Building practicebased solutionfocused research down under Judi H
Building practice-based solution-focused research down under Judi H. Miller SFBTA Conference, research day, Santa Fe, New Mexico 6 – 8 November, 2014
Hopes for this session • Provide an overview of – the context (down under) – student evaluation of our SF program – the Master of Counselling • Share SF practice-based research (from down under) • Consider and discuss research challenges, responses and where to from here.
Context- New Zealand, pop 4. 5 Million
NZ Counselling • Psychotherapy training provided mainly by private providers • Counselling and psychology taught in university-based programmes • Graduate programmes in counselling taught in only 4 universities – • SF taught only at University of Canterbury.
UC counsellor training 1974 A two year graduate programme started - microskills, problemsolving 12 students per year 1988 I started teaching in the degree 1992 SF introduced as foundational model 2010 A series of earthquakes 2012 New Masters degree introduced
Christchurch, seconds after 6. 3 earthquake, Feb 22, 2011
Checking if SF teaching works down under • 2007 – survey of graduates (Miller, 2009) • All valued practice experience and clinical supervision for developing their sense of competence and identification as professional counsellors. • 79% constructed themselves as life-long learners who use a SF framework to shape their work.
Developing a programme to increase student research • New Master of Counselling – Two year full-time programme based on social constructionist principles and solution-focused practice. – Guided by Skovholt and Starkey (2010) metaphor: Three-legged epistemological stool – Research component added.
Master of Counselling Year one – solution-focused coursework Year two – 400 hour practicum + professional practice research portfolio. Key aspects: ✓ qualitative methods ✓ group supervision ✓ collaborative discoveries ✓ research relevant/meaningful to each student ✓ publishable
Extending practice-based evidence • Complements data from controlled settings • Evidence resonates with practitioners • Practice is able to be responsive to the data • Values client descriptions of change (Shennan and Iveson, 2013)
Examples of completed student research • Pragmatic case – Empowering adolescents through solutionfocused counselling : the experiences of New Zealand adolescent girls and self esteem, can sf help? (Tina Duff)
SFBT and self esteem • Foeschle et al (2007) found that SFBT did not improve self-esteem but this may not be very relevant to student success. • Peterson (2009) notes that the taking of action demonstrates a belief that one can do something about a problem (self-efficacy) and this may be used as a measure of adolescent empowerment.
SFBT and self esteem • Our student encouraged four females (in a high school) to be co-participators in SF counselling. She then analysed five SF counselling sessions with each client and found that SF counselling helped clients: – discover their personal strengths and resources – feel empowered to act using these resources – experience enhanced self efficacy – take action to bring about positive change
Examples of completed student research • Narrative case –Shift happens? : exploring the exception question in solution-focused therapy ways the exception question brings about a shift in perceptions for client and counsellor’s learning. (Kay Henson)
Exceptions • Shennan and Iveson (2012) have shifted their focus from exceptions to instances of part of the miracle. • Our student found that her research on exception questions brought together students’ personal stories of their counselling experience and stories of her own learning as a student counsellor.
Research process • Client rating scale • Narrative analysis exposed shifts and change for clients and the counsellor. • Supervision (using exception questions) and reflective journal helped the counsellor develop a sense of self. • Client engagement, use of drawings, full transcriptions, counsellors’ story
Research questions addressed • How can the exception question in solutionfocused therapy bring about change for students? • How do students in a high school experience creative uses of solution focused exception questions? • How does its use influence my counselling and my ongoing learning as a counsellor?
Examples of student research ‘in progress’ Microanalysis of dialogue: Clients’ and practitioner’s experiences of the “What’s better? ” question in Solution Focused Brief Therapy
Feedback What’s better Not useful discussing Useful discussing Overall Do something different Do the same
Examples of student research ‘in progress’ Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Clients’ experiences of the summation message.
Meeting these challenges • Practice-based evidence – requires research experience • Subjectivity and bias • Effect of researcher allegiance to SF • Researcher or therapist - can the two mix? • Phenomenology and social constructionism • Does being reflexive and being a participant really improve practice?
Where to from here? • I would welcome any comments and suggestions on what we are doing and how we might improve what we are doing. • Our next challenge is to find appropriate examiners – both practitioners and academics - any volunteers? • Please contact me judi. miller@canterbury. ac. nz
Resources • Crocket, K. , Agee M. & Cornforth, S (Ed. ), Ethics in Practice: A Guide for Counsellors: 53 -57. Wellington: Dunmore Publishing. • Gingerich, W. J. & Peterson, L. T. (2013). Effectiveness of Solution-focused brief therapy: A systematic qualitative review of controlled outcome studies. Research on Social Work Practice. http: //rsw. sagepub. com/ • Froeshle, J. G. , Smith, R. L. , & Ricard, R. (2007). The efficacy of a systematic substance abuse program for adolescent females. Professional School Counseling, 10, 498 - 505 • Mc. Leod, J. (2010). Case Study Research in Counselling and Psychotherapy. London: Sage. • Miller, J. H. (2009) Does teaching a solution-focused model of counselling work? A follow-up of graduates. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research 10(3): 173182.
Resources • Peterson, Z. D (2009). What is sexual empowerment? A multidimensional and process-oriented approach to adolescent girls’ sexual empowerment. Sex Roles, 62, 307 -313. doi: 10. 1080/09614520802030383 • Sangganianavanich, V. F and Black, L. L. (2011) The Multicultural Supervision Scale. Journal of Professional Counseling, Practice, Theory, & Research, . 38 (2) : 18 • Shennan G. and Iveson, C. From solution to discription: Practice and research in tandem. In C Franklin, T Trepper, W. Gingerich & E. Mc. Collum (Eds), (2012). Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: A Handbook of Evidence-Based Practice. NY: Oxford University Press • Skovholt, T. M. & Starkey, M. T. (2010). The three legs of the practitioner’s learning stool: Practice, research/theory and personal life. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 40 (3): 125 -130.
Resources Empowering adolescents through solution-focused counselling : the experiences of New Zealand adolescents : research project submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Counselling at the University of Canterbury • by Duff, Tina L. , Shift happens? : exploring the exception question in solution-focused therapy : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Counselling, School of Health Sciences • by Henson, Kay J. ,
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