SOCW 6060 Week 9 – Solution-Focused Model: Asking Questions
Social workers who utilize the solution-focused model are mindful of how their conversations with their clients, families, groups, or even community members facilitate their thinking about solutions. The client is always the “expert,” and therefore social workers ask questions to explore how the client perceives the problem and situation.
Social workers may use solution-focused questions such as the miracle question. For example, “Suppose you woke up one morning and by some miracle everything you ever wanted, everything good you could ever imagine for yourself, had actually happened—your life had turned out exactly the way you wanted it. What would be different in your life?” When clients are asked this, it forces them to reflect on what they want or would like to achieve. By projecting themselves into the future, clients are more likely to imagine what is possible rather than focusing on the past and their failures. This allows for the possibility of developing solutions.
In this Discussion, you apply the solution-focused model and solution-focused questions. You provide other solution-focused questions, similar to the miracle question that was provided for you.
Although the textbook provides actual examples of solution-focused questions, always think about your client—you may have to modify the question a bit to take into account the client’s age, cognitive and developmental stage, culture, etc., so that the question makes sense to the client.
To prepare for SOCW 6060 Week 9 – Solution-Focused Model: Asking Questions:
Recall a case from your fieldwork experience to use for this Discussion.
Review and focus on pages 520–521 in your textbook.
By Day 3
Post:
In 1 to 2 sentences, briefly identify and describe the problem as perceived by the client, family, or group that you dealt with in your past fieldwork experience.
From the list of solution-focused questions on page 520 (e.g., exception questions, coping questions, scaling questions, and relationship questions), identify two different types of questions, and ask each question as if you were actually asking the questions to the client. (Remember, do not use the miracle question.)
Remember that the goal of these questions is to assist clients in identifying a solution
Explain how asking these two questions would help the client in coming up with the solution.
In 1 to 2 sentences, reflect and explain how asking these questions made you feel and perhaps how the client might feel. SOCW 6060 Week 9 – Solution-Focused Model: Asking Questions.
By Day 5
Respond to two colleagues:
Identify a barrier that might make it difficult to implement the solution-focused model with the client described.
Discuss how a social worker could help a client re-focus on the present, rather than on their past.
Sample Solution for SOCW 6060 Week 9 – Solution-Focused Model: Asking Questions:
In a proven study, solution-focus therapy with children who have cognitive abilities to comprehend the process made tremendous progress with treatment (Nims, 2007). According to Nims (2007), “78% of children 12 years old and older and 89% of children 13-18 years of age made progress towards “achieving their goals” through the solution-focused model. This therapy incorporates “language that presupposes a possibility of change and thereby induces hopefulness in clients (Lee, 2017, p.521).
When looking at my fieldwork, once again I am able to apply my work at Kidznotes to this therapy. The client and identifying problem includes that Prince is a 8 year old African American who currently lives with his mother, grandmother, and his two older siblings. After his parents separation a few months back, he has had several disciplinary and behavioral issues both in school and at home. Tessa, Prince’s mother states that at home he does not feel he needs to complete his chores and help his siblings on the weekends. His mother created an incentive for the children where they receive some sort of reward for each chore completed. This can include going to buy something, hanging out with friends, etc. This works for the other children, but does not work for Prince as he gets extremely upset when he is held accountable for his actions. It was also made aware that Prince was recently diagnosed with Autism, he was originally diagnosed with ADHD and there has been a change in his medication in light of the new diagnosis.
The presenting problem is him not being able to play his game, hang out with friends, and other incentives earned when he does not complete his chores. Two different type of questions I’d raise include a coping question, and scaling question. The coping question includes, Prince when I asked you about your day you stated you did not get upset when your mother did not let you hang out at the park with your friends. What was different this time? How were you able to remain calm? The scaling question would include, On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your behavior this week versus last week?
Coping questions help the client deal with whatever emotions that may arise when conflict and or crises arises. This questionnaire process gives the client awareness that they are both managing and aware of their progress in the process. Scaling questions allow both myself and the client to assess the process and progress of the client towards their goal.
In my opinion I believe this questions are simple level questions for both the child and myself to comprehend successfully. A lot of times we have to remember when working with younger clients we have to make sure our presentation is on their level to where they can comprehend questions and coping techniques in order to develop their growth. This also gives myself a clear understanding of the client and use of the method as a tool to reach the client’s goals.
Refrences
Lee, M.Y. (2017). Solution-Focus Theory. In F.J Turner(Ed.). (2017). Social work treatment: Interlocking theoretical approaches (6th ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Turner, F. J. (Ed.). (2017). Social work treatment: Interlocking theoretical approaches (6th ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Chapter 35: Solution-Focused Theory (pp. 513–531)
Chapter 36: Task-Centered Social Work (pp. 532–552)