Socialization toward a career as a marriage and family therapist: How is our profession doing?

Abstract

To date, marriage and family therapy does not have formal socialization programs at the undergraduate level. Socialization activities may include career classes, advising, providing internships, or actively recruiting the most talented and qualified students. These socialization activities may also aid in the recruitment of minority students. A survey of the accredited programs revealed that most programs do not have formal opportunities for the faculty to interact and discuss therapy as a career option. While most programs have at least one faculty member who teaches undergraduates, this contact alone is not very good in terms of socializing students into choosing therapy as a career option. While there are some valid concerns about undergraduates, marriage and family therapy as a distinct discipline may benefit from actively recruiting the best students.