Which components are part of OARS in motivational interviewing?

• A. Open questions, affirmations, reflective listening, summaries
• B. Oriented, analytic, rational, systematic
• C. Order, arrange, respond, summarize
• D. Observe, avoid, react, shut down

Answer: (A)

OARS are core communication skills used in motivational interviewing to engage clients, explore ambivalence, and evoke change. Open questions invite clients to talk in depth and express their thoughts and feelings rather than giving simple yes-or-no answers. Affirmations recognize and reinforce the client’s strengths, efforts, and progress, which helps build confidence. Reflective listening involves pulling back the client’s meaning—paraphrasing or noting feelings to show understanding and encourage further exploration. Summaries pull together what the client has said, highlight themes, and connect ideas to move toward planning change.

The other groupings don’t reflect these foundational MI skills, so they don’t capture the same approach to guiding conversations in this context.