Adlerian Counselling Flashcards

Question

Does Adlerian Counselling use Nomothetic or Idiographic explanations?

Answer 1

Nomothetic/Idiographic: Case studies (idiographic research) have been the focus of most of research in individual psychology. The emphasis in Adlerian counselling remains on the individual’s unique subjective perception of self and others.

Answer 2

The longitudinal perspective is used to understand the client. This is reflected in the use of early recollections, as well as obtaining a comprehensive client history, all part of the lifestyle assessment.

Answer 3

Tension Reduction/Tension Production: Adlerian therapy is based on tension production: striving for superiority and perfection. It is a growth model, whereby much of a person’s behaviour can be explained as involving an individual’s movement towards growth and self-actualization.

Answer 4

Both internal and external factors are considered in the Adlerian approach to counselling. The theory looks at an individual’s subjective perception of reality. At the same time, the theory is contextual: issues are considered from the perspective of the client’s family and society.

Answer 5

The theory emphasizes the individual’s uniqueness through such concepts as: private logic, style of life, and creative self. However, Adler proposed a predictive theory of general psychological characteristics that individuals develop based on their early family constellation, more specifically based on their birth position/order among their siblings. At the same time, Adler cautioned therapists against using this theory as a template and thus ignoring the unique idiosyncratic factors that shape individual personality.

Answer 6

Adlerian theory considers the following as possible sources of psychopathology: lack of social interest, mistaken beliefs and inadequate psychological models, overambition, or discouragement; poor self concept; pampering, neglect, organ (physical weaknesses of the body) inferiority, sibling rivalry, and self-defeating behaviour. Adler believed that these childhood situations tend to result in isolation, a lack of social interest, and the development of a non-cooperative style of life based on an unrealistic goal of personal superiority. In Adler’s theory, neurosis is viewed as an escape from fulfilling one’s duties to the community. It is the symptom of mistaken goals, a failure of learning, a product of distorted perceptions. To compensate for feelings of inferiority, people strive for superiority. Early in his career, Adler proposed the concept of masculine protest to describe the individuals' tendency to overcompensate for their real or perceived weakness or limitations. In spite of its name, Adler used this concept to describe both men and women and to include both maladaptive patterns of behaviour (such as vengeful and defiant outbursts of anger) and positive adjustment (such as a woman's determination to excel in a patriarchal society). Problems can occur when individuals become discouraged and strive for inappropriate goals. These goals are especially recognizable in children and include: gaining attention or power, getting revenge, or acting inadequate. Attention seeking: the person is continually seeking approval for his or her actions. Power: the person wants to win, or be in control. Behaviour descriptors include "rebel" and "stubborn". Revenge: the person does things to hurt others. Behaviour descriptors include "vicious" or "violently passive". Inadequacy: when the person assumes deficiency and gives up trying. The attitude is one of "hopelessness".

Answer 7

A healthy individual has a strong social interest and realistic life goals. He or she has an effective, socially acceptable, healthy compensation for perceived inferiorities and is a contributing member of a democratic family and a democratic society.

Answer 8

The therapist focuses on the importance of educating clients as a preventative measure. The therapist guides the client toward adaptive behaviour, which leads to a reduction in feelings of inferiority. The Adlerian counsellor corrects the client’s mistaken perceptions and develops new goals for behaviour.

Answer 9

Therapists need to be aware of the importance of focusing on the individual’s subjective reality. The primary goal of Adlerian counselling is to develop the clients’ social interest so that they will be able to live as equals in society, both giving to and receiving for others (Mosak, 2000). This may mean re-educating clients to modify their lifestyles. Therapy is a learning experience. Change in behaviour follows a change in motivation through insight. There are three major goals of therapy: (a) understanding the lifestyle, (b) promoting self-understanding, and (c) strengthening social interest.

Answer 10

Encouragement is a major method of responding, one that has been found to be more effective than other social reinforcers, such as praise. Encouragement generally focuses on strengths that the client has but may not acknowledge or appreciate. Comprehensive Life-Style Assessment: includes eliciting an extensive client history (including possible medications), exploration of family constellation, early recollections, and, to some extent, analysis of dreams. Most Adlerian counsellors are not very keen on using objective psychological tests, regarding them more as a measure of the clients' test-taking attitudes (Mosak, 2000). However, the most frequently used Adlerian instrument of life-style assessment is the one developed by Shulman and Mosak (1988). Another questionnaire for life-style assessment in brief Adlerian therapy can be found on the website of the Alfred Adler Institutes of San Francisco and Northwestern Washington. Early Recollections: Clients in Adlerian counselling are invited to recall the earliest memory (or memories) they have about themselves. Those narratives, with all of their details and associated emotions, are interpreted collaboratively in an attempt to capture the current relevance of various aspects of those recollections. Thus, Adlerian counsellors use the interpretation of early recollections as a projective technique, i.e., not focusing on the historical accuracy of those memories, but recognizing that memory is a selective process, whereby clients only remember past events and situations that have some current meaning/relevance in their lives. The Question: Adlerian counsellors would ask clients: "Suppose you wake up one day and the problem you have been describing no longer exists. How would your life be different if you no longer had this problem?" This essential question is meant to help identify the fundamental human task(s) that the client is unconscious trying to avoid and to help the client set up realistic goals. The Question can also have a differential diagnostic value, by distinguishing between a psychological and a physiological (organic/medical) origin of the client's presenting concern (Bitter & Nicoll, 2000). With some modifications, the Question was later utilized by other schools of counselling, such as family therapy and the solution-focused approach of Steve de Shazer (rephrased as the "Miracle Question"). Acting “as if”: Clients are instructed to act “as if” they are the persons they want to be. Asking The Question is usually a simple way to help clients overcome some of their mistaken beliefs and adopt new realistic goals. Catching Oneself: The client learns to become aware of self-destructive behaviours or thoughts. Spitting in the Client’s Soup: Adlerians believe that there is a payoff or reward for behaviours that are maintained; therefore, when a counsellor points out the particular payoff for a negative behaviour, the ‘enjoyment’ may be diminished.

