Solution Focused Therapy Summary

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The article “The Implementation of Solution-Focused Therapy to Increase Foster Care Placement Stability” was written in 2010 by Jeffrey J. Koob and Susan M. Love. Entering the foster care system and being placed in a new environment can be challenging transition for both children and adolescents. As a result, “one to two-thirds will have disruptions in their placements” with most being adolescents (Koob and Love, 2010, p.1346). In order to reduce the number of disruptions, Koob and Love focused on promoting stability for adolescents in foster care through the use of Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT). Rather than using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), the article proposed that through the use of short term treatment with SFBT adolescents …show more content…

Participants were followed for one year to determine if they endured or failed their foster care placements (Koob & Love, 2010). According to Koob & Love (2010), when participants were placed into foster home they either were stable to remain in the home or they returned back to the residential facility as a result of a failed placement. The length of stay within the residential center ranged from two to six weeks and were then placed into another foster home (Koob & Love, 2010). However, if the placement was unsuccessful again the adolescent would return back to the center (Koob & Love, 2010). This was a continuous cycle and each participant never returned to the same home (Koob & Love, …show more content…

I agree with some of the limitations of the study such as their small number of participants, ethnic representation and use of one location. Due to this, the results of the study was not generalizable to other populations. In addition, the length of time that the study was conducted was also relatively short. Some children are typically in foster care for more than a year therefore, providing a longer time period to see results could indicate if there were changes in placement after the one year time period. This indicates a limitation to using SFBT because it may be too brief and not provide enough time for the client to identify ways to improve their situation. Furthermore, the article did not directly indicate how SFBT proved to be effective. According to Koob and Love (2010), “it could have been the change of focus from individual to family that lead to increased placement stability, rather than from cognitive behavioral to solution focused” (p.1349). Therefore, I agree with Koob and Love’s statement that “there is no evidence that the treatment had a direct effect” (2010, p.1349). Furthermore, although SFBT has been utilized with other client populations, I do believe that it would be difficult to utilize this intervention with those who have severe mental health issues because they may be unable to identify attainable goals and effective ways improve their areas of need. Furthermore, the therapist

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