Solution-focused Brief Therapy Intervention Research Articles

Addressing depression and comorbid health conditions through solution-focused brief therapy in an integrated care setting: a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundCo-occurring physical and mental health conditions are common, but effective and sustainable interventions are needed for primary care settings.PurposeOur paper analyzes the effectiveness of a Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) intervention for treating depression and co-occurring health conditions in primary care. We hypothesized that individuals receiving the SFBT intervention would have statistically significant reductions in depressive and anxiety symptoms, systolic blood pressure (SBP), hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c), and body mass index (BMI) when compared to those in the control group. Additionally, we hypothesized that the SFBT group would have increased well-being scores compared to the control group.MethodsA randomized clinical trial was conducted at a rural federally qualified health center. Eligible participants scored ≥ 10 on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and met criteria for co-occurring health conditions (hypertension, obesity, diabetes) evidenced by chart review. SFBT participants (n = 40) received three SFBT interventions over three weeks in addition to treatment as usual (TAU). The control group (n = 40) received TAU over three weeks. Measures included depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7), well-being (Human Flourishing Index), and SFBT scores, along with physical health outcomes (blood pressure, body mass index, and hemoglobin A1c).ResultsOf 80 consented participants, 69 completed all measures and were included in the final analysis. 80% identified as female and the mean age was 38.1 years (SD = 14.5). Most participants were white (72%) followed by Hispanic (15%) and Black (13%). When compared to TAU, SFBT intervention participants had significantly greater reductions in depression (baseline: M = 18.17, SD = 3.97, outcome: M = 9.71, SD = 3.71) and anxiety (baseline: M = 14.69, SD = 4.9, outcome: M = 8.43, SD = 3.79). SFBT intervention participants also had significantly increased well-being scores (baseline: M = 58.37, SD = 16.36, outcome: M = 73.43, SD = 14.70) when compared to TAU. Changes in BMI and blood pressure were not statistically significant.ConclusionThe SFBT intervention demonstrated efficacy in reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms and increasing well-being but did not affect cardio-metabolic parameters over a short period of intervention.Trial RegistrationThe study was pre-registered at ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05838222 on 4/20/2023. *M = Mean, SD = Standard deviation.

Intervention on Mathematics Self-Efficacy: Solution-Focused Brief Therapy.

Research has demonstrated a strong correlation between mathematics self-efficacy and math performance. Middle school children are increasingly receiving solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT), which is a type of psychotherapy. The study intends to use SFBT intervention to improve mathematics self-efficacy of students and to determine whether SFBT intervention was effective. To examine whether Rasch model can be used to evaluate students' mathematics self-efficacy. This study intends to use Radar chart, Rasch model, Line chart to measure the variations of mathematics self-efficacy of three 8th graders (n=3) during SFBT intervention. Radar chart and Rasch model demonstrated a general increment in the mathematics self-efficacy of two pupils, while another one decreased. Additionally, three students showed a decline in their mathematics self-efficacy on particular mathematical problems using a line chart. Overall, students with varied degrees of self-efficacy in math benefited from SFBT interventions, which partially supports the usefulness of SFBT as a tool for assessing students' mathematics self-efficacy. It supported that Rasch model can reflected the changes in students' mathematics self-efficacy. This study provides guidance for measuring the improvement of students' academic self-efficacy through SFBT intervention using Rasch model.

Intervention Effect of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Based on Empowerment Theory on Loneliness in Obese Children.

Obesity, one of the independent risk factors affecting children's physical and mental health, has become a serious public health problem in the 21st century. Given physical anxiety and other psychological factors, obese children experience negative impact on their mental health and intellectual development from their loneliness, unwillingness to communicate with others, and lack of peer interaction. Therefore, exploring an effective psychological intervention model that can relieve loneliness in obese children is necessary. From February to October 2022, a quasi-experimental study was conducted on obese children recruited from communities in Harbin, China. The children recruited were evaluated with the UCLA Loneliness Scale. According to the evaluation results, one hundred and five children were selected and randomly divided into experiment group (52) and control group (53). The experiment group was given an eight-week solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) intervention based on empowerment theory. The control and experiment groups were measured and compared before and after the intervention. The loneliness score of the experiment group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.001). The self-efficacy score of the experiment group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.001). The subjective well-being score of the experiment group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.001). SFBT intervention based on empowerment theory has an effective intervention effect on loneliness in obese children and can improve their subjective well-being and self-efficacy. The results of this study provide a new perspective for the intervention on psychological problems in obese children.

