What is a Strengths Assessment
The Strengths Assessment is one of the two primary tools in Strengths Model Case Management. It is unlike traditional “assessments” in behavioral health. The Strengths Assessment is a practice tool that is part of an ongoing process to help people make movement toward what they value and want in life, even amid life challenges. The Strengths Assessment is an integral component of an array of person-centered, recovery-oriented practice interventions used in case (care) management to 1) help people see that their identity, capabilities, and values are independent of a diagnosis, symptoms, or adverse life events they may have experienced; and 2) help people see that they have the ability to take values-based, self-directed action toward meaningful and important goals.
The Strengths Assessment is not a clinical assessment that is conducted as part of an intake process nor is its intent to identify factors related to functional impairments, diagnosis, or establish eligibility for a service. In fact, there isn’t a specified timeframe in which a Strengths Assessment HAS to be introduced. While a Strengths Assessment is typically introduced to a person early on in the helping relationship, in order to be most effective, you need a context that is relevant to the person receiving services before introducing the Strengths Assessment.
Finding a context
A context for introducing the Strengths Assessment is a situation in which the person feels you are talking about something relevant to them. When you show the person the tool, it becomes something useful or helpful to them related to what they are experiencing. Here are five examples of contexts which are amenable to introducing a Strengths Assessment:
1. A goal the person has.
This might be the most straightforward context in which to introduce a Strengths Assessment. While most goals would work as a context to introduce a Strengths Assessment, the tool is most impactful when it is a goal that is meaningful and important to the person and has the potential to increase a person’s sense of identity, connection, and support apart from formal behavioral health services (e.g., find a place to live, get a job, pursue an education-related goal, get involved in something in the community, expand or strengthen supportive relationships, etc.).
How it might sound in practice: It sounds like getting a job so you can earn some extra money is important to you. I’d like to show you a tool that might help us explore this goal a little further and see how I can best support you. For starters, I’d like to write here on the Strengths Assessment that you want to get a job and why that is important to you. You also mentioned that you had a couple of jobs in the past. Would it be okay if we talked more about those?
2. A symptom that is challenging or distressing to the person.
This might seem surprising to some people, but you can easily introduce a Strengths Assessment in the context of a symptom a person is experiencing. This can be useful when a person has difficulty identifying a goal because the symptoms they experience occupy so much of their mental space.
When introducing the Strengths Assessment in the context of a symptom, you can either explore what the symptom has kept the person from being able to do (e.g., working, engaging with other people, doing something in the community, etc.), what has been helpful or useful to the person when they experience the symptom (e.g., walking in the park helps me stay grounded in nature, listening to music helps soften the intensity of the voices, etc.), or what the person has been able to do even in the presence of symptoms (e.g., I’m still able to cook meals I enjoy, I have continued to draw, I go to church with my mom and sister).
How it might sound in practice: It sounds like social anxiety makes it difficult to be around others in public. And, you would like to go to some of the music festivals in town. I would like to show you a tool I use that might help us set a few focal points on where you would like to be if we can find a way to support you around the social anxiety you experience. I’m going to put here that you would like to go to some music festivals because listening to live music is important to you. I know it’s difficult to see yourself doing these things right now and at the same time writing it here validates that it is something you want to be able to do.
Another example: From our conversation today, it is clear that the depression you experience has impacted a lot of areas of your life. It is a testament to your determination that you have somehow found a way to take your dog out for a walk each day and even stay engaged with your friend Sabrina. I would like to show you a tool I use and note a few of these things on here. While this doesn’t mean that everything is the way you want it to be, it does help us to see that depression doesn’t have complete power to control everything you do. You are still fighting and trying your best. Maybe we can build on what’s working and continue to explore options to lessen the impact of depression in your life.
