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Status enhancement: a further path to therapeutic change
1Department of Psychology, Illinois State University, Normal 61790-4620, USA.
American Journal of Psychotherapy
|July 23, 1999
Summary
Psychotherapy can foster client change by altering behaviors and beliefs. This article introduces a powerful alternative: modifying the client's social status for therapeutic advancement.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Traditional psychotherapy focuses on internal client factors like behaviors, beliefs, and unconscious conflicts.
- Interpersonal patterns with significant others are also common targets for therapeutic intervention.
Observation:
- This article proposes an additional, potent avenue for therapeutic change.
- The focus is on modifying the client's social status.
Findings:
- Changing a client's social status represents a significant and powerful method for facilitating psychological change.
- This approach offers a novel perspective on therapeutic intervention strategies.
Implications:
- Clinicians can explore social status modification as a complementary or primary therapeutic goal.
- Altering social standing may lead to profound shifts in client well-being and functioning.
- This broadens the scope of psychotherapy beyond individual-centric change mechanisms.