According to R.A. Neimeyer (2000) and Botella and Herrero (2000), an integrative bridge between cognitive constructivist and social constructionist approaches to therapy might be usefully labeled relational constructivism. This article affirms that Adlerian therapy—both explicitly and implicitly—is a relational constructivist approach, and consequently may serve as an integrative bridge between cognitive constructivist and social constructionist therapies. Both theory and practice issues are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Adler, A. (1929). Problems of neurosis (P. Mairet, Ed.). London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner, & Co.
2.
Adler, A. (1992). What life could mean to you (C. Brett, Trans.). Oxford, England: Oneworld. (Original work published 1931)
3.
Ainsworth, M.D. (1964). Patterns of attachment behavior shown by the infant in interactions with his mother. Merrill Palmer Quarterly, 10, 51-58.
Ansbacher, H.L., & Ansbacher, R.R. (Eds.). (1956). The individual psychology of Alfred Adler. New York: Harper Torchbooks.
6.
Ansbacher, H.L., & Ansbacher, R.R. (Eds.). (1978). Cooperation between the sexes: Writings on women, love, and marriage. New York: Norton.
7.
Ansbacher, H.L., & Ansbacher, R.R. (Eds.). (1979). Superiority and social interest (3rd ed.). New York: Norton.
8.
Arciniega, G.M., & Newlon, B.J. (1999). Counseling and psychotherapy: Multicultural considerations. In D. Capuzzi & D.F. Gross (Eds.), Counseling & psychotherapy: Theories and interventions (2nd ed., pp. 435-458). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.
9.
Bitter, J.R. (1997). Adlerian therapy: A foundation for integration. Individual Psychology, 53, 371-372.
10.
Botella, L., & Herrero, O. (2000). A relational constructivist approach to narrative therapy. European Journal of Psychotherapy, Counselling, and Health, 3, 407-418.
11.
Bowlby, J. (1982). Attachment and loss: Vol. 1. Attachment (2nd ed.). New York: Basic Books.
12.
Carlson, J., & Slavik, S. (Eds.). (1997). Techniques in Adlerian psychology. Washington, DC: Accelerated Development.
13.
Carlson, J., & Sperry, L. (1998). Adlerian psychotherapy as a constructivist psychotherapy. In M.F. Hoyt (Ed.), The handbook of constructive therapies: Innovative approaches from leading practitioners (pp. 68-82). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
14.
de Shazer, S. (1991). Putting differences to work. New York: Norton.
15.
Dinkmeyer, D. (1972). Use of the encouragement process in Adlerian counseling. Personnel & Guidance Journal, 51, 177-181.
16.
Dinkmeyer, D.C., Dinkmeyer, D.C., Jr., & Sperry, L. (1987). Adlerian counseling and psychotherapy (2nd ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill.
17.
Dinkmeyer, D., & Losoncy, L.E. (1980). The encouragement book. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
18.
Disque, J.G., & Bitter, J.R. (1998). Integrating narrative therapy with Adlerian lifestyle assessment: A case study. Journal of Individual Psychology, 54, 431-450.
19.
Dreikurs, R. (1967). Psychodynamics, psychotherapy, and counseling. Chicago, IL: Alfred Adler Institute of Chicago.
20.
Dreikurs, R. (1971). Social equality: The challenge for today. Chicago, IL: Adler School of Professional Psychology.
21.
Ellenberger, H.F. (1970). The discovery of the unconscious. New York: Basic Books.
22.
Forgus, R., & Shulman, B.H. (1979). Personality: A cognitive view. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
23.
Gergen, K.J. (1994). Realities and relationships: Soundings in social construction. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
24.
Gergen, K.J. (1999). An invitation to social construction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
25.
Gergen, K.J. (2001). Social construction in context. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
26.
Grizzle, A.F. (1992). Family therapy with the faithful: Christians as clients. In L.A. Burton (Ed.), Religion and the family: When God helps (pp. 139-162). New York: Haworth Pastoral Press.
27.
Guidano, V.F., & Liotti, G. (1983). Cognitive process and emotional disorders. New York: Guilford.
28.
Higgins, R.L. (2002). Reality negotiation. In C.R. Snyder & S.J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology (pp. 351-365). New York: Oxford University Press.
29.
Hoffman, E. (1994). The drive for self: Alfred Adler and the founding of individual psychology. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
30.
Hoyt, M.F. (Ed.). (1994). Constructive therapies. New York: Guilford.
31.
Hoyt, M.F. (Ed.). (1996). Constructive therapies: Vol. 2. New York: Guilford.
32.
