Shawna wants to go to college. She attended a poor rural school where most of the students do not go on to college. Her scores for the entrance exams were very poor in math, and she feels unsure that the developmental course being offered to her at the college will really help her catch up. She seems anxious and uncertain. The worker says, “You don’t seem to quite understand what developmental courses are. Look at the number of people who take them. Look at how many of those people finish school. You need to think about this a little less emotionally.” Will Shawna feel comfortable in the future talking about her concerns about going to college with this worker?

Enhanced Blocked

Above are various scenarios illustrating workers’ responses in a variety of situations. Examine the responses in each case and decide whether the worker is blocking communication or enhancing it. Do the worker’s responses cut off further communication from the other person or seem to encourage the person to continue? Circle your answer after each vignette.