An analysis of question style and type in official Finnish asylum interview transcripts

Jenny Skrifvars; Julia Korkman; Veronica Sui; Tanja van Veldhuizen; Jan Antfolk

doi:10.1002/jip.1557

An analysis of question style and type in official Finnish asylum interview transcripts

Jenny Skrifvars^*
, Julia Korkman
, Veronica Sui
, Tanja van Veldhuizen
, Jan Antfolk

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Interviews with asylum seekers are an important part of investigating the applicant's need of international protection. Few studies have examined if the questions used in interviews allow detailed and accurate narratives. In the current study, we analysed question style, question type, and question order from interviews of 80 official asylum cases realised by Finnish state authorities in 2017–2018. In accordance with best practise, questions were predominantly asked in an information-gathering style. However, four-fifths of the questions were closed questions, and one-tenth were open questions. The recommended question order was followed to a small degree. Possibilities on how to improve the quantity and the accuracy of the information elicited from the interviews are discussed. Future research should assess which type of questions that are most efficient in eliciting relevant information within the asylum context as well as investigating the accuracy of the interpretation.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	333-348
Number of pages	16
Journal	Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling
Volume	17
Issue number	3
Early online date	6 Aug 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/jip.1557
Publication status	Published - 1 Oct 2020

Funding

A grant from Sundell's Foundation to the second author (J.K.); A grant from The Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland to the last author (J.A.), Grant/Award Number: 151173 Funding information This research was supported a by grant from Sundell's Foundation to the second author (JK) and a grant (decision number: 151173) from The Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland to the last author (JA).

Funders	Funder number
Sundell's Foundation
Svenska Kulturfonden	151173

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

asylum application
asylum seeker
investigative interviewing
question style
question type

Access to Document

10.1002/jip.1557

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Cite this

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title = "An analysis of question style and type in official Finnish asylum interview transcripts",

abstract = "Interviews with asylum seekers are an important part of investigating the applicant's need of international protection. Few studies have examined if the questions used in interviews allow detailed and accurate narratives. In the current study, we analysed question style, question type, and question order from interviews of 80 official asylum cases realised by Finnish state authorities in 2017–2018. In accordance with best practise, questions were predominantly asked in an information-gathering style. However, four-fifths of the questions were closed questions, and one-tenth were open questions. The recommended question order was followed to a small degree. Possibilities on how to improve the quantity and the accuracy of the information elicited from the interviews are discussed. Future research should assess which type of questions that are most efficient in eliciting relevant information within the asylum context as well as investigating the accuracy of the interpretation.",

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author = "Jenny Skrifvars and Julia Korkman and Veronica Sui and \{van Veldhuizen\}, Tanja and Jan Antfolk",

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AU - Skrifvars, Jenny

AU - Korkman, Julia

AU - Sui, Veronica

AU - van Veldhuizen, Tanja

AU - Antfolk, Jan

PY - 2020/10/1

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N2 - Interviews with asylum seekers are an important part of investigating the applicant's need of international protection. Few studies have examined if the questions used in interviews allow detailed and accurate narratives. In the current study, we analysed question style, question type, and question order from interviews of 80 official asylum cases realised by Finnish state authorities in 2017–2018. In accordance with best practise, questions were predominantly asked in an information-gathering style. However, four-fifths of the questions were closed questions, and one-tenth were open questions. The recommended question order was followed to a small degree. Possibilities on how to improve the quantity and the accuracy of the information elicited from the interviews are discussed. Future research should assess which type of questions that are most efficient in eliciting relevant information within the asylum context as well as investigating the accuracy of the interpretation.

AB - Interviews with asylum seekers are an important part of investigating the applicant's need of international protection. Few studies have examined if the questions used in interviews allow detailed and accurate narratives. In the current study, we analysed question style, question type, and question order from interviews of 80 official asylum cases realised by Finnish state authorities in 2017–2018. In accordance with best practise, questions were predominantly asked in an information-gathering style. However, four-fifths of the questions were closed questions, and one-tenth were open questions. The recommended question order was followed to a small degree. Possibilities on how to improve the quantity and the accuracy of the information elicited from the interviews are discussed. Future research should assess which type of questions that are most efficient in eliciting relevant information within the asylum context as well as investigating the accuracy of the interpretation.

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KW - asylum seeker

KW - investigative interviewing

KW - question style

KW - question type

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M3 - Article

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An analysis of question style and type in official Finnish asylum interview transcripts

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Persistent URL (handle)

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