I__. - International Military Testing Association

it the interviewee, and addressing concerns directly.
Ouestioninq. Several questioning approaches are used in conducting subject interviews.
Although the topic areas are generally structured, only DIS emphasizes use of a structured set of
questions for each topic. DIS interviewers typically ask four to seven short, direct questions
regarding a subject area, followed by summarizing questions. Other agencies use more openended
questions, followed with summary or verification questions. Interrogative questioning
methods are not generally used by DIS, but are occasionally used by FBI interviewers.
Observation. All of the agencies visited train their interviewers to look for possible
verbal and nonverbal cues to deception on the part of the interviewee. Most of these indicators
are based on noticing patterns of various verbal, paralinguistic, and nonverbal (body gestures,
facial expression) indicators. When possible deception is detected, the interviewer may remind
the subject of the importance of honesty, and that confidentiality is maintained.
Listening. Interviewers are trained to listen to the whole response, to use active listening
procedures, and to follow-up vague responses with questions that draw out details. Techniques
such as re-statement and paraphrasing am used to encourage elaboration.
Documentation
Investigators normally take only limited (or no) notes during the interview. OPM
interviewers tend to take the most extensive notes, while FBI interviewers generally take fewer
notes. Upon completion of the interview, interviewers write or dictate a short report
summarizing the results of the interview.
Decision-Making
In all agencies, interviewers obtain the interview information but adjudicators make the
clearance decisions. OPM is unique in that it conducts interviews on a contract basis for over 90
Federal agencies.
Empirical Research
No published empirical studies were found regarding the use of investigative or integrity
interviews. The literature search did identify five unpublished studies, most of which were pilot
studies.
The most relevant of these compared the relative effectiveness of two types of
background investigations--one with a subject interview and one without. Conducted by the
Defense Investigative Service (Office of Personnel Investigations, 1986) the study involved a
random sample of 47 1 military members, contractor employees, and DOD civilian personnel.
For the 186 cases in which significant adverse information was identified, the background
investigation which included the investigative interview developed significant information in
164 of these cases. Furthermore, the procedure which included the investigative interview
yielded 72 cases not identified by the traditional procedure. Based on these results, the research
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