It is a philosophy and a way of viewing clients (originally psychological patients, but in an extended sense also employees, colleagues or other persons) as resourceful and resilient in the face of adversity.
She criticized the American social work tendency to adopt a psychoanalytic approach (and the corollary dependence on the DSM IV) with clients.
It was formally developed by a team from the University of Kansas, including Dennis Saleebey, Charles Rapp, and Ann Weick.
[7][8][9] Beyond social services, in 1995, Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton introduced the strengths perspective to the business world.
For example, Erik Laursen[10] and Laura Nissen[7] noted that in the field of youth justice, the mainstream corrections model focuses on risks, needs and addressing weaknesses.
Although applied differently depending on the population and service, the approach has been characterized as a philosophy or lens through which people are viewed and through which programs and agencies operate.
[11] According to Diane Powell and Catherine Batsche,[12] a strength-based philosophy is a critical belief, an all-pervasive attitude that informs a professional's interactions with clients.
Meaningful choices and authority to choose: The process of goal-setting, acquiring resources, identifying responsibilities, etc.
[19][14] On a more societal level, a strength-based approach promotes positive views of individuals and takes focus away from blame or judgement.
This alternative view may contribute to de-stigmatization of certain groups and may increase positive political attention and social support.