Developing a strength-based approach to educational psychology practice: A multiple case study

Abstract

Frameworks for practice in professional educational psychology have often taken a problem solving orientation, paying more limited attention to strengths. In contrast, the strength-based movement has challenged professionals to place the discovery and use of clients’ strengths at the heart of their practice. This explorative multiple case study investigates how strength-based assessments can be integrated into school-based educational psychology work, to identify actual and potential strengths at personal, interpersonal and systems levels. The approach was adopted in six cases. In each of these the focus child/young person was interviewed using either the Child and Adolescent Strengths Assessment (Lyons et al., 2000) or Assets Interview (Morrison et al., 2006). Information gained from the assessment was then used to inform an intervention plan. The following research questions were asked: (1) To what extent could a strength-based approach to practice generate information about areas of strength at different levels of ecology? (2) In what way would strengths be utilised within subsequent action plans/interventions? (3) Were action plans associated with measurable change? Findings indicated that strengths could be identified at a range of ecological levels. Strengths influenced action plans by affecting the choice of strategy and/or target of interventions. There was evidence of positive change in a high proportion of cases.