Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) is a form of therapy
that is explicitly based upon a social constructionist philosophy,
and has a number of attributes that make it attractive
for use with people with learning disabilities. These include
focusing on skills rather than deficits, producing a unique
intervention for each client based upon their particular skills
and needs, and providing the client with ‘expert status’ (and
hence a sense of self-efficacy) within the therapeutic
relationship.
Within professions employing psychotherapy in the UK,
SFBT continues to grow in popularity as a model for
intervention [O’Connell (1998) and George et al. (1999)
provide comprehensive introductory readers on SFBT].
Whilst there have been few well-controlled efficacy studies
conducted to date, the research that has been published
provides preliminary support for SFBT being an effective tool
in helping people with psychological problems [Gingerich &
Eisengart (2000) and MacDonald (2003) provide reviews].
Despite being a popular model of psychotherapy with an
underpinning philosophy that may be particularly helpful
to people with learning disabilities, there has been very little
published writing on the use of SFBT in learning disability
services. A literature search reveals a total of two articles on
the subject. Rhodes (2000) writes a brief account of the use of
SFBT with residential staff supporting adults with learning
disabilities and challenging behaviour. Stoddart et al. (2001)
discuss their adaptation of SFBT techniques for direct use with learning disabled adults, and present a brief outcome
study suggesting that its effectiveness was broadly equivalent
to the ‘longer-term psychotherapy’ utilized with other
learning disabled clients attending their service.
A number of practitioners in the UK and elsewhere are
now showing interest in adapting and using the SFBT
model in their direct work with people with learning
disabilities. My own use of the model with this population
continues to develop as I learn more about what works from
my clients. The following case example is intended to
illustrate some of the ways that I have found the SFBT
approach to be useful in helping my clients, whilst hopefully
provoking further discussion and interest in the use of
SFBT with this client group