Storying who I am becoming: Reinforcing a child’s preferred reputation.

Abstract

The following case study illustrates how developing new reputations with children in a primary school setting can encourage behaviour change. Drawing on ideas from narrative therapy, behaviour change can be achieved through externalising the effects of a harmful reputation for the child and others; through recording accounts of the child demonstrating a preferred reputation; and through publishing and retelling preferred reputation stories to supportive peers and adults around the child. This study demonstrates how developing a preferred reputation with nine-year-old Nikau helped him to shed a troubling reputation that had grown around him over time. The resources and assistance given by family and professionals, along with the high expectations, consistency, and accountability provided by Nikau’s class teacher, worked in tandem with a new reputation to provide fertile ground for behaviour change. Subsequently observed changes included a decrease in behaviour incidents, a positive selfperception, an improved home environment, and an improved performance on National Standards assessment data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of New Zealand Journal of Counselling is the property of New Zealand Association of Counsellors and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)