Questions as intervention: differences between solution-focused and problem-focused questions

Abstract

Communication is one of the most important resources in health professional and patients’ relationships. In conversations between them, questions can be considered as interventions. Solution-Focused questions promote conversations on resources, goals, and small steps to reaching them; their aim is to move clients in the direction of building their own solutions. This study is part of a larger study and its aim is to evaluate the differences between two groups, Problem-Focused questions vs Solution-Focused questions in affect, self-efficacy and goal attainment. Method: 107 nursing students of a Spanish university described a real-life problem that they wanted to solve and were then randomly assigned to either a solution-focused or a problem-focused questions condition. Students completed a set of measures that assessed positive and negative affect, self-efficacy, goal attainment and action steps to move toward their goal. Results: Solution-focused questions produced a significantly increase in self-efficacy F(1, 105)= 12.85 p=.001 (ï¨2 = .11), and action steps (T(105) =-3.343 p=.001), and a significantly decrease in negative affect F(1, 105)= 4.095 p=.046 (ï¨2 = .038) than problem-focused questions. Conclusion: These results show that Solution-Focused questions could be effective in the conversations with the patients to facilitate their illness adaptation.