Strengths Perspective and Solution Focused Perspective - Research Paper Example

The Strengths perspective is a model of practice which is a part of the field of social work. This practice model is constructed on the notion that the groups of clients are an untapped resource of vigor and momentum in their own lives. The philosophy of this model is construed on directing all individual working in close capacity with the clients to be careful against the use of negative labels to dominate or constrain the course of treatment which is given to a client or a client group. The strengths perspective serves to be an alternative to looking at the clients as “pathology units” (DeJong and Miller, 1995; Saleebey, 1996). In 1989, Weick et al came up with the term “strengths perspective”. It was used to refer to a system in which not only authority was clearly recognized by the practitioners but also the assets that a client possessed. It is essential to note that the recognition of these elements had to be relevant as far as the client’s frame of reference and the life story were concerned. There are five main assumptions which define and outline the strengths perspective. These assumptions, along with the use of a solution focused interviewing, enable the client in the process of problem resolution where solutions don’t have to be related to the problem but undergoing the process aids in resolving them. It is the main concepts of solution focused interviewing which aid the process for positive problem resolution. This is core strength of the strengths perspective practice in the way it helps bypass techniques that are not working. The main assumptions outlining the strengths perspective are, firstly, the notion that all the clients and environments have the strength that can be channeled and organized in order to improve the quality of life. The second assumption is based on motivation being consistent with the self-defined strengths of the clients. The third states that the strengths of the clients can only be discovered when discussion and dialogue between the family and the helping person occur. It is here than an emphasis on the determinant of this strength being highly dependent on the client ability is highlighted. The forth is where the “blaming the victim” stance is countered by the prominence of the client’s strength regardless of the environment. The fifth assumption builds on the forth and states that every kind of environment, no matter how adverse it is, has some resources which can prove to be utilizable and helpful (Saleebey, 1992, pp. 5-7). The Solution focused perspective is operational on the basis of interviews which are formulated on a co-constructive process and has two major developments which it relies on. The first of these is the formulation of well-defined goals and the second being the construction of solutions which the client finds achievable. It is also necessary that these be based on the specific situation the client is in and tackle the problems as defined by the client. It is also the aim of these goals to protect the client and keep their dignity intact as their efforts are highlighted and their input appreciated. The achievement of a goal holds meaning for the client in the way it is viewed as a success, whereas failure is viewed as a need for more effort and implies that bringing about change is a gradual and difficult process. The goals defined have to be concise, important to the client and be definite. It is important that the goals set by the clients be based on the presence of something that is positive in their lives, rather than be based on the lack of something. The conceptualization of goals into hopes and dreams, as part of the process rather than the entire focus, aids the practitioner helping the client in formulating attainable goals which are also pragmatic and fall inside the client’s frame of reference. The strengths perspective also asks that the helper explores the other scenarios relating to the family’s life, in which the issue and difficulty he is now facing could occur, however, this did not happen (DeJong, 734). So as a result, the helping person should adopt a positive attitude by analyzing how the exceptions and alternatives to their current problem are far worse than the problem itself. This allows the client to shift focus on the more optimistic element of their frame of existence rather than a focus on the negative. It is here that the client’s strengths are brought into perspective and then molded towards the creations of solutions which are tailor made for the situation the client is in. In short, strength based approach looks at the strength of the clients and not their deficits. It is quite simply put a basic approach which is of the notion that the more you shift focus on a person’s strengths the greater they become. The goal of this approach is to place greater power into the hands of the clients and label them the experts instead of focusing solely on the role of the worker as an expert. It is this power balance which is existent in our current system, between a worker and client, which the strengths-based approach aims to address. A solution-focused approach emphasizes on resolutions instead of the problems. It also stresses on the idea that the client can be aided in formulating well-formed goals rather than solely investing time and effort on their problems with the use of a few main questions. The key operational strength and the goal of the solution focused perspective are based on the element of the ‘miracle question’. This is an excellent and effective cornerstone that begins the solution process. It is through the miracle question that the client is asked to imagine a miracle which has taken place through which the issue they are having is somehow resolved. They are also asked to give details as to how they could tell that the miracle did take place. The aim of these satellite questions is to get the client attention to shift and focus their imagination towards a future in which their problem has been solved. It is through these questions that the client is helped in structuring their goals keeping in mind their frame of reference. After the framing of the miracle question, the next step which follows in the process of conducting a solution-focused interview is that of the exception finding questions. These aid the practitioner and enlighten the client into gaining a basic understanding of instances in which the problem could have manifested itself and been a lot worse, however, it did not. An analysis of these details regarding the problem at hand and the context in which it revealed itself could help in extracting from the past and present successes which could help build a possible solution. This empowers the clients by letting them realize the true power they hold in themselves, and also aids them in conceptualizing their own world and then taking decisions with regard to how they should live it (De Jong, 1995, p.738). So basically while the strengths perspective approach to a certain problem compels not just the client but also the listener to adopt an optimistic approach to problem solving, the solution focused approach, with a focus on the emphasis on exceptions, is a helpful guide for the entire family’s story to come to the definition of pragmatic goals and succeed as a team. An