Spradley's ethnographic questioning: An invitation for healing

Journal/Book: J Constr Psychol. 1996; 9: 1900 Frost Road, Suite 101, Bristol, PA 19007-1598. Taylor & Francis. 213-224.

Abstract: I show how a set of questioning techniques developed for ethnographic research (Spradley, 1979) may be applied to the counseling interview. The analysis of the appropriateness of ethnographic questioning in therapeutic conversations is grounded in the understanding that research concepts can be integrated with counseling skills (Gale & Newfield, 1992; Sells et al., 1994). The conditions for initialing therapeutic change are established when clients become aware of same of the cultural rules and maps by which they live. The counselor can elicit this awareness through an examination of the client's vocabulary. In this article, I outline the concepts of culture and ethnographic semantics, describe the major categories of ethnographic questions, and illustrate how ethnographic questions can be applied to the healing interview.

Note: Article EM Banister, Univ Victoria, Dept Psychol Fdn Educ, Victoria, BC V8W 3N4, Canada

Keyword(s): PSYCHOLOGY

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