Solution-focused therapy with depressed deaf persons

Abstract

In this study, we present encouraging preliminary results on the application of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) to a special population. In amultiple case design, solution-focused therapy was used to treat three profoundly prelocutive deaf persons suffering from depression. The level of depression was assessed using a carefully validated adaptation of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II); the treatment was manualized, and treatment integrity was assessed throughout all the therapy sessions. In all three cases, the BDI scores improved significantly; clients moved out of the clinical range. Therapy was brief, ranging from four to eight sessions over a maximum of 4.5 months. Limitations of the study and future implications are also discussed. Copyright © by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.