Ong2021

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Ong2021
BibType ARTICLE
Key Ong2021
Author(s) Ben Ong, Scott Barnes, Niels Buus
Title Downgrading Deontic Authority in Open Dialogue Reflection Proposals: A Conversation Analysis
Editor(s)
Tag(s) EMCA, Family, Therapy, Deontics
Publisher
Year 2021
Language English
City
Month
Journal Family Process
Volume 60
Number 4
Pages 1217–1232
URL Link
DOI 10.1111/famp.12586
ISBN
Organization
Institution
School
Type
Edition
Series
Howpublished
Book title
Chapter

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Abstract

The Open Dialogue approach promotes collaboration with clients and families in decisions about the direction of therapy. This creates potential problems for Open Dialogue therapists who seek collaboration but also have responsibility for managing the session. Using conversation analysis, we examined 14 hours of video recordings of Open Dialogue sessions, and specifically how therapists proposed the transition to a reflecting conversation. We found that, when making proposals to reflect, therapists routinely downgrade their deontic authority (i.e., adopt a less powerful, more collaborative position). They did this through framing proposals as interrogatives, providing accounts, and by prefacing their proposals with “I’m wondering”. More heavily downgraded proposals made acceptance less salient, potentially risking transition to the reflection. These findings provide more detail on how theoretical concepts such as “collaboration” and “power” are actually displayed and negotiated in practice and can contribute to a more nuanced understanding of what constitutes Open Dialogue.

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