People with Special Needs and Career Development Based on Strength - Positive Psychology Strengths Approach

Oct 15, 2026

The work examines career counselling for people with special needs through the paradigm of positive psychology. It frames counselling as a shift from deficit- and weakness-focused models to strength-based support, aiming to mobilize internal resources. An empirical study with Slovenian elementary and secondary school counsellors evaluates how this strengths approach functions in practice. Findings indicate improved capacity for self-sufficient education and better integration into professional and social life. A balance is still required between strengths-focused methods and attention to personal problems.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Strengths-based counselling dilemma

Foundations in positive psychology

DOI: [https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.1381](https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.1381) People with Special Needs and Career Development Based on Strength Janez Drobnič1 • The present work deals with career counselling for people with special needs based on the paradigm of positive psychology, which is becoming increasingly relevant in counselling and therapeutic processes. It is an approach to counselling and working with clients based on the strengths of the individual and represents a paradigm shift – a departure from the approach based on deficits and weaknesses. The empirical study established the prevalence of this approach in Slovenian elementary and secondary school counsellors. The results show that this way of counselling is a new strategy for mobilising various internal sources of strength and a supportive environment, which improves the individual’s ability to achieve the best possible self-sufficient education and integration into professional and social life. However, in the case of counselling for persons with special needs, a balance needs to be achieved between a strength approach and others that focus on personal problems and weaknesses. Keywords: positive psychology, career counselling, people with special needs, strengths 1 Faculty of Education, University of Primorska, Slovenia; janez.drobnic@upr.si. Osebe s posebnimi potrebami in karierni razvoj na podlagi močnih področij Janez Drobnič • Prispevek se ukvarja z vprašanjem poklicnega/kariernega svetovanjaoseb s posebnimi potrebami, ki temelji na paradigmi pozitivne psihologije; ta v svetovalnih in terapevtskih pristopih postaja vse aktualnejša. Gre za pristop k svetovanju in delu s strankami, ki se opira predvsem na močna področja posameznika in predstavlja premik paradigme – odmik od pristopa, ki temelji na pomanjkljivostih in nezmožnosti. Zempirično študijo smo ugotavljali uporabnost tega pristopa pri slovenskih osnovnošolskih in srednješolskih svetovalnih delavcih v poklicnemsvetovanju. Rezultati kažejo, da bi bil tovrstni način svetovanja nova strategija mobilizacije različnih notranjih virov moči in podpornegaokolja, ki izboljšuje sposobnosti posameznika za čim boljšo samozadostno izobraževanje in vključevanje v poklicno in družbeno življenje. Obsvetovanju za kariero pri osebah s posebnimi potrebami je treba dosečiravnovesje med pristopom, ki temelji na njihovih prednostih, ter pristopom, ki se osredinja na njihove težave in slabosti. Ključne besede: pozitivna psihologija, karierno svetovanje, osebe s posebnimi potrebami, močna področja Introduction One of the key dilemmas in counselling approaches is whether to focus on the disorder, problems, or defects of the individual or to direct the counselling process to the strengths of the individual and his abilities and (in this way) more easily to achieve counselling results and goals (Kosine et al., 2008) . Anderson and Schreiner (2004) state that counselling based on the strengths of individual clients is one of the best ways to influence them to develop their abilities and a good way to use their potential to succeed and achieve goals. Focusing on areas where clients have problems or dealing with ‘risk factors’ could make it harder for them to succeed. A foundation can be found in positive psychology for the ‘strengths’approach. Csikszentmihalyi (2000) argues that positive psychology should be understood as a movement to change the nature of psychology and not as its subdiscipline or specialisation. It aims to rebalance classical psychological discipline by preventing over-orientation to the pathology and dysfunction of the individual and neglecting his strengths and abilities. Positive psychology builds on the pursuit of healthy functioning, positive experiences, and wellbeing; Linley et al. (2010) call for a move away from the deficit and dysfunction approach to problem-solving in a way that emphasises human potential. Seligman (2019, p. 1) asserts, ‘Psychology is not just a study of w

FAQs

What is the main counselling approach evaluated in the paper?

The paper evaluates career counselling for people with special needs based on the paradigm of positive psychology, focusing on individual strengths rather than deficits and weaknesses.

What did the empirical study find among Slovenian school counsellors?

The results indicate the strengths-based strategy mobilizes internal sources of strength and creates a supportive environment that improves individuals’ ability to pursue self-sufficient education and integration into professional and social life.

Why is a balance needed in counselling for special needs?

The paper states that counselling must balance a strengths approach with other approaches that address personal problems and weaknesses.

Oct 15, 2026

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