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Turning differences into possibilities: Using discourse analysis to investigate change in therapy with adolescents and their families
Author(s) -
Couture Shari J,
Strong Tom
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
counselling and psychotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.38
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 1746-1405
pISSN - 1473-3145
DOI - 10.1080/14733140412331384098
Subject(s) - parallels , constructive , strict constructionism , family therapy , psychology , discourse analysis , social constructionism , psychotherapist , empirical research , epistemology , sociology , linguistics , social science , process (computing) , computer science , mechanical engineering , philosophy , engineering , operating system
Discourse analysis affords researchers and practitioners improved understandings regarding how positive outcomes are accomplished in the conversations of family therapy. By investigating how change is constructed or ‘performed’ in therapeutic interactions, its analyses conceptually parallel those of the social constructionist approaches to family therapy. In this respect, discourse analysis offers empirical methods to examine claims about the constructive aspects of therapeutic conversations. These conceptual and research parallels are examined in how impasses in family therapy were transcended, rhetorically, between an adolescent, his parents and the therapist. We conclude that the research methods of discourse analysis can directly enhance the conversational skills and methods of therapists.