Family psychology and family therapy: Comparisons and contrasts

Abstract

Abstract This paper distinguishes between family psychology as a still nonexistent academic discipline and family therapy as a profession and as a method of intervention. Family psychology is interested in the whole functionality-dysfunctionality continuum, while family therapy is mainly concerned with dysfunctionalities. While family psychology focuses reductionistically on the relationship of the individual within the family, family therapy focuses holistically on the family as a whole unit or system. While family psychology stresses objective evaluation and primary and secondary preventive approaches, family therapy stresses the subjective understanding of the family and sees therapy as one type of tertiary prevention.