Most people have one primary driver, but it is possible to have more than one (but usually no more than two). Follow these steps to help you determine if more than one driver is at play:
- Have the person complete the first page of the Driver Workbook.
- Talk to the person about their answers. Find out more about the circumstances surrounding the event and about their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs at the time. Ask them if the event would have occurred if the factor you are discussing was absent.
- See if you can collaboratively agree on the driver for that event. In most cases, the insights you gain from your discussion will help you identify a single driver. If that is not the case and you think there are two drivers for that event, mark both of them on the worksheet.
- Follow the same process for all six events.
- Based on those events, look for a pattern.
- If after following this process, it is difficult to discern one driver and it seems more accurate to say that a person has two drivers, go with that. Don’t feel compelled to choose just one.
If there are two drivers, both can become focuses of the case plan initially. If a stabilization factor must be addressed, address it in the initial case plan along with one of the drivers. Then, when the person is stabilized, you can begin working on the other driver.