Which type of questions is most likely to prompt a patient to elaborate on thoughts and feelings?

• A. Yes/No questions
• B. Open-ended questions
• C. Leading questions
• D. Multiple-choice questions

Answer: (B)

Asking questions that invite expansion on thoughts and feelings is the idea being tested. Open-ended questions encourage the patient to describe what they’re thinking and feeling in their own words, which helps you understand their emotional state and concerns more fully. For example, asking what this experience has been like for them or how they’re coping with symptoms invites richer detail and personal insight. In contrast, yes/no questions tend to shut down conversation and yield only a binary answer, leaving out nuance. Leading questions steer the patient toward a particular response and can bias what they say, while multiple-choice questions constrain options and miss the patient’s unique experiences. Because open-ended questions maximize depth of information about thoughts and feelings, they’re the best choice.