Solution Focused (SF)Question Vs. Problem Focused (PF) Question: Research Findings and Implications

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1 Solution Focused (SF)Question Vs. Problem Focused (PF) Question: Research Findings and Implications Jaseem Koorankot, PhD Asst. Professor of Clinical Psychology Department of Clinical Psychology Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences Calicut, Kerala, India

2 Outline Solution Focused (SF) Vs. Problem Focused (PF) Question Some Researches Specific to SF and PF Questions Affect, Skin Conductance, Neuropsychological Components Implication of the findings related to Neuroscience

3 Questions in Therapy Questions are the tool for information-gathering and forms of intervention in psychotherapy. Questions, compared to the statements, can be used as practical tools in changing attitudes. (Burnkrant & Howard, 1984; Howard & Kerin, 1994; Howard, 1986; Howard, 1990; Petty, Cacioppo, & Heesacker, 1981; Swasy & Munch, 1985; Zillerman, 1972) A study by Howard and Kerin (1994) through a radio program with a rhetorical question and a content equivalent statement. Your daily intake of vitamins should meet your daily needs Does your daily intake of vitamins meet your daily needs?

4 SF and PF Questions SF question focus on preferred future and exceptions to the problems PF questions tend to focus on the origin and determinants of the problem and aim to help clients gain insight into their causes.

5 SF Questions Tell me how would it look like, somehow if your problems are solved? Tell me about some recent times where this problem didn't bother you much? What are the minimal things you did to manage the problems? How did you manage so far?

6 PF Question What is bothering you? How long you have this problem? What are the other issues you have because of this problem? Why do you think this being a problem

7 Content of Therapeutic Dialog Positive content is talking about any positive aspect of the client s life in the past, present, or future. Negative content is talking about any negative aspect of the client s life in the past, present, or future. Positive contents are significantly higher in SFBT than CBT Therapist s language/questions significantly influenced clients contents

8 Wording of the Question The wording of a question itself affects the client and can shift the therapeutic conversation in a particular direction. How fast were the cars moving when they crashed Vs. hit? Subjects estimated greater speeds for the cars when the word Crashed was used. Physicians asked their patients Is there something Vs. anything else you wish to address in the visit today? The something version elicited significantly more concerns than the anything version.

9 Focus of the question Questions on the same topic but with a different focus can affect the interviewee, producing different attributions and even different behaviours. Questions that focused on personal agency with questions that focused on external causes. Attributions of personal agency be more frequent in the written descriptions by the interviewee who had the personal-agency interview than in the descriptions written by Interviewees who had the external-causes interview. Personal-agency group improve significantly from the first to the second week.

10 Researches Specific to SF Vs. PF Question Anthony M Grant, 2012 (Journal of Systemic Therapies) Neipp et al., 2016 (Journal of Marital and Family Therapy) Koorankot et al., 2018 (in review-journal of Systemic Therapies) Koorankot & Huibers, 2018 (Un published raw data)

11 Comparing Solution-Focused vs. Problem-Focused Coaching Questions Anthony M. Grant participants (108 PF and 117 SF) were randomly assigned to either a problem-focused or solution-focused coaching condition. Measures: positive and negative affect, self-efficacy, and goal attainment. The SF group had significantly higher increases in goal approach compared to the PF group. SF questions increased positive affect, decreased negative affect, and increased self-efficacy. The SF group generated significantly more actions steps to help them reach their goal.

12 The Effect of Solution-Focused Vs. Problem-Focused Questions: A Replication Neipp et al., students described a real-life problem that they wanted to solve and were then randomly assigned to either a solution-focused (n=102) or a problem-focused (n=102) questions condition. Pre and post measures assessed positive and negative affect, selfefficacy, and goal attainment. SF questions produced a significantly higher increase in selfefficacy, goal approach, and action steps than PF questions SF question also produces a significantly higher decrease in negative affect.

13 Major Findings from the Researches Change in Positive Affect and Negative Affect. Change in Skin Resistance. (through GSR) Change in Processing Speed (through Symbol Search test) In addition to processing speed, Symbol Search involves Short term visual memory, Visual motor coordination, Cognitive flexibility, Visual discrimination, Psychomotor speed, Speed of mental operation, Attention and Concentration

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18 Amygdala

19 Functions of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC) The key function of DLPFC is Exicutive functions; Working memory Cognitive flexibility Planning Inhibition, and Abstract reasoning.[9] The DLPFC is also involved in Motor planning Organization Regulation.

20 How does Therapy Works?

21 How does Therapy Works? Therapeutic question (rational kind?) leads to reduced emotional response and regulation of negative emotional states. Positive emotional states may trigger lasting/ durable changes in the structure and function of the brain, which promote further adaptive thoughts and behaviours.

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23 Relapse in Therapy (Long Term Potentiation)

24 Implication SF question may decreases the hyperactivity in Amygdala - PANAS/ GSR SF Question may activate Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC) (How did you do that?/how different you will be?) This may help the client to make better plans and better decisions during therapy session and action between the session The more you do SF with the client, more possibility for Long Term Potentiation (?) and enduring change (?). If it works do more of it: (Practice that drives a specific brain function can lead to an enhancement of that function)

25 Thank You for your kind attention