Texas LMSW License Practice Exam

Open-ended questions are designed to draw out detailed, descriptive information and invite conversation. By asking things that require more than a simple yes or no, clients can share their experiences, feelings, and the context around a situation in their own words. This leads to richer data for assessment and treatment planning, clarifies what matters most to the client, and helps build rapport because the client feels heard and has space to express their perspective. For example, asking what brought them to therapy today or how a stressor has affected their daily life prompts storytelling and exploration, whereas yes/no questions like “Are you feeling anxious?” stop at a single moment or emotion. While open-ended questions are incredibly useful for eliciting depth, they do require skillful follow-up to keep the conversation focused. Overall, they accomplish the goal of gathering comprehensive information and encouraging meaningful discussion, which is why this statement is correct.