ABSTRACT
This chapter presents various methods and techniques for collecting and analyzing multi-systemic diagnostic data that can assist the therapist to understand the case and choose an effective therapeutic strategy. The types of techniques specified are: (a) presenting problems interview, whose purpose is to get a more objective picture of the difficulties to be treated than the characteristically vague, subjective picture given by the clients. (b) Case history interview, whose purpose is to get diachronic information about the development of the case and the etiology of the symptoms. (c) Family interviews. (d) Puppet show techniques in family or group therapy. (e) Observations of the free play and non-play behavior of individuals, groups and families. A microscopic and macroscopic semiotic analysis of the observations is conducted. The syntactic rules underlying the observed behavior on the raw material, semantic and pragmatic levels are formulated. Information processing programs generating these rules are formulated. And (g) Context-Dependent Componential Analysis, in which the basic raw material or semantic dimensions of the observed behaviors, their interrelations and their various emotional intensities are described.
