Resource diagnosis with children

Traditionally the task of diagnosis in psychotherapy with children is the d escription of the disturbed behavior and the analysis of its causes. But th e deficit-oriented perspective leads as a rule to a neglection of the clien ts', positive potentials, whose inquiry and therapeutic use for the success of therapy is however, following new findings of therapeutic effect resear ch, of eminent significance. By this article a concept of resource diagnosi s is introduced that demonstrates by several examples from the practice dif ferent methods of resource analysis with children based on a resource taxon omy. Finally a detailed case presentation illustrates the enlarged possibil ities which are offered by the combined application of deficit and resource analytic results for therapy planning and intervention.