Strengths, Narrative, Solutions Practice Flashcards
Strengths, Narrative and Solution practice draw on different theoretical perspectives (3)
1) social psychology
2) social construction
3) postmodernism
Social psychology studies how…
interaction within social groups as well as between groups helps to create and maintain the social identities of individuals
- how people behave in relations to others
- their influence on others
- the effects of social factors such as stigma, stereotyping, and ideology on behaviour in groups
Role theory explores…
the creation of roles to construct ourselves in a place of social relations.
- the way people are influenced in their behaviours by the social positions they hold and the expectations that accompany those positions
o Gender roles in society, women as homekeeper, men in dominant roles
Social constructionism
- sociological theory -> the world and meanings we create are the result of social interaction
relativism
Theory holding that criteria of judgement are relative, varying with individuals and their environments [doctrine that there are no absolute truths]
discourse
set of sanctioned statements which have some institutionalized force, and a profound influence on the way that individuals act and think
- connected to social power relations
- discursive practice constrains alternative meanings (what is allowed to be said)
- what is permitted to stand as”knowledge” is defined by discourse
key concepts of strengths/narrative/solution
- the “presenting problem” (clinical situation) is a social construction - not an objective reflection of reality
- problem only becomes real when clients and workers join together to define it as a problem
Deconstruction
- inclusion of marginalized voices to deconstruct “biased knowledge”/social constructs, that are taken for granted or assumed to be true
requires looking at social, historical and political contexts (60s scoop)
Strengths Perspectives (requirement and focus)
- Require paradigm shift away from traditional approaches that focus on pathology [diagnosing]
- Focus on the client’s meaning of the situation as the most important VS the labels or theories
Strengths perspective definition (Barker) is an orientation in social work that emphasizes the client’s…
- resources
- capabilities
- support systems and
- motivations
…to meet challenges and overcome adversity. - Does not ignore the existence of social problems, individual disease, or family dysfunction
- emphasis of client strengths that are used to achieve and maintain individual and social well-being.
Concepts of Strengths Perspectives
- Resilience
- Membership
- Dialogue
- Collaboration
- Suspension of disbelief
Resilience
Skills, abilities, knowledge, insight that accumulate over time as people struggle to surmount adversity and meet challenges
Membership
- individuals are valued members in a viable group/community
- opposite of membership is alienation - risk of being marginalized and oppressed
Dialogue
requires social worker to actively listen to client
Collaboration
Requires worker to forgo “expert” role, to become a “partner” in developing plan with client
Suspension of disbelief
Requires client to actively listen, letting go assumptions of the client having “faulty recall, distorted perceptions, and limited self-awareness
Criticisms of Strengths perspective (3)
- Reframing misery
- Pollyannaism (positivity bias, tendency for people to remember pleasant items more accurately than unpleasant ones)
- Ignoring reality
Narrative Therapy (White and Epson) definition
Psychotherapeutic intervention
- emphasizes the use of client storytelling through writing assignments and oral descriptions of one’s life experiences, thoughts, or imagination
- SW & client work to co-construct an alternative new narrative that forms basis for new direction in life
Techniques used in Narrative therapy (3)
Techniques used in narrative therapy:
1) Identify and emphasize existing strengths
2) Weaving past strengths into the fabric of a new narrative
3) Asking questions that externalize the problem
Michael White (sneakypoo)
- importance of externalizing the problem from the person, prevents self-fulfilling prophecy from takingplace
- reshape client’s narrative/experience of problem
- emphasize strengths “you are so brave to face such a difficult problem”
Narrative positions (4)
- Inherent respect for people
- Fundamental assumption that we can re-author our lives (sense of agency)
- A belief in multiple possible realities
- The power of language
Narrative approach examines… (3)
- how the “known” problem identity of a person has been manufactured over time
- What aspects of the social order have worked to maintain the identity of the problem self
- What cultural aspects keep the the problem identity separate from alternative accounts of experience
Solution-Focused Brief therapy description (3)(developed by Shazer and Berg)
- little focus on problems and client’s background
- focus on dealing with positive outcomes the client seeks
- short term ~ 10 sessions required to develop goals and plan to reach goals
Key elements (2) of Solution-Focused therapy
Miracle question:
If any miraculous change in life or circumstance that one could wish for took place overnight, how would life be better?
Scaling - helps clients and practitioners be specific about their aims and achievements
solution focused practice ideas (as per payne [5])
- accept people’s experiences
- search for solutions
- focus on competencies
- focus on what people want to talk about
- avoid diagnosis, categorization and pathology
Basic assumptions/ideas of solutions focused
- clients/families are capable and have resources/strengths to resolve problems
- not necessary to understand problem’s background in order to resolve it - history less important, focus on future
- a small change is all that is necessary - a change in one part of the system can affect change in another (link to systems theory)
- validation of different views, there is not one right way to view things
- focus on what is possible and changeable, rather than the impossible/intractable
Critique of Solutions focused (3)
- “Mind over matter” - Overoptimistic that psychological models will impact structural issues such as poverty, discrimination
- Do not challenge the current system
- Does not critique the systems that might be oppressive themselves (child welfare or justice system
Similarities of Strengths, Narrative & Solutions Focused
- focus on strengths *
- origins in psychotherapy *
- forward-looking approach *
- any change - even small- is good
- focus on resilience within clients (amplifying strengths and resilience) [help clients gain new perspective on problem focusing on their personal strengths]
- deconstruction of traditional views in society (deconstructing situation, recreaton of ideal situation as per client is not always realistic - where critique of being unrealistic stems from)
Difference between 3
Not all are rooted in traditional Freudian theories
