The Use of Optimism in Narrative Therapy with Sexual Abuse Survivors

Examining the victim’s causal attributions and attribution style associated with sexual abuse may add to the understanding of how survivors make meaning of such experiences and create the related narratives. Through the use of optimism in narrative therapy, the survivor is encouraged to deconstruct...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Z. Seda Sahin, Melissa McVicker
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: European Federation of Psychology Students' Associations 2009-12-01
Series:Journal of European Psychology Students
Online Access:https://jeps.efpsa.org/articles/6
Description
Summary:Examining the victim’s causal attributions and attribution style associated with sexual abuse may add to the understanding of how survivors make meaning of such experiences and create the related narratives. Through the use of optimism in narrative therapy, the survivor is encouraged to deconstruct the dominant story of being a victim and making new, personal meanings in order to broaden the possibility for other plot-lines and preferred stories with the problems related to sexual abuse being attributed to external, unstable and specific factors. By using the questions that the authors of this paper propose, the therapist can help to deconstruct their dominant stories and create a more optimistic subjugated story.
ISSN:2222-6931