Hoyt, M.F. (Ed.). (1998). The handbook of constructive therapies: Innovative approaches from leading practitioners. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
33.
Jones, J.V., Jr. (1995). Constructivism and individual psychology: Common ground for dialogue. Individual Psychology, 51, 231-243.
34.
Jones, J.V., Jr., & Lyddon, W.J. (in press). Adlerian and constructivist psychotherapies: A constructivist perspective. In R.E. Watts (Ed.), Adlerian, cognitive, and constructivist psychotherapies: An integrative dialogue. New York: Springer.
35.
Jones, S.L., & Butman, R.E. (1991). Modern psychotherapies: A comprehensive Christian appraisal. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
36.
Kelly, G. (1955). The psychology of personal constructs (Vols. 1 & 2). New York: Norton.
37.
Korobov, N. (2000). Social constructionist ‘theory hope’: The impasse from theory to practice. Culture and Psychology, 6, 365-373.
38.
LaFountain, R.M. (1996). Social interest: A key to solutions. Individual Psychology, 52, 150-157.
39.
LaFountain, R.M., & Garner, N.E. (1998). A school with solutions: Implementing a solution-focused/Adlerian based comprehensive school counseling program. Alexandria, VA: American School Counselor Association.
40.
LaFountain, R.M., & Mustaine, B.L. (1998). Infusing Adlerian theory into an introductory marriage and family course. The Family Journal, 6, 189-199.
41.
Littrell, J.M. (1998). Brief counseling in action. New York: Norton.
42.
Mahoney, M.J. (1991). Human change processes. New York: Basic Books.
43.
Mahoney, M.J. (1995). Continuing evolution of the cognitive sciences and psychotherapies. In R.A. Neimeyer & M.J. Mahoney (Eds.), Constructivism in psychotherapy (pp. 39-68). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
44.
Mahoney, M.J. (2002). Constructivism and positive psychology. In C.R. Snyder & S.J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology (pp. 745-750). New York: Oxford University Press.
45.
Mahoney, M.J., Miller, H.M., & Arciero, G. (1995). Constructive metatheory and the nature of mental representation. In M.J. Mahoney (Ed.), Cognitive and constructive psychotherapies: Theory, research, and practice (pp. 103-120). New York: Springer.
46.
Manaster, G.J., & Corsini, R.J. (1982). Individual psychology: Theory and practice. Itasca, IL: Peacock.
47.
Maniacci, M.P. (in press). A cognitive conundrum: Where’s the thinking in cognitive? In R.E. Watts (Ed.), Adlerian, cognitive, and constructivist psychotherapies: An integrative dialogue. New York: Springer.
48.
Mansager, E. (Ed.). (2000). Holism, wellness, spirituality [Special issue]. Journal of Individual Psychology, 56(3).
49.
Martin, J., & Sugarman, J. (1997). The social-cognitive construction of psychotherapeutic change: Bridging social constructionism and cognitive constructivism. Review of General Psychology, 1, 375-378.
50.
Martin, J., & Sugarman, J. (1999). The psychology of human possibility and constraint. Albany: State University of New York Press.
51.
Master, S.B. (1991). Constructivism and the creative power of the self. Individual Psychology, 47, 447-455.
52.
Mosak, H.H. (1979). Adlerian psychotherapy. In R.J. Corsini (Ed.), Current psychotherapies (2nd ed., pp. 44-94). Itasca, IL: Peacock.
53.
Mosak, H.H. (1995). Adlerian psychotherapy. In R.J. Corsini & D. Wedding (Eds.), Current psychotherapies (5th ed.) (pp. 51-94). Itasca, IL: Peacock.
54.
Mosak, H.H., & Maniacci, M.P. (1998). Tactics in counseling and psychotherapy. Itasca, IL: Peacock.
55.
Mosak, H.H., & Maniacci, M. (1999). A primer of Adlerian psychology: The analytic-behavioral-cognitive psychology of Alfred Adler. Philadelphia: Accelerated Development/Taylor and Francis.
56.
Mozdzierz, G.J. (1998). Culture, tradition, transition, and the future. Journal of Individual Psychology, 54, 275-277.
57.
Murphy, J.J. (1996). Solution-focused brief therapy in the school. In S.D. Miller, M.A. Hubble, & B.L. Duncan (Eds.), Handbook of solution-focused brief therapy (pp. 184-204). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
58.
Neimeyer, G.J. (1995). The challenge of change. In R.A. Neimeyer & M.J. Mahoney (Eds.), Constructivism in psychotherapy (pp. 111-126). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
59.
