Field Of Family Therapy Research Articles

The problem of gender in family therapy theory.

The field of family therapy is now a continuous process like a car cruising on automatic control with the driver comfortably in the lotus position. Family therapy theory rests on normative concepts of the traditional family and idealized conceptions of family relationships. Inequalities in the family associated with gender have been regarded as of little importance to the development of macro theory in the field. The two most influential therapeutic models, psychodynamic and systemic approaches, are each marked by gender bias. The alpha prejudice of psychodynamic theories exaggerates gender differences; the beta prejudice of systemic approaches ignores them. The construction of gender role concepts has led to a false dichotomy, whether supported by traditionalists or feminists. On close examination, gender role ideals turn out to be simplifications and caricatures. The uncritical use of gender role concepts supports power differences between men and women and ignores the complexities and commonalities of human experience. The failure of family therapy theory to deal with gender issues needs to be addressed if a theory that is not just "more of the same" is to be developed.

Beyond Objectivism and Relativism: Implications for Family Therapy Research

Among recent philosophers of science, a trend has emerged that has been described elsewhere as a movement beyond objectivism and relativism. Within the field of family therapy, a parallel movement can be observed that has been promoted by the constructivist implications of contemporary cybernetics. Together, these trends have called into question traditional notions of objectivity. In this paper, research implications of the emerging alternative epistemology are proposed.

Researching Family Therapy

The field of family therapy has enjoyed a rapid increase in popularity over the last decade, particularly amongst practically orientated clinical psychologists who are possibly more concerned with pragmatic though poorly defined outcomes than with rigorous and systematically defined outcome criteria. The present article stresses the importance of rigorous evaluation in family therapy process research and explores some of the limitations of applying conventional quantitative methods and criteria to such research. A review of research projects suggests that there is an impasse in the development of research which is simultaneously of use to the systems-orientated practitioner and satisfies criteria of methodological and theoretical rigor. Clinicians and researchers in the field are urged to promote the development of innovative research approaches in an attempt to resolve the impasse.

Handbook of Structured Techniques in Marriage and Family Therapy

Published in the year 1986, Handbook of Structured Techniques in Marriage and Family Therapy is a valuable contribution to the field of Family Therapy.

Family Therapy as a Movement: Epistemological Barriers to Ontological Freedom

This paper is an adaptation of a plenary address given at the meeting of the American Association for Family Therapy in 1985. It singles out an unexamined notion in the field of family therapy: “How Can We Not Talk to Ourselves?” Is talking merely a way of creating the illusion of an “other” who is external and independent of ourselves, an object we can fix by treatment or education. It points out that the family therapy movement began with those who dared to violate the then, current epistemological rules. It strongly supports the need for the continuation of this revolutionary epistemology in view of concerns for the field's current stagnation.

Family therapy--where are we, and where are we going?

There has been considerable growth and development in the field of family assessment and therapy over the past thirty years. This management approach provides a useful tool in the assessment, management and treatment of children, adolescents and families with various psychiatric disorders and mental health problems. This paper provides a broad overview and a critical evaluation of the present state of the art, paying particular attention to the integration and present status of clinical practice, theoretical models, research, teaching and training programs. Based on the emerging trends, directions for the future are suggested including an exploration of the integration of different therapeutic modalities. Finally, the practical problems associated with the teaching of these approaches in General Psychiatry Training Programs are addressed.

Behavioral family therapy symposium

Abstract The Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center (AECOM/MMC) Department of Psychiatry and the Gralnick Foundation/ High Point Hospital jointly sponsored the Second Annual Einstein Symposium on November 7, 1985 commemorating the centennial year of Yeshiva University. The symposium, focusing on Behavioral Family Therapy, opened with the presentation of the Einstein Award for Research in Psychiatry to B. F. Skinner by Herman van Praag, Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry. After Skinner's discussion of the role of emotions in behavior analysis, several nationally renowned clinical researchers in the field of behavioral family therapy presented findings of their recent work.

Perceptions of professional needs, practice patterns and critical issues facing family therapy trainers and supervisors

Abstract The field of family therapy has grown dramatically in the past decade. However, the field's training and supervision subsystems have lagged developmentally compared to the advancement of clinical methodologies. Recent reviews of the family therapy training literature found this corner of the field fragmented and disorganized despite the impressive proliferation of training opportunities. Few attempts have been made to provide an overall, empirically based view of the family therapy training and supervision field. This article presents some of the results of a 2-year study of the training and supervision field as seen through the eyes of the trainers and supervisors themselves. The research explored this field's contents, boundaries, prevalent themes, and prediction of future trends, drawn from a representative portion of the field's members—the Approved Supervisors of the American Association of Marital and Family Therapists and the members of the American Family Therapy Association.

A Matter of Influence: An Interview with John H. Weakland

John Weakland, Associate Director, Brief Therapy Institute, Palo Alto, graciously agreed to be interviewed on Columbus Day (a public holiday in the United States) at short notice, and despite the time constraints of his busy practice and the interviewer's being in San Francisco for only four days. It is hoped that the resulting interview does justice to John Weakland's profound influence on the field of family therapy since its beginnings.

The Collaborative Team as a Training and Therapeutic Tool

Within the field of systemic family therapy, the collaborative team is emerging as a powerful training approach as well as a valuable therapeutic tool. This article presents the collaborative team as a method of counselor supervision and training. Issues around the developing team process and potential pitfalls are elaborated. Finally, examples, which serve to integrate discussion of training and clinical applications, are presented.

Redefining the Mission of Family Therapy Training

This paper argues for a broadening of the very mission of family therapy training. This challenge to family therapy trainers is organized according to the following four-tiered schema: a) within family therapy, b) between family therapy and psychotherapy, c) among family therapy and other related fields, and d) between family therapy and society. At each of these levels, important questions for family therapy trainers are posed and discussed.

Integration: A coming of age

Integration is one of the most prevalent contemporary themes in the field of family therapy. This discussion proposes a process-based model of integration which transcends theoretical content. A brief review of integrative efforts in the field of marriage and family therapy is followed by an exploration of issues related to theoretical content. A model for understanding the personal process of integration is developed which articulates a five stage process of integration. Finally, after a brief character development to illustrate the different stages, some initial implications for a process-based model of integration are explored.

ON THE NEED FOR CONVERSATION IN THE FAMILY THERAPY FIELD

It is argued that the field of family therapy has entered a period which is characterized by a considerable absence of conversation. Such a lack hinders the field's development and increasingly saps its vitality. It is proposed that there be an annual working conference, founded on conversation and dialogue, which would rigorously examine (one at a time) the core issues of the field. It is further proposed that the papers and discussions at each conference be published as an annual monograph.

Epistemology, systems theories and the theory of family therapy

Abstract In recent years, the family therapy field has witnessed a renewed interest in systems theory, coupled with a concern with epistemology. This paper examines the theoretical dilemmas which arise from the polarization of family epistemologies into the pragmatic and the aesthetic. It then examines the problem of ascertaining the truth of any theory, from three different perspectives: truth as fact; truth as coherence; truth as usefulness. It concludes with the presentation of four advantages of applying systems theory to the theory and practice of family therapy.

Family therapy supervision: A review and critique of the literature

This article reviews literature related to family therapy supervision which appeared in major journals between 1980 and August, 1985. The authors conclude that the level of theoretical inquiry and research regarding family therapy supervision has not kept pace with broader developments in theory and practice in the field. A selected review of clinical supervision literature from allied disciplines is included to provide an impetus for the family therapy field.

Maps and mapmaking: Developing the systemic paradigm of family functioning

This paper presents the Systemic Paradigm of Family Functioning (SPFF) as an organizing framework for integrating models of family therapy. Therapists can use the SPFF to understand and integrate existing models of family therapy and to create their own personal models of family therapy. The SPFF framework highlights the interrelationships among the four generic models which dominate the field of family therapy. Personal models of family therapy are based on maps of family functioning derived from one of these more generic models.

The confusion about epistemology and "epistemology"--and what to do about it.

The epistemology debates within the field of family therapy have become relatively infrequent in the last year or so, perhaps as a consequence of the confusion they have generated for many family therapists. This article maintains that the primary reason for the confusion is a failure to distinguish clearly between the conventional meaning of the term epistemology, which concerns the nature of knowledge, and the unconventional meaning given the term in family therapy, which concerns the nature of what we know. It is proposed that the confusion can be diminished by understanding the relationship between the two meanings, which are here distinguished as epistemology (meaning 1) and epistemology (meaning 2) respectively. Particular attention is given to the logical consequences of adopting a position on epistemology (meaning 1)--e.g., is the knower capable of knowing an independent reality, or does the act of knowing make its own reality?--or on epistemology (meaning 2)--e.g., is causality linear or nonlinear?. The relevance and implications of these problems for the theory and practice of family therapy are discussed.

Families and Individual Development: Provocations from the Field of Family Therapy

Families and Individual Development: Provocations from the Field of Family Therapy

Families and Individual Development: Provocations from the Field of Family Therapy

Family therapy suggests a reformulation of concept and method in studying the family and individual development: to regard the family as an organized system and the individual as a contributing member, part of the process that creates and maintains the patterns that regulate behavior. In this review, the theories and clinical experiences of family therapists are regarded as a resource for developmental psychology, and particular attention is paid to those aspects that challenge traditional formulations in the developmental field. The review focuses on systems theory as the paradigm underlying family therapy and considers the implications of this framework for conceptions of the individual, the study of parent-child interaction, and new research formulations and areas of study. It also considers trends in the developmental field that move toward such formulations.

Twenty years of family therapy in Israel: a personal journey.

This article is a personal statement of my beliefs and practice of family therapy, from the time I first introduced the concept to Israel over twenty years ago to the present day. It reflects the evolution and changes in my clinical work against the background of major developments in the field of family therapy.