there that would help me to help the patient with their depression. As with most of these questions the patient would be responding in a way that they feel which would help me to learn what has caused the problems and why the patient may or may not be able to let go. I could learn a lot from a person by these questions because they are questions that ask a person to open up without being so