PSYCHOTHERAPIES IN FORENSIC SETTINGS:Avoiding reactance, Externalization

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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)

Lesson 34

PSYCHOTHERAPIES IN FORENSIC SETTINGS

Objectives

To understand the use of scale questions in Solution Focused Therapy

To familiarize with some other common techniques, used in Forensic settings

To understand the importance and application of humanistic therapy with offenders

To have a look at the limitations of humanistic therapy

Scaling Questions

One of the most useful concept for a solution-focused therapy is the 0 to 10 scale, where 10 equals the

achievement of all goals ( perfect situation) and zero is the worst possible scenario/ disaster. The client

is asked to identify his or her current position and the point of sufficient satisfaction. Within this

framework it is possible to define ultimate objectives, what the client is already doing to achieve them

and what the

POINTS ON SCALE

SITUATION

WHAT TO EXPLORE

next step might

The perfect solution

the miracle question as a

mean to encourage

lower down the

creative thinking

scale, and to

describe

A good but realistic

A realistic description of

preferred future

outcome

the client getting on with

(e.g. "where on

his/her life with without

the scale would

the problem

be good enough?

without

What would a

winterfeeding much.

day at that point

on the scale look

Where the client is now

client's current state,

like?").

every thing that client is

doing and that has helped

Scaling

him to reach this point

questions

are

used to identify

The disastrous /worst

better not to go into

useful

situation

details

differences for

the client and

may help to establish goals as well. It typically ranges from "the worst the problem has ever been" (zero

or one) to "the best things could ever possibly be" (ten). The client is asked to rate their current position

on the scale, and questions are then used to help the client identify resources (e.g. "what's stopping you

from slipping one point

0 ---------------------- 10

Moving onwards using scales

Complements are used and client is encouraged by saying that you have already achieved a good

position only few steps are back. And typically a client gets cured with in 3 to 4 sessions.

Humanistic kind of therapies

Solution focused therapy and narrative therapy belong to the same tree of humanistic approach. But

while working with in legal settings, psychologists need to have a whole range of psychological

techniques at their disposal. That can be used from time to time with particular client.

Some Common Techniques

Motivational Interviewing

If we encounter an offender, who is totally unwilling and unmotivated to change, a technique is devised

to deal with such situations known as motivational interviewing. In many cases it works beautifully

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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)

and effectively. The central idea is the stages of change; a person is motivated through interviewing

from one stage to other stage of change.

Stages of change

Narrative

1. Pre-contemplation

Therapy

2. Contemplation

3. Preparation

4. Action

Solution-

5. Maintenance

Focused

Avoiding reactance

Therapy

The basic concept working behind is that reactance can strengthen the undesired behaviours and

thoughts. According to reactance theory, offenders will respond negatively to messages that generate a

perceived effort to change and will dig deeper to hold onto their vice. They will defend their right to and

will justify their entitlement to small vices. So better option for a therapist is to give suggestion but do

not stress and more forward quickly without leaving chance for reactance.

Extension

This technique is borrowed from boxing. In this technique therapist move in the same direction in which

the client is moving to imbalance the client also known as rolling with resistance. e.g. client is

consistently complaining about husband's behaviour and therapist can understand well that her

complaints are not genuine. So therapist, using this technique can ask that client "yes you are right your

husband is really bad, have you ever considered divorce". In this situation extension technique is used

to imbalance the client by rolling and moving along or even some times ahead resistance.

Exploring contradictions

Therapist finds and points out the contradictions in goals and actions. Like chain smokers can have a

goal to maintain a healthy life style. Therapist can help him to understand the contradictions in his

behaviour that is smoking and his goal that is maintaining the healthy life style.

Externalization

Externalization or name and shame the culprit technique is usually used with children but in Forensic

settings offenders are asked to draw paint color the externalized object like uncontrollable/impulsive

anger and other emotions. In this situation offender is not considered responsible for his specific

behaviour rather problematic behaviour is considered an external object. If an offender has anger

problem then therapist using this technique might ask him to draw and colour his anger. Anger is treated

as an externalized object rather than a part of personality.

The basic objective of studying all these techniques and therapies is to understand that how can we work

people who are in the life of crime and how to get them out. We will srtudy this in our Pakistani muslim

context.

Humanistic Therapy

Narrative therapy and solution focused therapy borrows ideas from humanistic therapy. We have

discussed the humanistic model earlier so now we will not dwell in details. Now we will see that how

humanistic therapy works in forensic settings. The basic assumption is that no matter whether the

therapist is following humanistic approach or not but he/she must have these qualities and all therapists

must begin here.

Because humanistic concepts:

Are Pre-requisite for all kind of therapies

Helps build rapport

Helps builds respect for client

Helps to earn client's trust

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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)

Basic humanistic concepts are:

Empathy

The therapist tries to appreciate the client's situation from the client's point of view, showing an

emotional understanding of and sensitivity to the client's feelings throughout the therapy session.

Unconditional positive regard

Unconditional positive regard means that the therapist accepts the client totally for who he or she is

without evaluating or censoring, and without disapproving of particular feelings, actions, or

characteristics. The therapist communicates this attitude to the client by a willingness to listen without

interrupting, judging, or giving advice. This attitude of positive regard creates a non threatening context

in which the client feels free to explore and share painful, hostile, defensive, or abnormal feelings

without worrying about personal rejection by the therapist.

Reflection for understanding

Reflection occurs when the therapist repeats fragments of what the client has said with little change,

conveying to the client a nonjudgmental understanding of his/her statements.

Questions for clarification

Clarification occurs when the therapist abstracts the core or the essence of a set of remarks by the client.

Questions are asked to know/ explore more. Two benefits of such questions are:

1. That therapist had understood what client was trying to tell

2. That therapist is interested to know more

Reflection for insight

Reflection is also used to provide a better insight of client's thoughts and emotions. e.g one client says

that his cousin has created the all problem of his life counselor may reply "it means that you have hate

for your cousin"

Limitations

No doubt humanistic therapy is very effective and has imminent importance but while working in legal

settings it has few drawbacks as well.

It is really difficult for therapist to give positive regards and respect to a person who has

committed a lot of hideous crimes like child molestation, rape and murder e.t.c

Only this therapy may not accomplish the all requirements so we need some other techniques

and therapies too.

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