Methods of psychological intervention

Abstract

Psychological interventions in contemporary societies have proliferated in recent years targeting various applied domains, from individuals and couples to institutions such as health and correctional facilities, as well as more widely targeting communities and societies. These, however, are accompanied by relative uncertainties regarding the precise locus of intervention, be it the individual or some particular system that one is part of and in which he or she is embedded. Human behavior itself is influenced by numerous processes that involve a complex interplay of influences emanating from our evolved heritage, from the sociocultural systems in which we are embedded, as well as from the individual. This complex interplay of influences on any one individual makes it difficult for practicing psychologists to identify a single locus for intervention. This situation makes clear that for any intervention to succeed, the practitioner requires knowledge of the general that could be applied in a particular case, as well as knowledge of the particular that enables the comprehension of idiosyncrasies present in the case. This volume draws on a number of idiographic methods used in designing psychological interventions to (a) develop a toolkit for interventions, (b) consider the relationship between theory and application, and (c) discuss the merits of idiographic interventions in psychological practice.