Bibliometric Differences Between WEIRD and Non-WEIRD Countries in the Outcome Research on Solution-Focused Brief Therapy.

Mark Beyebach,Marie-Carmen Neipp,Ángel Solanes-Puchol,Beatriz Martín-Del-Río

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.754885

Abstract

Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) developed in parallel to Positive Psychology, as a type of intervention that also emphasizes the strengths and resources of clients. The aim of this study was to examine the development of outcome research on SFBT and to determine whether it is predominantly carried out in Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic (WEIRD) countries. A literature review was conducted using a bibliometric methodology, identifying: (a) authors and countries, (b) time trends, (c) language of publications; (d) and journals; (e) samples on which they were tested; (f) characteristics of interventions; and (g) main study designs. A total of 365 original outcome research articles published in scientific journals on solution-focused interventions were extracted. The results show that outcome research on SFBT has grown steadily over the last three decades. Although it started in WEIRD countries, the number of outcome research publications generated in non-WEIRD countries is now higher. There is little international collaboration and, although English is the main language of publication in WEIRD countries, English, Chinese and Parsi predominate in non-WEIRD countries. Productivity is low and most authors have only published one paper. The journals that have published the most papers have a very diverse visibility. The tested interventions are conducted both in clinical and non-clinical samples; mostly in individual and group format; face-to-face; and not only in the form of psychotherapy, but also as coaching and school interventions. Almost half of the publications are randomized controlled trials. The results confirm the wide applicability of SFBT as a single or main component of psychosocial interventions. They support the claim that solution-focused interventions are not a WEIRD practice, but a global practice.

Highlights

Solution-focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a therapeutic approach that developed outside the Positive Psychology field but shows several fundamental coincidences with it
The 365 outcome research articles on SFBT originated from 12 WEIRD and from 21 non-WEIRD countries in all five continents
There are some important differences between WEIRD and non-WEIRD publications on SFBT in terms of the language of the publications and their visibility

Summary

Introduction

Solution-focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a therapeutic approach that developed outside the Positive Psychology field but shows several fundamental coincidences with it. The solution-focused approach shares with Positive Psychology the trust in the capabilities and strengths of people, the rejection of the “illness ideology” (Maddux, 2009) and the deconstruction of diagnostic labels (de Shazer and Berg, 1991). The solution-focused emphasis on collaboration with clients and on “leading from one step behind” (Cantwell and Holmes, 1994) is consistent with the promotion of clients’ self-determination (Deci and Ryan, 2002) and self-efficacy (Maddux, 2009); the position of curiosity and humility that solution-focused practitioners adopt vis a vis their clients resonates with Positive Psychology’s emphasis on the character strengths and virtues of people (Peterson and Seligman, 2004). The recent emphasis in the SFBT literature on the emotional side of SFBT interventions, and on the role of positive emotions in promoting therapeutic insession change (Connie, 2013; Kim and Franklin, 2015; Neipp et al, 2016) is another parallel with Positive Psychology interests (Fredrickson, 2001)

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