[Interview - technique of art (author's transl)]

Interview is defined as "action-like discussion by medium of dialogue with a diagnostic object in view" (SCHRAML), at the same time the importance of the dialogue-purpose and of the motivation of the subject is pointed out. Several methods may be used for conducting the dialogue, their selection being mainly dependent on the vocational training of the investigator. The personality of the investigator plays an important role when interviewing. The interviewer has to take into account the ever present subjectivity to prevent diagnostic mistakes. On the other hand this subjectivity enables the interviewer to get a special diagnostic access when his own ability of empathy and intuition is consciously used. The knowledge of difficult interviewing-techniques is not sufficient, only an integrative coherence awards the single results from the dialogue and simultaneously observation of the subject the adequate position, this makes an interview to an art, whose command is only given to a few.