Clinical Sociology Review

Article Title

Clinical Sociology on the One-to-One Level: A Social Behavioral Approach to Counseling

Authors

Roger A. Straus, Center for Clinical Sociology

Abstract

Clinical sociology involves interventions for change at any or all levels of social organization, based upon and/or guided by sociological principles and perspectives (Straus, 1979a,b). Although sociologists are typically envisioned as working with groups, organizations, communities and other large social units, sociological social psychologists have, for some fifty years, demonstrated an interest in working with individuals and their intimate groups (Wirth, 1931).

In this paper, I examine the social behavioral approach to individual counseling which has evolved from my experience as a private practitioner working with problems of conduct, substance abuse, sexuality, interpersonal relationships, job and life stress, and the enhancement of personal performance generally. Discussion centers around this context of training subjects to use their own self-interactions strategically in order to overcome blockages and positively to maximize performance. Generically, however, I show how sociological social psychology can be translated into clinical practice, and the strategies of intervention appropriate to a social behavioral approach.

Recommended Citation

Straus, Roger A. (1982) "Clinical Sociology on the One-to-One Level: A Social Behavioral Approach to Counseling," Clinical Sociology Review: Vol. 1: Iss. 1, Article 8.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/csr/vol1/iss1/8