In Caplan's consultee-centered case consultation, what is the consultant primarily concerned with?

In Caplan's consultee-centered case consultation, what is the consultant primarily concerned with?

• A. Identifying and addressing the consultee's personal and professional difficulties in handling the problem
• B. Developing an intervention plan for the student in distress
• C. Creating district-wide policy recommendations for school mental health
• D. Assessing student performance data to determine learning gaps

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that consultee-centered case consultation focuses on strengthening the consultee’s professional functioning so they can handle the presenting problem more effectively. The consultant looks at the consultee’s skills, beliefs, coping strategies, and emotional responses—things like confidence, reasoning, and how they manage stress or bias—so that, with support, the consultee can address the case better now and in the future. It’s about empowering the teacher or psychologist who is working with the student, not about making direct changes to the student or implementing district-wide policies. That’s why this approach is best characterized by focusing on the consultee’s personal and professional difficulties in handling the problem. The other options describe work aimed at the student directly, at district policy, or at interpreting data, which are outside the consultee-centered focus.

The main idea is that consultee-centered case consultation focuses on strengthening the consultee’s professional functioning so they can handle the presenting problem more effectively. The consultant looks at the consultee’s skills, beliefs, coping strategies, and emotional responses—things like confidence, reasoning, and how they manage stress or bias—so that, with support, the consultee can address the case better now and in the future. It’s about empowering the teacher or psychologist who is working with the student, not about making direct changes to the student or implementing district-wide policies. That’s why this approach is best characterized by focusing on the consultee’s personal and professional difficulties in handling the problem. The other options describe work aimed at the student directly, at district policy, or at interpreting data, which are outside the consultee-centered focus.