Another Good Probe Question for the Social History

“Let us endeavor to live such that, when we die,
even the undertaker mourns our passing.”

Mark Twain

Another Good Probe Question for the Social History

TISA Description of the Problem: We are always on the look-out for questions that can help us to uncover sensitive material, that clients may have a tendency to hide. The following tip was given to me by one of my workshop participants, who unfortunately forgot to leave his or her name. If you recognize your tip, please e-mail me your name so I can post it. In any case, it provides an excellent indirect doorway into problematic home issues such as unruly behavior and domestic violence.

Tip: I find that the following simple question can lead to some important and sometimes unexpected answers:

“Have the police ever been called to your home?”

TISA Follow-up: All sorts of interesting material can surface with this simple yet effective interviewing technique. It may uncover domestic violence, alcohol abuse and dependence, altercations with neighbors, and even drug dealing.

Tip provided by:

Workshop participant