Bonaventura, Leisa H. (2020) Interrupting problem-talk in solution-focused couple therapy. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
Solution-focused brief therapy uses miracle, scaling, coping, and exception questions to shift clients from talking about problems to talking about solutions. However, clients who repeatedly return to talking about problems pose a threat to therapy progress and processes. Limited information shows how a therapist should deal with this situation. The aim of the present study was to explore and describe how an experienced therapist responds to persistent problem-talk in therapy. This exploratory case study examined a video of two solution focused couple therapy sessions conducted by an exemplary solution-focused therapist. A microanalysis of the moment-by-moment interactions between clients and therapist was conducted using conversation analysis. This revealed the therapist used specific phrases to interrupt problem-talk. Although there were variances in the words used and when the therapist interrupted, these utterances achieved three things: they stopped the problem-talk, they allowed the therapist to gain and hold a turn-at-talk, and they permitted her to redirect the focus of the discourse from problems to solutions. Although the findings are preliminary, this study has shown that interruptions are complex and cannot be analysed using purely quantitative means. This study has also shown that it is vital to consider the interaction in context to understand what is being accomplished by a particular utterance. It has demonstrated how conversation analysis is well suited for future SFBT psychotherapy process research, which can be used to improve SFBT manuals and other training materials.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Counselling (1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | Steven Christensen |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 24 Jun 2025 01:58 |
| Last Modified: | 24 Jun 2025 01:58 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Conversation analysis; solution-focused brief therapy; couple therapy. problem-talk |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52165 |
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