Standardized Individual Therapy: a Contradiction in Terms?

Abstract

This article explores a paradox that was identified during an ethnographic study of two Danish therapeutic residential institutions for children with emotional and behavioural problems. The key objective of these institutions is to provide specialized treatment for the individual child. However, the task of organizing everyday life for a group of troubled children is so demanding that little room is left for individualization. In practice, treatment takes the shape of a rather standardized package. Analysing individual treatment as a powerful kind of `institutional thinking', the authors delve into the meaning of an apparent contradiction in terms: standardized individual therapy.

Behandling Og Andre Politiske Håndgribeligheder

“…Behandling er en løsning, der definerer vores forståelse af problemet (Jöhncke 2009). Der findes andre behandlingsforståelser end de snaevert sygdomsorienterede (Egelund & Jakobsen 2006), men der lånes under alle omstaendigheder autoritet til begrebet i den medicinske metaforik og forestillingen om helbredelse. I den almene, politiske debat fremstår behandling -om nødvendigt stadig mere og bedre behandling -som løsningen på afhaengighedsproblemer.…”