These categories of interventions are addressed to teenagers enrolled in a career
development programme.
Description of intervention: the programme is structured on a series of problem solving
and conflict management activities. The strategies of problem solving were adapted from
Bransford and Stein (1984, apud Hay et all., 2000), called IDLCAR (Identifying the
problem, Defining the problem, Listing possible options, Consciousness of emotional
states, Adaptation and implementation, and Reflection). Conflict management strategies
were adapted and modified taking into account the model developed by Schmitz (1991,
apud Shure, 1997), ASSIST (Arranging a meeting, Setting the earliest date for
discussion, Seeing the person’s behaviour rather than the person, Identifying and
expressing the consequences of others’ behaviour on yourself using the “ME” method –
“It bothered me when you were late for the meeting because we are left with very little
time together” – Settling on a preferred result, Timing a mutual engagement).
The programme takes 6 consecutive weeks, with 11 work sessions and an introductory
one, each lasting for 45 minutes. A typical session involves approaching problematic
situations and conflict situations by generating multiple solutions, perceiving a situation
from different perspectives. The cases discussed during sessions are either brought up by
the young people or proposed by the counsellor.
Results: efficiency studies (Hay et all, 2000) have evinced a significant improvement in
the way teenagers approached the various problematic situations or conflicts in their day-
to-day lives, and an increase in their career development aspirations.
“I Can Problem Solve”
The programme “I Can Problem Solve” – ICPS was created by Shure (1997) starting
from cognitive problem solving theories. It aims to be a relevant predictor in school
adaptation and developing pro-social competences. It is a psycho-educational programme
that unfolds in order to improve children’s abilities to generate alternative solutions to the
interpersonal problems they are confronted with. The pupils are taught to take into
consideration the consequences of these solutions and stimulated to identify their
thoughts, emotions and reasons behind the problematic situations. The programme sets
out to teach pupils how to think (and not what to think), develop their cognitive skills and
consequently improve their social adaptation, encourage pro-social behaviour, and
decrease reaction impulsiveness and violence.
The programme was developed for pupils in secondary school but it is also effective for
preschool and primary school children.
Description of intervention: the programme is applied to groups of 6-10 pupils for 3
months. The interventions begin with 10-12 group sessions (lasting 20-30 minutes), in
which the counsellor teaches the pupils basic problem solving and decision-making skills.
These skills are: generating multiple solutions, anticipating the consequences of certain
decisions, identifying and recognizing the other’s perspective on a problem. The children
profit by this opportunity in order to learn concepts such as: