Family Therapy Education Research Articles

Gerontology Training in Marriage and Family Therapy Accredited Training Programs

Against the demographic backdrop of an aging society, this study investigated the degree to which accredited Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) programs incorporate gerontological content in their curricula and the extent to which faculty affiliated with these programs have gerontological interests and/or are engaged in scholarly work related to gerontology. Data were collected from program “self-study” reports submitted to the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). Documentation in these reports includes both course syllabi and faculty vitae. The study's findings indicate that only minimal coverage of gerontological and later-life family issues is addressed by the accredited MFT programs. Only 8.9% of the MFT courses in these programs incorporated gerontological or later-life family content to some degree.

Common factors across theories of marriage and family therapy: a modified Delphi study.

The Delphi methodology was used to explore common factors across theories of marriage and family therapy (MFT). Leading clinicians and researchers from the American Family Therapy Academy and select faculty members from MFT training programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education were asked to achieve consensus regarding common factors. Respondents were asked to report on commonalities across the various MFT theories, as well as what they personally considered to be the core ingredients of change. A final profile of items was created from the responses. Qualitative interviews were conducted with selected panelists to clarify discrepancies as well as to add meaning to the data. Implications for the training and practice of MFTs as well as direction for future research are discussed.

Differences Making a Difference

Summary As the field of family therapy continues to gain exposure both in the U.S. and abroad, family therapists and their supervisors are increasingly likely to come from diverse cultural backgrounds. This study examines how differences in culture of origin influence supervisory relationships. Twelve individual interviews were conducted with six supervisors and six supervisees who had worked with one or more supervisees or supervisors whose culture of origin differed from their own. The descriptive data was analyzed using the method of constant comparison. Results reflect cross-cultural supervisees' acclimation to a Western/U.S. training context, specific challenges associated with cross-cultural supervision, and ways in which supervisors can sensitively and effectively supervise culturally different supervisees. Implications for education and training in family therapy are presented.

Clinical aspects of obesity in childhood and adolescence--diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

The level of fatness at which morbidity increases is determined on an acturial basis. Direct measurements of body fat content, eg hydrodensitometry, bioimpedance or DEXA, are useful tools in scientific studies. However, body mass index (BMI) is easy to calculate and is frequently used to define obesity clinically. An increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease in adults has been found in subjects whose BMI had been greater than the 75th percentile as adolescents. Childhood obesity seems to increase the risk of subsequent morbidity whether or not obesity persists into adulthood. The genetic basis of childhood obesity has been elucidated to some extent through the discovery of leptin, the ob gene product, and the increasing knowledge on the role of neuropeptides such as POMC, neuropeptide Y (NPY) and the melanocyte concentrating hormone receptors (MC4R). Environmental/exogenous factors contribute to the development of a high degree of body fatness early in life. Twin studies suggest that approximately 50% of the tendency toward obesity is inherited. There are numerous disorders including a number of endocrine disorders (Cushing's syndrome, hypothyroidism, etc) and genetic syndromes (Prader-Labhard-Willi syndrome, Bardet-Biedl syndrome etc) that can present with obesity. A simple diagnostic algorithm allows for the differentiation between primary or secondary obesity. Among the most common sequelae of primary childhood obesity are hypertension, dyslipidemia and psychosocial problems. Therapeutic strategies include psychological and family therapy, lifestyle/behavior modification and nutrition education. The role of regular exercise and exercise programs is emphasized. Surgical procedures and drugs used as treatments for adult obesity are still not recommended for children and adolescents with obesity. As obesity is the most common chronic disorder in the industrialized societies, its impact on individual lives as well as on health economics has to be recognized more widely. This review is aimed towards defining the clinical problem of childhood obesity on the basis of current knowledge and towards outlining future research areas in the field of energy homoeostasis and food intake control.

Teaching Family Therapy In an Electronic Age

Technology is rapidly becoming the sine qua non of education at all levels. It can assume a multitude of forms, including uses of the Internet, online classes, video conferences, and discussion groups, among others. This article presents three uses of educational technology within the field of family therapy: Ron Chenail discusses ways to create distributed learning environments for teaching qualitative research; Tracy Todd describes an online brief therapy course he has developed; and Laura Maggio presents a multimedia program she has developed for analysis and presentation of family of origin issues.

Teaching Family Therapy in the New Millennium: Politics, Practices, and Possibilities

Teaching Family Therapy in the New Millennium: Politics, Practices, and Possibilities

Broadening the Space of Family Education and Training: Opportunities for Transformation

Abstract Educators of future family therapists are positioned to transform family therapy curriculum to respond to U.S. societal changes. This paper views societal change as an opportunity to broaden the space where family therapy learning, teaching, and training occurs. The challenges of global consciousness and the politics of difference encourage transformations in family therapy education. Social constructionism and a collaborative approach to learning and teaching provide the basis for the ideas developed here.

Clinical aspects of obesity in childhood and adolescence.

The level of fatness of a child at which morbidity acutely and/or later in life increases is determined on an acturial basis. Direct measurements of body fat content, e.g. hydrodensitometry, bioimpedance, or DEXA, are useful tools in scientific studies. However, body mass index (BMI) is easy to calculate and is generally accepted now to be used to define obesity in children and adolescents clinically. An increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease in adults has been found in subjects whose BMI had been greater than the 75th percentile as adolescents. Childhood obesity seems to substantially increase the risk of subsequent morbidity whether or not obesity persists into adulthood. The genetic basis of childhood obesity has been elucidated to some extent through the discovery of leptin, the ob gene product, and the increasing knowledge on the role of neuropeptides such as POMC, neuropeptide Y (NPY) and the melanocyte concentrating hormone receptors (for example, MC4R). Environmental/exogenous factors largely contribute to the development of a high degree of body fatness early in life. Twin studies suggest that approximately 50% of the tendency toward obesity is inherited. There are numerous disorders including a number of endocrine disorders (Cushing's syndrome, hypothyroidism, etc.) and genetic syndromes (Prader-Labhard-Willi syndrome, Bardet Biedl syndrome, etc.) that can present with obesity. A simple diagnostic algorithm allows for the differentiation between primary or secondary obesity. Among the most common sequelae of primary childhood obesity are hypertension, dyslipidemia, back pain and psychosocial problems. Therapeutic strategies include psychological and family therapy, lifestyle/behaviour modification and nutrition education. The role of regular exercise and exercise programmes is emphasized. Surgical procedures and drugs used in adult obesity are still not generally recommended in children and adolescents with obesity. As obesity is the most common chronic disorder in industrialized societies, its impact on individual lives as well as on health economics has to be recognized more widely. This review is aimed towards defining the clinical problem of childhood obesity on the basis of current knowledge and towards outlining future research areas in the field of energy homoesostasis and food intake in relation to child health. Finally, one should aim to increase public awareness of the ever increasing health burden and economic dimension of the childhood obesity epidemic that is present around the globe.

Internship training in marriage and family therapy: a survey of doctoral program objectives and implementation.

This article presents the results of a survey that examined the implementation of the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) internship requirement by accredited doctoral Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) programs. Representatives from each of 10 doctoral MFT programs provided responses to questions regarding program objectives for internship training. Respondents also provided subjective impressions regarding the effectiveness with which established internship goals are accomplished, associated benefits and difficulties, and adequacy of the standards. Results suggest that although most programs perceive the internship requirement as beneficial, many express concern regarding the effects of the internship requirement on other aspects of training and in relationship to the overall goals for doctoral MFT education. Conclusions and recommendations are offered based on the mixed findings.

Family therapy trainees' evaluations of their best and worst supervision experiences.

Supervisees in Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education-(COAMFTE) accredited and candidacy training programs were asked to describe their best and worst supervision experiences in terms of the context of training and supervision, the perceived personal attributes of the supervisor, and specific behaviors perceived to be enacted by the supervisor during supervision. Contextual factors such as supervision modality, frequency and duration of supervisory contacts, and sources of supervisory data appeared to distinguish between supervisees' perceptions of their best and worst experiences. These experiences were further distinguished by the supervisees' perceptions regarding the supervisor's level of interpersonal attractiveness, trustworthiness, and expertise. Key behaviors perceived to be enacted by supervisors during best and worst experiences clustered into several dimensions that included creating an open supervisory environment, communication and encouragement, attending to personal growth, and providing conceptual and technical guidance and direction.

Creating Local Knowledge in an Electronic Community: A Learning Project

Creating Local Knowledge in an Electronic Community: A Learning ProjectFrank ThomasFrank ThomasTexas Woman's University.Address correspondence to Frank Thomas, Texas Woman's University, at [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorPublished Online:May 2016https://doi.org/10.1521/jsyt.1999.18.3.69PDFPDF PLUS ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations About Previous article Next article FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Cited byCited byCheryl L. Storm1. Special Section: Opening Our Lives to TechnologyOnline publication date: 1 June 2005. Go to citation Crossref Laura Muscato Maggio, Ron Chenail and Tracy Todd2. Teaching Family Therapy In an Electronic AgeOnline publication date: 1 June 2005. Go to citation Crossref Volume 18Issue 3Sep 1999 Information© 1999 Guilford Publications Inc.PDF download

Gender, Power, and Relationship Ethics In Family Therapy Education

Awareness and sensitivity about gender issues have central positions in family therapy education. Traditionally gender relationships have been treated as either a reflection of cultural values and norms or as a dynamic of the way that men and women deal with the other sex. This paper presents the findings of a qualitative study that examines the meaning and enactment of gender issues in the supervisory process in family therapy. Based on that study, the authors developed a strategy for raising issues of gender equity in clinical training and describe the effects of that strategy on one practicum.

The basic skills evaluation device.

The Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) requires that accredited programs evaluate trainees' clinical skills at various times during trainees' programs. The Commission does not attempt, however, to describe for programs either the nature of the skills nor how they are to be evaluated, leaving this to the programs to create. This paper describes the development and uses of the Basic Skills Evaluation Device (BSED). Using a published list of skills (Figley & Nelson, 1989), data from the literature, and data collected from COAMFTE accredited and candidacy programs, the authors and their colleagues developed a device for supervisors to use in evaluating beginning family therapists. Data regarding the reliability of the device are presented, along with limitations and suggestions for various ways of using the device.

Self issues for family therapy educators.

Family therapy educators frequently encourage self-reflection in their students and clients. However, little attention has been paid to the challenges and processes of the educators themselves. In this piece, four faculty members reflect individually and collectively on their lives and roles as educators. They describe family-of-origin influences, the intersections of their personal and academic lives, systemic factors in the professional setting, balancing work and family, hierarchy, gender, and coping strategies to increase support and reduce competition. They recommend a deliberate process of self-reflection to other family therapy educators and offer suggestions for improving the organizational dynamics of family therapy training programs.

Systematic review of the effectiveness of interventions used in the management of obesity

This paper briefly describes the principles of undertaking a systematic review of the effectiveness of obesity management interventions. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of interventions used in the prevention and treatment of obesity and the maintenance of weight loss. Background: Obesity represents a serious public health problem due to the associated risks of disease and mortality. Prevalence of the condition is increasing and the relevant Health of the Nation target is unlikely to be met. Methods and search strategy: A qualitative systematic review of the research literature, using electronic databases and contact with experts. Inclusion criteria: Randomized controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness of interventions used in managing obesity in which participants were observed for a minimum of 1 year. For studies of prevention, non‐randomized controlled trials with a concurrent control group were also eligible. Results: Ninety‐nine studies were included, most of which had been performed in North America. The methodological quality of many of the studies was poor. Family therapy and community education programmes were shown to be effective in preventing obesity in children and adults, respectively. Programmes based on the reduction of sedentary behaviour were effective in the treatment of obese children. For the treatment of obese adults, behavioural, diet, exercise and drug therapies can be effective when used in combination. Surgery is effective in morbidly obese patients. Weight regain is common following many types of weight loss interventions, and maintenance programmes based on continued contact may be useful. Conclusions: This review has identified some potentially effective interventions for the management of obesity. However, results should be interpreted with caution due to problems with the methodological quality of primary studies.