3. A behavior change a person wants to make.
The Strengths Assessment can be introduced when a person wants to make a behavior change, even if they have ambivalence about making the change or do not think they are ready to act on it. This could be related to substance use, physical activity, nutrition, addressing a health condition, sleep, spending, etc. Introducing a Strengths Assessment doesn’t require a person to act, it is simply an invitation to explore. It can be a great way to explore motivations to change, validate efforts a person is already making, or even discuss barriers to change and possible strategies for overcoming the barriers.
How it might sound in practice: It sounds like you have been thinking a bit about the possibility of being sober again. I know it also sounds scary just thinking about a life without alcohol. I would like to show you a tool I use that might help us explore the possibility of you doing this. It doesn’t require you to make a decision right now to be sober, but it might help us take a look more closely at some of the reasons you just shared with me about why you want to quit drinking. It would also help us to explore some of the current supports around you and other things that might be helpful if you decide you want to pursue sobriety.
4. A value a person wants to move toward.
Sometimes people don’t have a specific goal in mind or if they have a goal, they feel overwhelmed and have difficulty identifying where to start. It is fine to introduce a Strengths Assessment around a value that a person holds. A value is different than a goal. A value is something we are always trying to move toward, not a destination we “arrive” at. A few common values include being connected to others, being creative, learning, having purpose, family, spirituality, independence, etc. Goals on the other hand are tangible things we hope to achieve (e.g., I want my own apartment, I want to get a job, I want to join a gym, etc.). Having a friend to go to the movies with is a goal. Being connected to other people with similar interests is a value.
How it might sound in practice: Being a good mother is something that is important to you and right now you don’t feel like you are being the parent you want to be. I’m also hearing several things that show you are doing the best you can under the circumstances right now. I would like to show you a tool I use that might help us look at the things you are already doing to be the parent you want to be and maybe explore some other things that might help you continue moving in the direction you want to go.
5. The person has no idea what they want.
Sometimes people just don’t know what they want, where to start, or even how you can help them. This can at times create some uncomfortable silence in sessions. While it can be easier to start a Strengths Assessment when you can identify something that is important, meaningful, or relevant to the person, it is also possible to introduce the Strengths Assessment when you have nothing to go with. In this case, you are going to just acknowledge the uncertainty and open a pathway for possible exploration.
How it might sound in practice: It is difficult right now to think about what you want or how I can help you. That’s completely understandable considering you are new to this program, and we have just recently met each other. I would like to show you a tool I use that might help us get to know each other a little better and that might help us identify a few areas where you could possibly use support. Would that be okay?
The key here is just finding a place to start a Strengths Assessment. Once you have decided on a context in which to introduce the tool, here are some tips to get the most useable content on a Strengths Assessment:
Tips for recording information on the Strengths Assessment
Don’t try to write everything a person says on the Strengths Assessment.
You want to stay in conversation mode when using the Strengths Assessment. While you want to validate people’s words, perspectives, and experiences, you don’t need to capture everything the person is saying on the Strengths Assessment during the conversation. Trying to simultaneously record on a Strengths Assessment everything a person is saying often has the unintended effect of taking us out of conversation mode and more into interviewing mode. Also, the boxes on the Strengths Assessment start to look like long narratives that quickly take up space inside the small boxes of the tool.
We want to strategically use the boxes on the Strengths Assessment to record key values, desires/aspirations, capabilities, and things that are most useful or helpful to the person.
Feel free to use a note pad if you want to capture information that a person tells you and worry you will not be able to remember it all. Just remember to ask permission from the person to take notes while you are talking. Wait then for a time during the session where it seems relevant to pause and bring over some of that information and record it on the Strengths Assessment. This could occur toward the very end of the session or at any time it seems writing something on the tool seems important in the context of the conversation.
How it might sound in practice: I really appreciate the conversation we have had today. I have a better idea now about your desire to take some classes at the community college and some of the fears you have about doing this. Even with some of your reservations, I think it’s important to note that you want to take some classes so you can pursue a degree in computer science. I will put that on your Strengths Assessment here in the middle column. You have also already completed a few courses and I can note that here in the past column. It sounds like your sister can help you out with any math classes, which is one of your greatest worries, so I can put that here in the current column. You also said your sister is willing to help you with getting re-enrolled and support you with the financial aid process, so I can also add that. Does that sound right?
