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Which type of question is MOST appropriate when trying to determine the "why?" behind a client's stated goals?

  1. Closed-ended questions

  2. Open-ended questions

  3. Leading questions

  4. Funnel questions

The correct answer is: Open-ended questions

Open-ended questions are particularly effective when seeking to uncover the underlying motivations behind a client’s goals. These questions invite clients to share their thoughts and feelings in a more expansive manner, rather than simply providing a yes or no answer. This openness encourages deeper reflection and discussion, leading to richer insights about the client’s motivations, values, and desires. When a health coach asks open-ended questions, it allows the client to express their personal experiences and reasons for setting specific goals, facilitating a more meaningful dialogue. For instance, asking "What inspired you to set this goal?" can help the client articulate their reasoning, which may reveal important aspects of their lifestyle, values, or challenges they face. The other types of questions—closed-ended, leading, and funnel questions—do not serve this purpose as effectively. Closed-ended questions typically limit responses, encouraging one-word or simple answers that may not delve into the deeper reasoning. Leading questions can bias the response, steering clients toward a specific answer rather than allowing them to explore their own thoughts. Funnel questions, while helpful in guiding a conversation from broad to specific, may still not allow the same depth of insight as open-ended questions do, since they can still compartmentalize responses.