ABSTRACT
There are many available methods and procedures for the clinical assessment of children and adolescents. Among them, narrative approaches have long held popularity with practicing clinicians for a variety of reasons. Storytelling is an engaging activity that is familiar and appealing to most children across ages and cultures. Thus, as a task demand, stories are often a welcome addition to a battery of tests. Furthermore, in the process of storytelling, the child or examinee reveals considerable aspects of himself or herself that might not otherwise be communicated. In the broadest sense, children’s stories can be analyzed to evaluate thoughts, behaviors, emotions, perceptions of self, relationships with others, and coping and problem-solving skills. As such, they can inform clinical conceptualizations from multi-theoretical perspectives, including psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal, and family systems orientations.
