2003 IMTA Proceedings - International Military Testing Association

45 th 3. Generating the specific questions. For this, the Adjudicative Guidelines were
relied upon to ensure the questions coincided with these guidelines. These
guidelines include the conditions that could raise a security concern which may
be disqualifying factors in obtaining a clearance. They also include the
conditions that could mitigate such security concerns.
4. Obtaining input from individuals with expertise in conducting background
investigations for several federal agencies. These experts reviewed drafts of the
enhanced interview questions and provided specific feedback which was
compiled and integrated into the final enhanced interview questions document.
Once a standard set of questions was developed, a pilot test was initiated to test
the value of the enhanced questioning protocol. The test sample consisted of
approximately 150 SSBI-PR subject and workplace interviews. Each interview was
conducted using the enhanced interview protocol. In addition, approximately 150
baseline interviews were conducted using the traditional line of questioning. The
structured format of the enhanced interview questions provides investigators with specific
question ordering, wording, when to use close versus open-ended questions, and what
specific follow-up questions to ask based on their responses to the initial question.
Therefore, the structured format provides greater coverage of information that may be of
potential security relevance. Limiting the “holes” in coverage will prevent the adjudicator
from having to fill in those holes by either having to speculate as to what information
should have been obtained or by having to request a follow-up interview to obtain
missing information.
One federal government agency was chosen to participate. Investigators from this
agency were trained on how to use the protocol. An Interview Preparation Guide was
developed as well and given to investigators to use prior to and in conjunction with
conducting the interviews. During the training, emphasis was placed on having
investigators ask the appropriate follow-up questions listed on the document. These
follow-up questions are an integral part of the enhancements made to the line of
questioning currently used. For example, on a question related to a subject’s financial
situation the investigator currently might ask questions associated only with validating
what has been provided on the subject’s security form. An enhanced question on the
same topic asks: “Do you have any difficulties paying your bills or concerns about your
current level of debt? If the subject answers “yes” the investigator is instructed to get
details and the circumstances surrounding this issue.
Results
Rating forms were provided to investigators of the federal agency used in the pilot
test to rate the quality of the enhanced interviews compared to the traditional line of
questioning used. Investigators were instructed to indicate on the form the extent to
which they agreed or disagreed with several statements. An example of an item on the
investigators’ rating form is “The enhanced interview provided more complete coverage
of disqualifying factors for this case.” Different rating forms were provided to
adjudicators at this agency to rate the extent to which the Report of Investigation for each
of the enhanced interviews contained unresolved issues or inadequate information for
each of the required elements of the Investigative Standards (required by EO 12968).
Preliminary data analysis suggests that while the enhanced subject interviews on
average are taking longer to complete, the structured format provides more coverage
Annual Conference of the International Military Testing Association
Pensacola, Florida, 3-6 November 2003
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