Neimeyer, R.A. (1995). Constructivist psychotherapies: Features, foundations, and future directions. In R.A. Neimeyer & M.J. Mahoney (Eds.), Constructivism in psychotherapy (pp. 11-38). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
60.
Neimeyer, R.A. (2000). Narrative disruptions in the construction of the self. In R.A. Neimeyer & J.D. Raskin (Eds.), Constructions of disorder: Meaning-making frameworks for psychotherapy (pp. 207-242). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
61.
Neimeyer, R.A. (in press). Two paths diverge into a wood: Cognitive/constructivist contrasts and the future evolution of Adlerian psychotherapy. In R.E. Watts (Ed.), Adlerian, cognitive, and constructivist psychotherapies: An integrative dialogue. New York: Springer.
62.
Neimeyer, R.A., & Mahoney, M.J. (Eds.). (1995). Constructivism in psychotherapy. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
63.
Neimeyer, R.A., & Raskin, J.D. (Eds.). (2000). Constructions of disorder: Meaning-making frameworks for psychotherapy. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
64.
Neuer, A. (1936). Courage and discouragement. International Journal of Individual Psychology, 2(2), 30-50.
65.
O’Hanlon, W.H., & Weiner-Davis, M. (1989). In search of solutions: A new direction in psychotherapy. New York: Norton.
66.
Parry, A., & Doan, R.E. (1994). Story revisions: Narrative therapy in a postmodern world. New York: Guilford.
67.
Peluso, P.R., White, J.F., & Kern, R.M. (2001). A comparison of attachment theory and individual psychology: A review of the literature. Manuscript submitted for publication.
68.
Propst, L.R (1996). Cognitive-behavioral therapy and the religious person. In E.P. Shafranske (Ed.), Religion and the clinical practice of psychology (pp. 391-408). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
69.
Rosen, H., & Kuehlwein, K.T. (Eds.). (1996). Constructing realities: Meaning-making perspectives for psychotherapists. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
70.
Schneider, M.F., & Stone, M. (Eds.). (1998). Narrative therapy and Adlerian psychology [Special issue]. Journal of Individual Psychology, 54(4).
71.
Scott, C.N., Kelly, F.D., & Tolbert, B.L. (1995). Realism, constructivism, and the individual psychology of Alfred Adler. Individual Psychology, 51, 4-20.
72.
Shulman, B.H. (1973). Contributions to individual psychology. Chicago: The Alfred Adler Institute.
73.
Shulman, B.H. (1985). Cognitive therapy and the individual psychology of Alfred Adler. In M.J. Mahoney & A. Freeman (Eds.), Cognition and psychotherapy (pp. 243-258). New York: Plenum.
74.
Shulman, B.H., & Mosak, H.H. (1988). Handbook for the life style. Muncie, IN: Accelerated Development.
75.
Shulman, B.H., & Watts, R.E. (1997). Adlerian and constructivist psychotherapies: An Adlerian perspective. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 11, 181-193.
76.
Sweeney, T.J. (1998). Adlerian counseling: A practitioner’s approach (4th ed.). Muncie, IN: Accelerated Development.
77.
Walter, J.L., & Peller, J.E. (1992). Becoming solution-focused in brief therapy. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
78.
Watts, R.E. (1998). The remarkable similarity between Rogers’s core conditions and Adler’s social interest. Journal of Individual Psychology, 54, 4-9.
79.
Watts, R.E. (1999). The vision of Adler: An introduction. In R.E. Watts & J. Carlson (Eds.), Interventions and strategies in counseling and psychotherapy (pp. 1-13). Philadelphia, PA: Accelerated Development/Taylor & Francis.
80.
Watts, R.E. (2000). Entering the new millennium: Is individual psychology/Adlerian therapy still relevant? Journal of Individual Psychology, 56, 21-30.
81.
Watts, R.E., & Carlson, J. (Eds.). (1999). Interventions and strategies in counseling and psychotherapy. Philadelphia, PA: Accelerated Development/Taylor & Francis.
82.
Watts, R.E., & Critelli, J.W. (1997). Roots of contemporary cognitive theories in the individual psychology of Alfred Adler. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 11, 147-156.
83.
Watts, R.E., & Pietrzak, D. (2000). Adlerian “encouragement” and the therapeutic process of solution-focused brief therapy. Journal of Counseling and Development, 78, 442-447.
84.
Watts, R.E., & Shulman, B.H. (in press). Integrating Adlerian and constructive therapies: An Adlerian perspective. In R.E. Watts (Ed.), Adlerian, cognitive, and constructivist psychotherapies: An integrative dialogue. New York: Springer.
85.
White, M., & Epston, D. (1990). Narrative means to therapeutic ends. New York: Norton.
