Louw, ChristeneGrobler, Herman2016-09-072016-09-072015Louw, C. & Grobler, H. 2015. The utilisation of the bridging technique during therapy to overcome contact-making barriers in adolescents. Journal of social work practice, 29(2):173-190. [http://dx.doi.org.nwulib.nwu.ac.za/10.1080/02650533.2014.930818]0265-05331465-3885 (Online)http://hdl.handle.net/10394/18560http://dx.doi.org.nwulib.nwu.ac.za/10.1080/02650533.2014.930818This article focuses on the utilisation of a bridging technique to overcome contact-making barriers in adolescents. Interruptions or contact boundary disturbances block contact making, as it becomes fixed and prevents the natural and healthy process of organismic self-regulation. A combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches were followed and a single system experimental design, A–B–A–A, was applied in the original study. Qualitative data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews with parents and teachers, and therapeutic intervention with adolescents. Quantitative data were collected from pre- post- and follow-up-intervention assessments, during which the bridging technique was utilised. Fourteen adolescent participants were selected by school teachers and therapists from three different schools, with their parents and teachers: a mainstream school for high-functioning children, a school for children with learning disabilities and a school for children with intellectual disabilities. These adolescents presented behavioural symptoms: aggression, self-mutilation, personal emotional symptoms: depression, suicidal tendencies, as well as contact-making disturbances. The findings indicated that the bridging technique shows potential in working with adolescents to overcome contact-making barriers.encontactcontact-making barriersadolescencebridging techniqueorganismic self-regulationcreative adjustmenttherapeutic interventionArticle