By Hannah Wise
Researcher at Vogl & Blake Research Consultants
Strength-based practices have been an increasing topic of conversation at Vogl & Blake lately, particularly due to its relevancy to vulnerable communities and inclusive practices. During recent user experience projects, research participants have shared personal experiences that raise questions about the theory vs application of strengths-based approaches, and the systemic and institutional barriers.
The aim of this blog is to explore the topic of strength-based practice in theory, discuss the contradictory personal experiences that have been shared with us, relate strength-based practices to research, and to create a space for further and external discussion. We would love to hear more about people’s experiences and gain a deeper understanding of how strength-focused practices are impacting people’s lives.
“If we ask people to look for deficits, they will usually find them, and their view of the situation will be coloured by this. If we ask people to look for successes, they will usually find them, and their view of the situation will be coloured by this”
(Kral, cited in Hammond 1998)
What is a strength-based approach?
The strength-based approach emerged as a shift in how we think about and work with problems. When it comes to individuals and communities, problems are often understood in a diagnostic way, where there is a heavy focus on symptoms, or ‘what is wrong’. This is referred to as a deficit-focus and is rooted the idea that a problem inherently belongs to a person and categorizes and contrasts people as those who have problems, and those who don’t tends to reduce and categorize people by the problems they face. This tends to bind people and problems, resulting in solutions centred around weaknesses, pathologies, or risks, and takes away the opportunity for empowerment and education.
Strength-based perspectives have emerged as a response to the limitations of deficit-based approached. It is a paradigm shift, or an alternative way to define a problem. Strength-based approaches use a systematic, holistic, and intersectional lens that focuses on collaboration, personal strengths, and community network to design contextually appropriate and empowering solutions. This creates a wider range of solutions and the potential identification of areas of improvement that would otherwise be overlooked. It is an expansive, opportunistic, supportive way of understanding individual needs and experiences. Strength-based models are often discussed in relation to individual interventions, such as a clinical therapy setting or an educational context but is relevant in many other contexts such as health, design, academia, and policy.
Why are strength-based practices so important?
Strength-based practices are especially important when it comes to working with vulnerable individuals and communities who have historically been minoritized and disempowered. Strength-based approaches are person-centred, viewing the relevant individual or community as valuable and capable, which can be an incredibly meaningful experience for those who are often not considered these things. The table below demonstrates some of the comparative differences between strength-based and deficit-based focuses.
Deficit-based focuses | Strength-based focuses |
---|---|
Personal weaknesses | Personal strengths |
Services led | Outcomes led |
Symptoms-based | Holistic and multidisciplinary |
Individual level | Individual, social and community networks |
Problem-centred | Person-centred |
Passive consumption of support | Actively learning to support self |
It is important to clarify that a strength-based approach is not about focusing only on positives or ignoring problems. It is about how a problem is addressed and choosing a holistic and person-centred approach when creating solutions and offering support or care.
How are people experiencing strength-based practices?
As a framework for approaching interventions, care, and support, the benefits of strength-based approaches are clear, and continually have a positive impact on individuals and communities. Many organizations have adopted strength-based ideologies; however, these ideologies can be challenging to apply in certain circumstances. Researchers have found there is often a discrepancy between the principles and values of strength-based practices and the application. We have witnessed this at times through the experiences of participants who shared their stories during research interviews.
For example, some insights from carers and support workers have suggested that this is a common issue within the disability sector. Despite efforts to utilize strength-based principles and practices, people working in the disability sector shared that they felt that they at times needed to be deficit-focused when helping clients apply for funding. People with different abilities often find themselves having to couch their personal lives and experiences in deficit-based language. Those who we spoke with felt as though they are frequently forced to outline all the ways they are inhibited as an individual to receive the funding support they need.
To an extent, UX and qualitative research already incorporates a strength-based approach as it is human-centred. However, as shown by the example above, even when an organisation has adopted a strength-based framework, it can be easy to slip into deficit-based practices. The importance of conducting research from a strength-based perspective is outlined below, as well as processes that can be utilized to ensure this framework is maintained.
How this applies to research?
When conducting participatory research, especially with vulnerable or marginalized communities, it is better to focus on the way things work for them and move from there, as opposed to focusing on a struggle or deficit that someone might face.
Although the topic of strength-based approaches is primarily used in educational and therapeutic settings, the underlying framework and sentiment can be applied to many research contexts. For example, UX research may benefit from this perspective when testing products or services, by thinking about the product or service that needs to be changed to suit the individual rather than the individual that needs to change to work with the product or service. For example, this might be an app that facilitates personal growth or development, a website dedicated to building support networks, or an institutional resource that provides access to support.
One of the major implications of strength-based practices is that it acts as a preventative measure. Deficit-based approaches usually come into play once a problem already exists. Strength-based practices aligns with the values of UX research, which places importance on performing research prior to development of a product or service in order to build and design according to people’s needs and preferences, and in turn reduce the amount or severity of issues that need to be addressed later. In this sense, strength-based practices offer a perspective that encourages users to focus on their strengths.
The core idea is to view participants as knowledgeable and resourceful, and experts on their own experiences. Making people feel like they are valuable and valued will impact the insights you receive during qualitative research. Validating people’s experiences, valuing their personal knowledge, and working in a collaborative manner are all ways in which a strength-based approach will impact research insights and their subsequent application.
An example of this could informing moderator scripts with strength-based practices (interview question scripts). The language that you use and the way you ask questions will fundamentally impact the information you receive from participants. Approaching questions from a perspective that participants are capable and knowledgeable encourages them to both recognize and express their internal experiences as valid and valuable pieces of information. For example, within user experience testing it is common for individuals to question their experiences, internalize blame for logistical issues that are important to uncover, and shy away from expressing their opinions. Informing interviews with SBP creates a space where participants feel confident in their judgements and experiences and are likely to share their thoughts more freely and thus contributing more nuanced, in-depth, rich insights into the relevant context.
Concluding thoughts…
Using a strength-based approach will result in better research, products, and services. It will benefit both the end user and the producer of the product or service. In a situation related to funding, it is important to ask, how can we provide support without compromising people’s needs or integrity? We are curious to hear what other people think and any relevant experiences they have had!
Works Cited
Gates, T., & Kelly, B. (2017). Affiffirming Strengths-Based Models of Practice. Social Work: School of Social work Faculty Publications and Other Works.
Hammond, W. (2010). Principles of Strength-Based Practice. Resiliency Initiatives.