A QUESTION CLASSIFICATION SCALE FOR MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY

Abstract

This paper proposes a Question Classification Scale (QCS) to permit more discrimination among the types of questions used in marriage and family therapy. The data base for the QCS development consisted of 503 family therapy questions drawn from tapes of eight family therapy experts and four trainees. The QCS was designed after studying question classification systems in philosophy, linguistics, educational research, and individual and family therapy. Each therapist‐initiated question is coded in four ways, yielding a simple, yet multidimensional, picture of the therapist's questioning patterns. Future research potential of the QCS is discussed.