OARS

OARS: Open-Ended Questions, Affirmations, Reflections, and Summarizing

OARS are communication skills that can help home visitors have a productive and open conversation with caregivers about substance use.

Open-ended questions: Questions that do not invite yes/no or other short answers.

• Examples: "Tell me about your smoking since our last visit”

Affirmations: Statements supporting the person and their change behaviors

• Examples: ”You are trying your hardest to stay off drugs and you're doing a great job”

 Reflections: Simple statements that convey "I heard what you just said," "I understand what you are saying," or "I'm trying to understand"

• Simple: Demonstrate listening by repeating or slightly rephrasing caregiver
  • Example:
    • Caregiver: “I just don’t know what more I can do”
    • Home visitor: “You are not sure what else you can try”
• Emotion-focused: Acknowledging the person’s emotions
  • Example:
    • Caregiver: “I just don’t know what more I can do, I am so tired of it”
    • Home visitor: “You feel frustrated with how things are going”
• Double-sided: Capturing both sides of a speaker’s ambivalence
  • Example:
    • Caregiver: “Even if I want to, I just don’t know what more I can do”
    • Home visitor: “You have tried a lot already that has not worked, but you want to feel better"

Summaries: Linking together and reinforcing caregiver statements

• Example: "Let me see if I understand, you still want to socialize with your friends, and part of that may involve drinking alcohol. But you are also thinking about drinking smaller amounts or less often so that you are better able to take care of all your responsibilities."