Don’t start in the upper left-hand corner.
Remember, the Strengths Assessment is not an interview and it’s not a document that you are just filling out to get things on paper. The Strengths Assessment is a practice tool, and it is conducted through a conversation. So, you can go anywhere on the tool that aligns with the conversation you are having. For some people, this might be just getting down a few aspirations in a few domains in the middle column. For others, it might be just recording a few capabilities or things they currently find useful or helpful in any domain.
How it might sound in practice: Since we are talking about finding ways to help you feel more connected to others and doing things in the community, I think it might be good to jump down to the leisure/recreational domain on the Strengths Assessment and record some of the things you currently enjoy doing as well as a few things you used to be involved in before things became difficult for you. It might also be helpful to note in the supportive relationships domain a few of the people in your life who you have been able to stay connected with.
Don’t ask people what their strengths are.
Asking people what their strengths are often leads to a blank stare. Some people feel uncomfortable talking about their strengths and even those who are willing or open to discussing strengths often don’t really have an idea about what you mean by “my strengths.” When you ask this question, you often get a person’s qualities and attributes, such as “Well, I’m hardworking and I’m persistent in finding resources for what I need.”
While these aren’t unimportant strengths (they are one of the four types of strengths in the model), they aren’t the ones that are going to be the most useful and helpful in terms of helping people make movement toward what they value or want in life. The best way to get at strengths is through an indirect approach via conversation. Get curious about what people value, what they want in life, or hope to be able to do (desires/aspirations). Get curious about the people, places, or things that are currently useful or helpful in their life (environmental strengths). Get curious about anything they are able to do, even in the midst of any problems or challenges they experience (capabilities/talents/skills).
How it might sound in practice: It sounds like your neighbor has been really helpful to you around childcare. Are there other ways she has been a support to you?
Another example: I know it has been challenging for you to be around other people because of the voices. I’m just curious how you are able to manage the voices when you are on the bus or when you go to the grocery store. Is there anything that you are finding helpful?
Be careful to not transpose deficits, entrapping narratives, or things that aren’t strengths onto the Strengths Assessment.
When we are in conversation with people, they may tell us a lot of things they are thinking, feeling, or experiencing. Some things that people tell us though may not be useful to put on the Strengths Assessment. For example, sometimes people may tell us things they don’t have, don’t want, or things they can’t do (e.g., I don’t have any friends, I don’t know how to ride the bus, I don’t want to work, I have a poor relationship with my father, etc.). These are what we call deficits. While any of these things may be true, they don’t go on a Strengths Assessment. Why? Because they aren’t strengths. This does not mean that we ignore them. In fact, we can verbally validate anything a person says to us. We can then explore what they would like to be able to do or areas where they would like support and put that as an aspiration on the Strengths Assessment.
The same is true of potentially entrapping narratives (e.g., I always mess everything up, I can’t do that because of my anxiety, nothing will change no matter what I do, etc.). These are things a person might think or feel; they just don’t belong on the Strengths Assessment. In fact, writing these things on the Strengths Assessment can reinforce the narrative. One goal of the Strengths Assessment is to create space between those unhelpful thoughts, emotions, and narratives they experience internally and the things that are useful and helpful to them, even in the midst of their struggles.
How it might sound in practice (related to deficit-based language): It must be difficult to do some of the things you are trying to do without much support in your life. You mentioned that being connected to other people is important to you. Would it be okay if we added to the Strengths Assessment that you would like to find things in the community to get involved in, so you have an opportunity to meet people who share similar interests as you?
