SSDL COURSE

Basic Tenets of the SSLD Model

1. Most human behaviours are motivated and goal-directed; the individual is conceived as an active
agent.

2. Human action is embodied and mediated by biological, cognitive, and emotional processes.

3. Human action and external environmental realities interact with each other, and there is a process
of mutual conditioning and transformation.

4. Most human behaviours are learned. Some are learned in informal, everyday situations, while
some are learned through structured programs.

5. Human behaviours vary in their effectiveness with regard to the attainment of goals.

6. Problematic behaviours are attempts to attain goals by misguided or ineffective means.

7. The mastery of new strategies and skills that are effective can lead to displacement of formerly
learned ones that are ineffective or inappropriate.

Advantages of the SSLD Model

 It offers a conceptual model based on an educational and learning paradigm instead of a

medical model, making it a less stigmatizing and more empowering approach.
 It is proactive and client-centred
 It offers a systematic procedure for both clients and practitioners to follow, and has an
extremely wide range of applicability.
 It is a cost-effective intervention method and can be adapted easily to most practice settings.
It can be used in personal, family, group, organizational, and community contexts.

COMPLEMENT TO PSYCHOTHERAPY

Apart from being applied independently as a system of intervention, SSLD can also be used in
connection with other intervention modalities. Cognitive behavioural therapists have long been
employing social skills training to complement cognitive procedures. In my own experience, some
clients have presented an issue that is highly amenable to SSLD (e.g., social phobia or sexual
dysfunction), worked on it, and then moved on to more emotionally focused or insight-oriented
work. After having achieved some cognitive reconstruction and resolved their emotional issues,
some of these clients then need to learn specific strategies and skills to enhance their functioning
(e.g., strengthening intimacy with their partner; learning presentation and negotiation skills for more
effective performance at work). Its behavioural focus and its performance and result orientation
usually make it easy for clients to understand the relevance of SSLD to their situation and their needs
and goals. Depending on the specific service context, the SSLD program can be delivered by the same
practitioner, or the client can work with another colleague specializing in this intervention procedure.
PROBLEM TRANSLATION

Presented problems are analysed in terms of the client’s needs and goals as well as the current skills
and/or strategies used to attain them. Presented problems are analysed in terms of the client’s needs
and goals as well as the current skills and/or strategies used to attain them.

The procedure therefore involves

(1) engaging with the client through establishing a shared understanding of the client’s needs and
circumstances;

(2) behaviour-oriented functional analysis of the presenting problem or situation;- FAP

(3) needs assessment and documenting of the client’s needs profile

(4) (re)articulation of goals.

In the same vein, we can also imagine that people using the same need label may refer to very
different goals. A client claiming to have a strong need for achievement may be thinking of leaving
the small town he is living in to go to a bigger city and work as a mechanic. Another client using the
same need label may be thinking of becoming the CEO of her company. Yet another client may be
trying to get married and become a parent. Someone else could be thinking of writing a novel for
publication.

Problem Translation Procedure

1. Listening to the presenting issues and/or problems; engaging with the client.
2. Behaviour-oriented functional analysis (BOFA):
. Translate issues/problems into behavioural markers;
. Client behaviours are analysed functionally – with reference to their
purpose or the needs they are supposed to address.
3. Needs assessment: map out the client’s needs profile
4. Articulation of goals

Behaviour-Focused Interviewing
1. Listening and emotional engagement.
2. Allowing narrative space and getting a general picture first, but subsequently focusing on specifics.
3. Listening for needs, wishes, and desires.
4. Shifting to behavioural mode when a shared understanding of needs and goals has been attained.
5. Collaborating with the client in developing behaviour markers.
6. Ensuring that the translation process enhances shared understanding.
7. Attending to the significance and effectiveness of the client’s behaviour.
A behaviour-focused interviewer may be interested in translating “a complicated person” and
“sneaky and devious” into behavior markers. This can be done by asking the client questions such
as: you said you’re a complicated person, how does this show in what you do, what you think, or the
way you experience things? Alternatively, we can ask: what are the things you do that make you
think you are sneaky and devious? This is usually not difficult to do, but it should be emphasized that
we should not translate every non-behavioural component of the client’s narrative into behaviour
markers; we should focus only on those parts that are seen as related to the key issues that the client
may want to work on. When we are about to zoom in and get a behavioural focus, we need to first
determine if defining “a complicated person,” or developing behaviour markers for “sneaky and
devious,” should be a focus of attention with this client. In this particular case, the client was not too
concerned with herself being complicated; the sneaky and devious part was most relevant in terms
of her attempts to hide her anorexia and binge eating from her family. As a general principle, when
we want to focus on a non-behavioural description or construct, we have to know why we are
focusing on that piece and how it is possibly related to the overall picture of the client’s needs and
goals.

Charting Target Behaviour Using the Behavioural Diary

Needs and Wants

I want a nice designer handbag that I can carry to work.

But do I really need a designer handbag?

How is what I Need different from what I Want?

Need: Condition required for human life

• Physical/Biological: Oxygen, water, food, stimulation, activity, rest, physical safety

• Psychological: Security, pleasure, comfort, identity, self-esteem, achievement

• Social: Affiliation, intimacy, acceptance, community

Want: What we prefer to have

For example, I want a nice designer handbag that I can carry to work. But essentially, apart from
a bag that can hold my keys, wallet, and cell phone, what I need is self-esteem, achievement (“I
have earned enough to afford designer handbags now!”), social recognition and affiliation (“Many
of my colleagues have designer handbags, and I want one too”).
 Purchasing a designer handbag may not be a bad way to meet these needs, but it is not the only
way. Can you think of other ways to satisfy self-esteem, achievement, social recognition and
affiliation needs?

N3C

PROBLEM CASE
In the cases of a dominating partner, he/she is usually low in self-esteem and feeling insecure.
That’s why they control and dominate partner to boost their self-esteem and to gain security over
the relationship.

The man wants to be the most important person in her life. He doesn't want his girlfriend to be
independent and build significant relationships with other people.

The man will probably feel uncomfortable or threatened if his girlfriend becomes independent and
has interesting and rewarding relationships of her own. Maybe deep down, he is not sure if he is
good enough or if she would continue to love him if she has other friends to compare him with.
He may also be afraid of losing her if she could find more interesting things to do and see more
interesting people.

His needs are:

 Security

 Self-esteem
 Intimacy

 Affiliation

This man is currently using inappropriate, controlling strategies to address his needs. He can
probably benefit from learning more effective relationship skills that would allow his girlfriend
more space for growth and development while he can appreciate her more as a person, and build
a mutually gratifying relationship.

As for the woman, she does seem to want to stay in this relationship. She needs other social
interactions other than the one with her boyfriend through her expression of wanting to see. The
fact that she still hasn't left this relationship shows and chooses to put up with her partner shows
that she does need this relationship. Why?

Her needs are:

 Stability & order

 Autonomy (unmet)

 Personal space (unmet)

 Self-esteem

 Self-efficacy

Her need for stability and order is probably stronger than her other needs, and that is why she is
putting up to this controlling boyfriend despite her other needs being unmet. She probably needs
to develop a stronger sense of self-efficacy in order to transform her relationship

Engagement

1. Agenda management.

2. Positive responding: providing reinforcing feedback.

3. Finding commonalities and maximizing shared interest.

4. Strategic self-disclosure