- counselling and guidance: problem solving is one of the basic abilities
included in the curricular area of Counselling and guidance; - psycho-pedagogical counselling of pupils and parents for emotional and/or
behavioural problems: defining the problem and identifying alternatives to
solve the problems the pupil faces at school or at home; - psycho-educational programmes addressed to children or adolescents:
programmes developed by the school counsellor often include abilities of
pupils seen as factors increasing life quality and also resulting in the decrease
in frequency of behavioural or emotional problems.
Problem-solving is defined as the ability to recognize problems, formulate goals, and
apply strategies to reduce the gravity of the problematic situation or to attain and improve
the goals set. The counsellor’s role is to teach pupils define their problem in operational
terms, identify multiple solution modalities and apply alternatives that upon an analysis
are considered the most viable. Pupils, teachers or parents are taught to accept
responsibility for their own problems or difficulties, and solve them. Often, teachers,
parents or pupils perceive the counsellor as a person who will give them a solution to
their own problems. Moreover, counselling means developing certain abilities, which will
help clients successfully solve problems on their own.
Method presentation
Problem solving in counselling involves the development of cognitive abilities in a
specific succession of steps (D’Zurilla; Goldfried, 1971, apud idem).
These steps aim to take into consideration as many solutions as possible, and establish
what is to be done in order to apply the solution. Whereas developing behavioural skills
targets learning specific components, problem solving targets learning ways to
systematically and rationally approach problem solving and reaching objectives. The first
theoretical models of problem solving are based on the principles of operative learning,
Skinner (1938) and Beck’s (1976) cognitive theory. The stages of problem solving are
presented below:
Table 1- Defining the problem
- Eliciting different opinions or perspectives on the nature of the problem.
- Defining the problem and the goal in specific, behavioural, operational terms.
- If more than one person shares the problem, making sure all the others agree to the new
definition.