The adaptation of solution-focused therapy in Chinese culture: A linguistic perspective

Abstract

Using solution-focused therapy as an example, this article discusses linguistic considerations in the cross-cultural adaptation of psychotherapy to Chinese-speaking clients. As the primary medium through which a client's story is presented and transformed, language plays a crucial role in therapeutic conversation. Some differences between the Chinese and English languages, such as the construction of words and grammatical structure, are introduced. An examination of three linguistic dimensions - lexical usage, syntax and intonation and rhythm - illustrate the important role of language in the cross-cultural adaptation of psychotherapeutic techniques.