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy in Iran: A Scoping Review of the Outcome Literature

ABSTRACT Purpose A considerable body of research literature on solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) with clinically diverse populations in Iran has emerged over the past 15 years but has yet to be comprehensively reviewed. This scoping review was conducted to synthesize literature evaluating SFBT interventions in Iran to identify key areas for potential evidence-based recommendations and focus future research priorities. Method We reviewed the SFBT intervention literature using broad eligibility criteria to identify studies published before June 2020 in English or Persian/Farsi that investigated the effects of SFBT for populations in Iran. Two reviewers independently screened all potentially eligible references and completed data extraction for all eligible studies. Results Of the 77 eligible outcome studies, 78% reported positive intervention effects for a wide range of applications across ages and fields of practice. Discussion Our results demonstrate that solution-focused interventions in Iran are heterogeneous, and a wide variety of methodologies have been used to evaluate their effectiveness.

Randomized controlled trial study examining positive emotions and hope in solution-focused brief therapy with substance using parents involved in child welfare system

ABSTRACT Objective This study examines whether parents involved in the child welfare system, due to substance abuse, who receive solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) counseling experience more hope and positive emotions than those receiving treatment-as-usual counseling services. Methods Randomized controlled trial design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of SFBT in primary substance use treatment services for parents (n = 123). Difference-in-Difference (DiD) estimation was used to assess the effect of SFBT intervention on hope, positive emotions, and negative emotions. Results DiD analyses showed SFBT parents had slightly worse scores on hope and emotion subscales at baseline and demonstrated slightly greater positive changes on all scales at posttest, though these findings were not statistically different from control group. Positive associations between SFBT and hope sub-scales were found; however, effects were not statistically significant. Conclusion SFBT may help increase positive emotions and hope in parents through a solution-building approach, but more research is needed.

Effectiveness of solution-focused brief therapy for adolescents with family post-traumatic stress disorder

Objective To investigate the effectiveness of solution-focused brief therapy(SFBT) for adolescents with family post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD), and to provide a reference for the mental intervention for adolescents of PSTD. Methods From January 2017 to June 2018, 42 cases of PTSD adolescents with family trauma were randomly divided into observation group and control group, with 21 cases in each group; 21 healthy adolescents were enrolled as healthy group. The scores of Essen Trauma Inventor for children and adolescents(ETI-CA), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale(RSES), Self-Consistency and Congruence Scale(SCCS) and Mental Health Test(MHT) were evaluated. The observation group received SFBT intervention 6 times, the control group received no special intervention. The scores of the three groups were compared. Results Before the intervention, the RSES scores of the observation group and the control group were(26.68±3.12) and(27.58±3.72), significantly lower than(31.25±6.73) of the healthy group(F=13.63, P Conclusion SFBT intervention can reduce PTSD level in adolescents with family PTSD, improve self-esteem, self-harmony and mental health.

Treating systemic issues in families affected by cystic fibrosis: A solution-focused approach.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) presents with various symptoms that impair day-to-day functioning and require lifelong treatment. Due to the chronic and severe nature of this disease, families are often impacted by the stress associated with treatment, complications of the disease, and the understanding that their loved one will one day die from CF. This article seeks to address a perceived gap in the literature for providing a model-specific approach to address psychosocial stress in families affected by CF. We provide a rationale for using solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) to work with this population based on its empirically supported effectiveness, versatility, and capacity to be brief in nature. We describe how SFBT interventions can be used by practitioners working with this population, present a fictitious case illustration depicting the clinical use of specific SFBT interventions, and offer suggestions for future research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Solution-focused brief therapy for behavior problems in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis of treatment effectiveness and family involvement