Answer 11

The following information was provided by Dr. Du-Fay Der, former professor in the Department of Counselling Psychology at the University of British Columbia. These statements are meant as tentative generalizations regarding the various positions in the birth order. There are many exceptions. These characteristics apply to families in which the siblings were born less than five or six years apart. Characteristics of the first-born child. When the first-born is the only child, he or she gets undivided attention. The child may feel self-reliant to the point of being spoiled, or very dependent because of over-protection. He or she feels insecure when a second child invades his or her kingdom and may misinterpret this as rejection. This situation is also referred to as the “dethroned child”. The first child may get more attention as a baby because of the inexperience of the parents leading to unnecessary care and attention. The first child tends to be steady, dependable, and even exploits his or her worthiness at the expense of brothers or sisters. Usually a high achiever, the first-born is the subject of higher expectations from the part of the parents. He or she tends to follow the parent’s values and attitudes. Serious and studious, the first-born tries to please or obey parents. First-borns are usually orderly and good leaders. If dethroned by the second-born, the first child may become a problem child. Characteristics of the second-born child. The second-born child usually feels that he or she cannot compare with the older sibling and tries to find a different place in the family. Therefore, the second-born may adopt ways of behaving that are similar to the youngest child until the third child comes. Unacceptable behaviour is usually based on discouragement, but it may also represent an early sign of over-compensation, which may lead to positive outcomes and achievements. What the second-born child does with his/her situation depends upon how he/she perceives it. Quite often, the second-born may be compared unfavourably with the older sibling. Often his or her interests and achievements are different from those of the older brother or sister. This may include being less steady and poised. The second-born may be active and pushy. If the first child is a good student, the second may present behavioural problems. The second child may be sociable, outgoing, and happy-go-lucky. Sometimes, the second child may feel squeezed, unloved, and unnoticed, which leads to feelings of discouragement. Characteristics of the third-born child. Once the two older siblings have established their positions within the family constellation, the third-born tends to be viewed as the “baby”, which secures a special amount of attention and services. This works so well that, in some cases, it may continue into adulthood. The third-born may occasionally resent this perceived inferior position and may attempt to dominate (“chip on shoulder”). This is when the first and the third child may join forces (form an alliance) against the middle child. With everyone doing things for “the baby”, the third-born may be deprived of the opportunity to develop self-confidence and self-reliance. The third-born often struggles to be noticed and seeks approval for his/her accomplishments. The third-born child may be spoiled by the family. He or she may also be the boss of the family by playing helpless, thus making everyone serve him/her. Sometimes, it is the third-born who outperforms all others. The third-born is not usually a leader, rather a follower, and is not known to be tidy and neat. The only child. The only child is in a very difficult situation. He or she is a child among adults, a dwarf among giants. This child has no siblings to relate to. The goal may become one of pleasing or manipulating adults. He or she either develops adult viewpoints, is precocious in understanding and reaching an adult level, or is hopelessly an eternal baby, always feeling inferior to others. The relationships to other children are often strained and uncertain because of a failure to understand them. The only child does not develop a feeling of belonging to groups of children, unless exposed early to group/peer experiences.

Answer 12

Only boy among girls (or vice versa). An only boy among girls, regardless of his position, would find his gender either an advantage or a disadvantage, depending upon the family value placed upon the male role and his own estimate of his ability to live up to it. The same would be true of an only girl among boys. The weak or sickly child. A weak or sickly child among healthy, robust siblings might discover the role of an invalid advantageous if the family pities him or her. But, if robust health is a high family value and weakness is scorned, he/she would find himself/herself faced with an obstacle. The child would have the choice of giving up, living in self-pity, and feeling like a victim, or of striving to overcome the illness and matching the activities of the other siblings, even, perhaps, outdoing them. Child born after the death of the first sibling. Such a child is really the second child living with a ghost ahead of him/her. Also, this child is in the position of a first-born child. The mother may overprotect this child out of her fear of losing him/her. This child may choose to bask in this stifling atmosphere or may rebel and strive for independence. The youngest child with many siblings. The youngest child may soon discover that he or she has many servants, which may lead to the development of a sense of helplessness. If parents are not aware of this or are unconsciously encouraging it, the youngest child plays the role of the “helpless little thing” and is forever dependent. Siblings born many years apart. Both children may develop characteristics similar to the only child.

Adlerian Counselling Flashcards

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