NETA Personal Trainer Practice Exam

Which of the following skills is NOT a part of the OARS communication skills?

1. Summarizing

2. Reflective Listening

3. Analyzing

4. Open Ended Questioning

The correct answer is: Analyzing

The OARS communication skills framework is a key component of motivational interviewing, which focuses on facilitating and engaging conversations that help clients in their change process. The acronym OARS stands for Open-ended questions, Affirmations, Reflective listening, and Summarizing. Each of these skills plays a crucial role in building a supportive and collaborative relationship between the trainer and client. Summarizing involves providing a concise overview of what the client has shared, helping to ensure understanding and reinforcing important points. Reflective listening requires the trainer to actively listen and then reflect back the client’s thoughts and feelings, demonstrating empathy and validation. Open-ended questioning is a technique that encourages clients to share more about their thoughts and feelings, fostering deeper conversations. In contrast, analyzing is not part of the OARS framework. It typically involves interpreting or breaking down information, which can steer the conversation away from the client’s perspective and into more of a directive approach. In motivational interviewing, the focus is on understanding the client’s own motivations and goals rather than interpreting or judging their situation. In summary, while summarizing, reflective listening, and open-ended questioning directly support engagement and understanding in communication, analyzing does not align with the supportive, client-centered philosophy of the OARS skills.