Abstract Objective Research evidence and clinical observation support the importance of family involvement in the treatment of childhood behavior problems, and strengths-based, solution-oriented treatment offers an alternative to a problem-focused treatment approach. The current study provides a systematic review of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) for behavior problems in children and adolescents, and conducts meta-analyses regarding the effectiveness of SFBT compared to control conditions, the moderating role of family involvement in SFBT, and the effects of SFBT for internalizing versus externalizing behaviors. Methods SFBT studies from January 1, 1990 to February 21, 2019 were retrieved from major databases and included published and unpublished studies and dissertations. Twenty studies with control or comparison groups (9 randomized, 11 non-randomized) met all inclusion criteria and were analyzed using robust variance estimation (RVE). Results The RVE meta-analysis found a small to medium positive effect size favoring SFBT over control conditions for child behavioral problems (g = 0.43, 95% CI [0.20, 0.67], p = .001). The study did not find evidence of a moderating effect from family involvement in SFBT interventions, and there was no statistically significant difference between the effect sizes of family-involved SFBT (g = 0.37, 95% CI [−0.46, 1.21]) and family non-involved SFBT (g = 0.61, 95% CI [−0.30, 1.52]) for child behavior problems. For externalizing behaviors, SFBT showed greater effectiveness than comparison groups with a small to medium effect size (g = 0.43, 95% CI [0.18, 0.68]), but the small effect size favoring SFBT for internalizing problems was not significant (g = 0.18, 95% CI [−0.01, 0.38]). Conclusions The evidence supports the overall effectiveness of SFBT for addressing behavior problems in children and adolescents, with evidence of greater effectiveness for externalizing rather than internalizing behaviors. Findings indicated no significant effect of including a family-involvement component in solution-focused interventions for child behavior problems, suggesting the need for further research on moderating factors that may enhance the effectiveness of SFBT with children and families.

Exploring Exceptions and Discovering Solutions: A Case Presentation of Autism and the Family.

As the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continues to rise, there is a rapidly increasing need for treatment services among individuals diagnosed with ASD and families. Currently, the majority of the evidence-based treatments, such as Applied Behavior Analysis, overlook the notable systemic effects of ASD and maintain a problem-focused lens. There is a growing body of research calling for strength-based, relational interventions that build on existing resources to enhance coping, efficacy, and well-being among families affected by ASD. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a widely practiced clinical approach that is increasingly being used among clinicians to address the systemic effects of developmental disabilities in the family. However, particular modifications to specific interventions may better accommodate autism-associated deficits in executive functioning (e.g., goal development and impulsivity), perspective taking, or restricted interests when using an SFBT approach. This article offers recommendations for adapting a solution-focused approach by modifying commonly used SFBT interventions to address family-driven treatment goals using a collaborative stance with families of children with ASD. A case presentation is included to demonstrate SFBT as informed by the unique challenges and inherent resources of families affected by ASD that have been identified in the extant literature.

Differential Effects of Selected Psychotherapeutic Interventions on Procrastination Reduction and Improved Mathematics Achievement among Low Achieving Students

This study investigated the differential effects of selected psychotherapeutic interventions on procrastination reduction and improved mathematics achievement among low achieving students in Enugu State. Quasi-experimental, Pre-test, post-test, control group, research design was adopted. A purposive sampling was used to select a sample of n=36 Senior Secondary School One (SS1) students both male and female. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups i°A,i± i°Bi± and i°Ci±. Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) interventions were used for the study. The treatment with CBT was applied to group i°Ai± for 15 weeks while SFBT was applied to group i°Bi± for 8 weeks. The instruments used include, Procrastination Assessment Scale-Students (PASS), Teacher Made Mathematics Diagnostic Test (TMMDT) and Teacher Made Mathematics Achievement Test (TMMAT). They were validated and reliability tested. Their correlation scores were, .900, .816 and .868 for the three instruments respectively. The ANCOVA result shows that F(2,32)=33.44, p=001 and a differential effects of CBT and SFBT between groups. The result showed that SFBT had more effects on procrastination reduction and also a significant difference in mathematics improvement of the students in CBT and SFBT experimental groups from pre-test and post-test scores, is rejected both at .05 and .01 levels of significance. From the study we conclude that CBT and SFBT interventions are effective on procrastination reduction and improved mathematics achievement among low achieving student but there is no gender effect. We recommend that psychotherapeutic interventions should be used to improve academic achievement in general.

The Efficiency of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy on Adjustment Problems of Female Students in Amol, Iran

Background: Adjustment and coordination with environment is indispensable to all people. Objectives: The aim of present study was to determine the effectiveness of solution-focused brief therapy in increasing adjustment of high school female students. Materials and Methods: This study was based on an experimental pretest-posttest design including 30 female students of Amol high school in academic year 2011 - 2012.The participants were selected by purposive non-convenience sampling methods, randomly assigned to experimental and control groups, who completed the Bell’s adjustment questionnaire in pre-test phase. Thirty subjects with scores close to mean were selected and randomly divided into control and experimental groups. Solution-focused brief therapy intervention for experimental group was carried out in 5 sessions followed by performing posttest on the two groups. The data obtained were then analyzed using MANCOVA. Results: The results showed that solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) was effective in increasing adjustment of the students (P < 0.0006), as well as increasing 3 subscales of adjustment questionnaire comprising home adjustment (P < 0.0006); health adjustment (P < 0.0006); and social adjustment (P < 0.0003); but had no effect on affective adjustment (P < 0.081). Conclusions: Considering the significant effect of SFBT interventions on increasing adjustment in young students, the training of school counselors can be an effective means for youth to achieve their goals and decrease some problems in the community.