How it might sound in practice (related to entrapping narratives): I know it worries you when you think about how employers might view the five-year gap in your resume when it was difficult for you to work. Even though you have some reservations about looking for jobs right now, I think it is important to put on the Strengths Assessment that you want a job so you can get out of the house and be around other people. It is something you value and want even though you have some worries about doing it.
Only record strengths that the person is able to acknowledge.
Sometimes we see strengths in people that they have difficulty seeing in themselves. Sometimes people have difficulty acknowledging their strengths because of how they feel inside. Sometimes what people are experiencing around them overshadows or diminishes anything that might be going well in a person’s life or what they might find helpful or useful. Remember, the point of doing a Strengths Assessment is not to convince the person they have strengths. It is not to ignore, minimize, or invalidate how a person perceives anything. You are not trying to reframe anything difficult or painful that a person might experience into something more positive. If we try to move too quickly and record all the strengths that we see a person possesses, then it can potentially feel invalidating to some people. This does not help to engage the person around the tool. As mentioned earlier, it is fine to start slow with the Strengths Assessment and begin with only a few things a person does identify they value or want in life, or a few things they currently find useful or helpful, or even a few meaningful things they are able to do in the midst of the struggles they are experiencing.
How it might sound in practice: Right now, it doesn’t seem you have found many things very helpful or useful to cope with the voices you hear. That must feel frustrating since you have tried a lot of different things over the years, and it hasn’t changed much for you. And even after all that, it sounds like you still desperately want to be able to do some of the things you enjoy, like going out to eat, shopping, or even just watching TV without being constantly bombarded by the distressing voices. Would it be okay if I put on the Strengths Assessment that these are some things that you want to be able to do? As we work together to explore different ways you might be able to respond to the voices you hear, this would give us a few outcomes that you hope to be able to do if we are successful.
Try to not spend more than 5 minutes interacting directly with the person using the Strengths Assessment, unless there is a specific reason/purpose.
There will be an occasional person who gets really engaged when you start doing a Strengths Assessment with them and want to work on it the entire session with you. They might enjoy being heard and having some of their core values and goals validated. They may feel hopeful about being able to visualize the different things that are currently in place in their life and how their strengths might help them achieve some of the things they want or move in the direction of values they hold. The Strengths Assessment can be an empowering experience for many people you work with. That being said, we have to be careful about going too fast and try to fill out all the boxes with every person you work with.
For most people, spending about 5 minutes and recording a few things that came out of the session can be more powerful than an hour of dumping a lot of words onto the tool. The Strengths Assessment is most powerful when used regularly over time. It allows us to start where the person is at, maybe acknowledging just a few things that are indicators of where they want to be. As we continue our work with people, we stay in discovery mode, and when it’s relevant, record those things we are learning together on the Strengths Assessment. This could be one small thing a person found useful to ground themselves when they are having racing thoughts. Or it could be a major accomplishment where a person was able to do something even though it was difficult (a capability).
Or a new awareness of how something ordinary they have been doing has a positive, useful, or helpful effect on them (active ingredient). Even though we may have spent an hour with someone talking or doing something together, taking just 5 minutes out of that session to consolidate any learning or gains can be powerful toward reinforcing that person’s sense of empowerment in the midst of life challenges. And it doesn’t have to be used every time we meet with the person but using the tool at least once a month helps keep the focus on the purposeful nature of our work together. Used over time, the Strengths Assessment can become a powerful marker of progress. And even when progress is slow, or stalled, or even in the event of a relapse, the Strengths Assessment can be a great way to stay grounded in what exists at that moment (the person’s values, their aspirations, their capabilities, learning about what’s useful and helpful, etc.) as the person decides what is the “best” next step for them.
Final Thoughts
The intent of this article is just to help you get started with introducing and using a Strengths Assessment. There are a variety of additional approaches, techniques, and interventions you can learn to make the most effective use of this tool in your case management practice. Join us for one of our Strengths Model Case Management workshops if you want to learn more about incorporating this evidence-based practice into the work you do with people.
