Author: Tyson Edgar Baffour Tiffany DuongTran Paul
Publisher: Springer Publishing Company
ISSN: 0738-0151
Source: Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, Vol.27, Iss.3, 2010-06, pp. : 161-175
Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.
Abstract
This study examined gender comparisons of adolescents in psychiatric acute care who responded to an intervention designed to help youth self-identify strengths and coping strategies. A cross-sectional survey design and a random, census-based sampling approach were employed to obtain data from 281 adolescents. During the study period, a small group method was used to deliver a solution-focused, brief-therapy intervention to these adolescents. These data revealed that 38.2% identified an “arts-based” strength, 26.7% of the sample utilized a “relational” strategy and 26.1% reported a variety of sports and physical activity as a means of coping with crises. Controlling for psychiatric diagnosis, we found gender differences and similarities in the types of strengths identified by adolescents in this study. One application of these results is that they support the continued practice of engaging young clients in clinical settings using strength-based perspectives.