ABSTRACT
Finn and colleagues have developed a semi-structured assessment approach, Therapeutic Assessment (TA), which brings together skills from assessment and psychotherapy models and from multiple theoretical frameworks. The resulting approach considers assessment to be a therapeutic intervention in and of itself (Finn, 2007; Finn & Tonsager,1992, 1997). TA is a form of collaborative assessment that is related to the work of Fischer (1985/1994), Handler (2006), and Purves (1997). Much has been written regarding its effectiveness with adults (Finn, 2003; Finn & Kamphuis,2006; Finn & Tonsanger, 1992, 1997; Newman & Greenway,1997; Peters, 2008), as well as with children and families (Hamilton et al., 2009; Handler, 2006; Smith & Handler, 2009; Tharinger et al., 2009; Tharinger, Finn, Wilkinson, & Schaber, 2007). While much of this work has been done in private practice or university research settings, a few articles have encouraged the use of this model in school-based settings (Tharinger et al., 2007) and with foster children and their families (Purves, 2002). There has been little research regarding using this model in community mental health settings and within culturally and racially diverse communities. This article focuses on the application of TA in a community psychology setting with an African American child living in foster care.