The Shaping of Family Therapy Education: An Update

The preparation and credentialing of marital and family therapists in the United States and Canada continues to be significantly affected by the role of accreditation in MFT graduate education. This report on a study of Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education accredited degree programs and non-accredited programs shows some significant differences between the two paths to preparation and credentialing. Accredited programs tend to have more faculty, lower faculty-student ratios, more Approved Supervisors, more financial aid, more programs requiring practica and internships, and more emphasis on professional identification with marital and family therapy. Nonaccredited programs provide more emphasis on psychopathology, psychodiagnostic testing, and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Teaching family therapy theory: Do something different

Abstract A literature review revealed few papers discussing the process of teaching family therapy. Described are some alternative teaching methods for a beginning level course. A film about a troubled family stimulated discussion and construction of a series of hypothetical therapy sessions. Course evaluations improved and students were encouraged about applying specific theories to practice. Innovative teaching provides protection against instructor burnout.

FOLLOW‐UP SURVEY OF GRADUATES FROM ACCREDITED DEGREE‐GRANTING MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY TRAINING PROGRAMS

This article reports the results of a mailed survey of 1980, 1983, and 1986 graduates (n = 205) from degree‐granting marriage and family therapy training programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education. The graduates considered themselves (a) sufficiently to quite well prepared in marital/couple therapy, family therapy, and individual therapy with adults and (b) minimally to moderately well prepared in individual therapy with children and adolescents, individual diagnosis, and individual psychological assessment. The presenting problems for which graduates most strongly recommended increased emphasis in their MFT training program were alcoholism, other substance/drug abuse, incest/sexual abuse, and domestic violence.

Continuing medical education in marital and family therapy: a survey of South Australian psychiatrists.

South Australian psychiatrists were surveyed to determine their impressions of the usefulness of marital and family therapy (MFT) in the management of serious psychiatric conditions and to ascertain their previous experience with Continuing Medical Education (CME) about family therapy. It was expected that psychiatrists' preferences regarding CME would be related to their clinical experience of the usefulness of MFT. One hundred and twenty psychiatrists returned a questionnaire about their training, clinical and research interests, with ratings of the usefulness of MFT and CME preferences. This represented 65% of those eligible for the CME programme. Thirteen percent of the respondents found MFT to be extremely useful and a further 47% found it moderately useful in their current practice. There was evidence of a possible training effect: respondents who had previous CME rated MFT as more useful, especially for mood disorders. Furthermore, the treatment of mood disorders seemed to have a particular relevance in family psychiatry, making a statistically unique contribution to ratings of MFT usefulness in the respondents' total practice. Sixty-nine percent of the respondents requested further CME in family therapy. This represented 45% of all South Australian psychiatrists. Respondents who rated MFT as more useful in practice were significantly more likely to be interested in CME. There seems to be sufficient interest and clinical experience among psychiatrists for MFT to be included in CME courses. It is recommended that further training focus on major mental disorders, especially mood disorders and schizophrenia.

Family Therapy Education for Psychiatry Residents

Teaching and clinical supervision of family therapy can enhance a resident's clinical skills and also promote movement from a linear, reductionistic type of thinking to a dynamic understanding of complex systems. Second-year postgraduate residents who completed a 10-month family therapy program were tested for their ability to understand family systems dynamics with the Family Therapy Assessment Exercise. Comparison of their test results before and after the program indicated significant improvement, which was entirely accounted for by improvement in the area of therapeutic skills.