Which of the following is not a component of OARS in Motivational Interviewing?

• A. Open-ended questions
• B. Reflective listening
• C. Empathy building
• D. Summaries

Answer: (C)

In Motivational Interviewing, OARS refers to four concrete skills: open-ended questions, affirmations, reflective listening, and summaries. These are the practical tools used to guide the conversation and encourage the client to explore change talk. Open-ended questions invite the client to describe their experiences in their own words. Reflective listening shows you understand their feelings and meaning, helping them hear their own statements more clearly. Summaries pull together what has been said, reinforcing key points and guiding the session forward. Affirmations recognize strengths and efforts, supporting self-efficacy.

Empathy building, while essential to the MI approach, is not one of the four OARS components. The empathetic, nonjudgmental stance underpins how you use OARS, but it isn’t itself part of the OARS acronym. So, the element described as empathy building does not fit as an OARS component.