Application of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) To Enhance High School Students Self-Esteem: An Embedded Experimental Design

This study aims to identify the therapeutic application of SFBT in making changes to enhance the self-esteem of high school students. In answering the research problem is used Embedded Experimental Design. Design of this study is useful to develop a treatment, test the process of an intervention or follow-up of the experimental results. This design can be realized through the acquisition of qualitative data that is included in the experimental design. The results of this study is seen quantitatively from the results found that there are differences in levels of self-esteem when students before getting SFBT intervention and after getting SFBT intervention. By using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test, where the z value calculated is -2.207, where p is 0.027. In other words, SFBT intervention has therapeutic effects on the changes to enhance the self-esteem of students. On the qualitative side by basing on the results of conversation analysis is found that the revelation or utterance which counselees from low self-esteem is transformed into a high self-esteem.

Application of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) to Enhance High School Students Self-Esteem: An Embedded Experimental Design

This study aims to identify the therapeutic application of SFBT to enhance the self-esteem of high school students. In order to answer the research problem is used embedded experimental design which is useful to develop a treatment, test the process of an intervention or follow-up the experiment results. This design can be realized through the acquisition of qualitative data that is included in the experimental design. The results of this study can be seen quantitatively from differences in levels of self-esteem when students before and after getting SFBT intervention. By using Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test, where z value calculated is -2.207 and where p value is 0.027. In other words, SFBT intervention has therapeutic effects to enhance the self-esteem of students. On the qualitative side based on the results of conversation analysis found that the revelation or utterance of counselees from low self-esteem is transformed into high self-esteem.

Utilization of Clients’ Metaphors to Punctuate Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Interventions: A Case Illustration

Post-modernist family therapy allows for pragmatism, which is embedded within a linguistic system. This linguistic system is socially constructed in conversation, generates multiple meanings, and realities in the therapeutic process. Thus the role of post-modernistic therapists is to accept meanings and realities as constructed in context of therapist-client collaboration through conversations, making it possible for therapists to privilege clients’ uniqueness, language, creativity, and resources in therapy. In privileging clients’ uniqueness, language, creativity, and resources, family therapists utilize whatever works in creating efficacy in doing therapy. As a result, doing family therapy such as solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) exemplifies therapists’ utilization of clients’ language to enhance therapeutic interventions. Family therapists using SFBT in working with clients utilize the interactional patterns that connect family dynamics: family interactional patterns involve language, which entail clients’ metaphors. Metaphors emerge in everyday conversations and may support clients in developing solutions to problems. Metaphors have been shown to be effective in therapy, yet there is a gap in current literature discussing the utilization of clients’ metaphors in SFBT interventions. This paper illustrates utilization of clients’ metaphors and how they punctuate SFBT interventions in solution-focused building. Transcript excerpts from therapy sessions with a daughter and mother show their metaphors leading to solutions, metaphors as joining, and metaphors of power punctuating SFBT interventions and connecting patterns in solution-focused building. The utilization of clients’ metaphors to punctuate SFBT interventions offers suggestions in expanding the practices of family therapy within a systemic context.

Effectiveness of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy

Objective: We review all available controlled outcome studies of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) to evaluate evidence of its effectiveness. Method: Forty-three studies were located and key data abstracted on problem, setting, SFBT intervention, design characteristics, and outcomes. Results: Thirty-two (74%) of the studies reported significant positive benefit from SFBT; 10 (23%) reported positive trends. The strongest evidence of effectiveness came in the treatment of depression in adults where four separate studies found SFBT to be comparable to well-established alternative treatments. Three studies examined length of treatment and all found SFBT used fewer sessions than alternative therapies. Conclusion: The studies reviewed provide strong evidence that SFBT is an effective treatment for a wide variety of behavioral and psychological outcomes and, in addition, it may be briefer and therefore less costly than alternative approaches.