evaluation of the strength based perspective by Rudolph (2001) highlights its advantages. The research looks at how numerous children and young adults are referred for specialized services, however, professionals have the tendency to label and refer to them in terms such as deficits, problems or simply by referring to the pathologies they present. The terms usually used to describe these individuals are deficit-oriented in nature, such as ‘depressed’ or ‘psychotic’, and ‘socially maladjusted’. In numerous fields, like special education or mental health, there are numerous instruments present which analyze the emotional and behavioral disorders of these individuals. Despite having strong psychometric properties, these instruments tell us very little regarding the strength of the child, his competencies, preferences, sources of support or simply his resources. It is all these weaknesses which a strength based assessment aims to directly addresses. It is through this approach that professionals are pushed to identify and formulate appropriate strategies, keeping in mind the existing strengths and skills that the individual, as well as the family, possesses. As far as the solution focused perspective is concerned, an evaluation done by the US Department of Health and Services suggests that it is a model constantly evolves and can be applied to the presentation of numerous treatments and problems, across many treatment settings, which makes the core strength of the solution focused perspective the fact that it is formulated to aid clients in engaging their own specific resources and strengths in order to solve problems which push them towards the need to receive treatment. How this approach applies to substance abuse field is simply in the way this perspective proposes that the solution to the issues of the client which he bring into the treatment might have very little to do with their problems. This assumption on which the perspective is based is particularly true in case of substance abuse, such as an alcohol abuse, where a number of life experiences or incidents which are a part of the client’s life, which have very little to do with his consumption of alcohol, may be the cause for a resolution of the problem. A appropriate example of a problematic drinker who stops consuming alcohol in excessive quantities after a critical life event, like obtaining employment, or making new friends or simply by relocation. The solution focused approach, therefore, suggests treatment that may not make alcohol the key sole focus to resolving the drinking problem but looks at helping the client prioritize, define personal goals and formulate ways to achieve them. Other advantages of the solution-focused model include its flexibility and the fact that it has evolved. Initially it was developed as approach which addressed family therapy. However, now it is used in a number of formats, such as individual, family or a group. One should highlight through that the approach for every group still remains the same. The only critical difference being that specialized techniques for conducting interviews have been formulated to encourage an increased participation of multiple participants when the application of the model encompasses a couple, family or group format. As far as the ideal treatment or the ideal scenario which the solution-focused perspective addresses is concerned, there is confusion. Initially the approach was meant for private, nonprofit and outpatient treatment agencies. However, over the passage of time, it has also being used in inpatient and residential settings, which makes the ideal setting for this model unclear. Why this model would be applicable to these latter settings is unclear as the expenses are too high and the results in comparison to outpatient settings, a lot similar (Miller, 1989). There are certain scenarios in which these two approaches, Strengths perspective and solution focused perspective, are both used. Clark (1997) and Nissen (1998) have studied on the formulation of a working model as far as juvenile offenders and addicts were concerned. They based their philosophy emphasizing on solution focused interviews, setting of goals, as well as an incorporation of the strengths perspective by aiding the youths to identify and mobilize their strengths. An amalgamation of both these approaches was critical and effective in this situation since juvenile justice systems have been known to address these individuals as either victims or villains. This constrained lens through which these young addicts and juveniles are viewed stunts their ability to grow, reorganize and mobilize their potential to change and become a resource to the community. Through the adaptation of both approaches to tackle these issues faced by these young individuals, the system can aid positive youth development, strength and sustain change throughout its systems. So while the strengths approach specifically aims to use targeted counseling and techniques for intervention which not just identify, but also construct, reinforce, as well as encourage those qualities, attributes and skills of these troubled individuals towards a contribution of positive outcomes, effective goals building and resiliency are encouraged in these individuals through therapeutic and solution focused orientation, instead of the use of the prevention-oriented process. So while a strengths perspective aims at the development of concepts such as respect and an identification of core strengths of the client, as well as activating motivation to change through strengths, the solution focused approach adds on to these efforts by collaborating with the client in their therapeutic work, aiming to avoid victim mindsets, and viewing the situation through a more optimistic lens through a definition of goals and an eye towards the future. It is in situations such as these where the recovery and the process of change are so complex and extensive that an amalgamation of both perspectives can be used in order to effectively address the problems faced by the client, come up with prospective solutions and aid them in the process to change. References Clark, M. D. (1997). Strength-based practice: A new paradigm. Corrections Today, 59, 201-203. De Jong, P., & Miller, S. (1995). How to interview for client strengths. Social Work, 40, 729-73. Miller, S. (1989). Handbook of Alcoholism Treatment Approaches. New York: Plenum Press. Rudolph, S. (2001). Empowering Children and Families through Strength-based Assessment. Centre for Effective Collaboration and Practice. Retrieved from on 25th March 2011 from: http://cecp.air.org/interact/expertonline/strength/transition/1.asp Saleebey, D. (1992). The Strengths Perspective in Social Work Practice. White Plains, NY: Longman. Saleebey, D. (1996). The Strengths Perspective in Social work Practice: extension and cautions. Social Work, 41, 296-305. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health (2010). Approaches to Drug Abuse Counseling, Description of the Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Approach to Problem Drinking. Retrieved on 25th March 2011 from: http://dualdiagnosis.org/resource/articles/drug-abuse-counseling/drinking-problem Weick, A., Rapp, C., Sullivan, W.P., & Kisthardt, W. (1989). A Strengths Perspective for Social Work Practice. Social Work, 350-35. Read More