Pre-Study Interview Script [Albatross]

Pre-Study Interview Script

Introduction (3 minutes)

Objective: build some rapport, remind them of what the point of the interview is, ensure confidentiality 

“Hi, I’m [name] and I’m conducting research to better understand digital behavioral interventions for people with obsessive behaviors like skin-picking, hair pulling, or nail biting. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. I want to acknowledge the sensitive nature of what we’ll be discussing, and want to assure you that your identity is confidential. Feel free to skip any questions that you don’t want to discuss, and you are free to stop the interview at any time if you are uncomfortable. With that in mind, are you ready to begin?”

Attitude & Relationship to Obsessive Behavior (12 minutes)

Objective: Explore the participant’s current mindset, emotional ties, and underlying beliefs about the behavior.

1. “Could you remind me of the behavior you reported having on the screener form?”
2. “How do you feel about your [behavior] habit right now? Is it something you’d like to reduce, manage, or completely stop?”
3. “On a scale from 1 to 10, how motivated are you to change this behavior?”
4. “Do you think there are any perceived benefits you get from [behavior]?”
5. “What are the drawbacks or negative impacts you associate with the behavior?”
6. “Is there a specific emotional state that strongly connects with your behavior?”
7. “Do you notice any patterns—time of day, location, or emotional triggers—that make the behavior more likely?”

Detailed Exploration of Behavior(12 minutes)

Objective: Gain insight into the specific details and contextual factors of their behaviors.

1. “Can you recall a recent time you engaged in the behavior? Where were you? What were you doing right before?”
   • based on answer, go deeper into the environment or activity, like
     1. “Is that [location/activity] a trigger for you? Tell me more about that.”
     2. “Where does it usually happen (e.g., at home, at work, in the bathroom)?”
     3. “Are there specific rooms or situations where it’s more frequent? Are others around, or are you usually alone?”
2. “How often do these behaviors typically happen in a day or week?”
3. “How do you typically feel before, during, and after you engage in picking?”
4. “Does the behavior change your mood—does it make you feel better or worse afterward?”
5. “In the moments when you feel the urge, do you try to stop yourself?”
   • If yes:
     1. “What do you do?”
     2. “Do you find that effective in getting you to stop?”
     3. “What made that work?”
     4. “Have you tried other strategies that didn’t work?”
     5. “Why do you think those didn’t work?”
   • If no: 
     1. “Why?”

Wrapping up (3 minutes)

“Thank you so much for your time today. Your responses have been super helpful. Do you have any questions for me? We will be in touch about follow up soon”