Case Study Research: In Counselling and Psychotherapy

Case Study Research Methodology

“…However this view is not accurate as case studies provide a wonderful opportunity for the researcher to develop explanatory hypotheses or test existing or new theory (McLeod, 2010).…”

“…(Stiles, 2007: p.123) Case studies can be used to identify processes which may not have hitherto been recognized within therapy, or within that therapeutic modality or specific ways in which the particular problem was addressed by the therapist and client which confirm, develop, disconfirm or extend the existing theoretical positions of that particular theoretical approach. They can be used to strengthen or weaken certain theoretical propositions or test the validity of theoretical constructs and to develop or challenge existing theory (McLeod, 2010).…”

“…Case study methodology is growing in significance as a method highly suitable for use in psychotherapy research and the view is gaining momentum that case study methodology will develop into the next important area of psychotherapy research (McLeod, 2010). Kiesler (1983) states "Studies seriously pursuing these [psychotherapy] changeprocess goals cannot attain them by use of traditional, rigorous experimental or nomothetic designs.…”

A Life-Saving Therapy: The Theory-Building Case of "Cora"

“…The current study presents a theory-building case study (McLeod, 2010;Stiles, 2007) that makes use of the capacity of single-case analysis to develop a model of complex processes in a particular type of case. Our aim in this case study has been to explore the ways in which the client and her therapist made sense of the process of their work together in terms of their understandings of what was helpful and how it was helpful.…”

“…Despite these challenges, Cora reported a highly satisfactory outcome at the end of therapy. Using the format of a theory-building case study (McLeod, 2010;Stiles, 2007), qualitative analysis of session evaluations, session transcripts, and post therapy interviews were used to investigate how both the client and therapist understood the process of therapy and why it had been successful. Data from quantitative process and outcome measures were analyzed to provide contextual information.…”