Developmental Change Scale—Rater Training Examples

question 25

Short Answer

Developmental Change Scale—Rater Training Examples
Instructions: Imagine you are a counselor or therapist working with an array of client problems. You make a statement or have approached a case in a certain way. Then the client responds.
For example, imagine a client who is being abused by her husband. You, as interviewer, may say:
"Jane, this is the third interview in a row that you've come in beaten and bruised. Each time you say you need to try harder to meet your husband's expectations. When are you going to realize that it is he who is at fault, not you?"
The client responds to you in five different ways:

1. "But, I can't do anything about it. I have no place to go. I've simply got to try harder. Won't you please help me do better?"

2. "Yes, you're right, I am beginning to think he is involved in this, too. But I know how hard he works and if we just hang in there, maybe it will work out."

3. "I guess you're right. I am trying to meet what he wants. I can't stand being beaten. I know you think he's at fault and it isn't my responsibility to take care of him. I think I understand what you are saying."

4. "I'm beginning to get your drift. I used to think I could solve things if I tried harder, but I've been doing that now for months. Clearly, hitting me isn't right—it has to stop."

5. "Aha, I'm finally seeing what you mean. The more I try, the more he demands. I think the situation isn't safe for me anymore. How can I plan to get out, just as soon as possible?"

The above five responses correspond to specific ways a client might respond in the interview. Below are descriptions of each of the five responses. Note how the first response represents a form of denial, the second a partial response, etc.

Level 1. Denial, The negative alpha solution. The client seems unable to accommodate new data from the counselor or therapist. The client will fail to deal with the conflict or contradiction, make an abrupt topic shift, or show a clearly incorrect "off-the-wall" response.

Level 2. Partial examination, The more mature alpha solution. The client deals with only a portion of the issue or counselor's statement. The client may over-generalize, delete, or distort what has been said, but not as seriously as in Level 1. You may find irrational ideas and some blindness to problems.

Level 3. Acceptance and recognition, Beta solution. The client recognizes the situation as it is and the client's comment, feeling, or thought seems close to that presented by the therapist, but nothing new is added by the client. This level characterizes homeostasis or no change. Score as Beta if the client tends to describe a situation, event, or self-picture fairly clearly, but tends to leave it there.

Level 4. Generation of a new solution, Early gamma solution. In response to the counselor, the client moves to the creation of something new. The client has added something that was not there before. At times, the underlying conflict may remain—acceptance of insoluble problems begins here.

Level 5. Transcendence, Full gamma solution. The client has arrived at a new synthesis, a new way of thinking, behaving, or feeling. These are relatively rare moments in counseling and therapy and may represent the development of useful or important insights, the ability to engage in a truly new way of behaving, and the generation of a new ability to engage emotionally.

You will now be given a variety of counselor-client situations. The possible client responses are in random order. Please classify each client response at one of the five levels.

-Career choice
Counselor (to a student who was referred by his engineering professor for failing grades): "John, we've gone through the tests and reviewed your work history. Given all the information we've come up with, how do you put it together?"
Client:
_______a. "Well, I see the results. They seem to be saying that I don't look like an engineer and that I appear more like a journalist or English major. And, it's true that I haven't done too well in math and that English courses have given me my best grades."
_______b. "The tests don't seem to make much sense. I'm going to work harder. I can't see why they referred me here anyway."
_______c. "It makes sense. I did enjoy the English courses. I guess it's time to give myself a chance to do what I want. My dad wanted me to be an engineer like him. I've always tried to please him too much."
_______d. "I don't know. Engineers make the best salaries. It's really important that I do what dad wants."
_______e. "That settles it. I've given dad's idea a good try, but I haven't done well and I really like English better. I am going to do what I want and what makes sense for me. I'm going to change my major."