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 leaching of these approaches in General Psychiatry Training Programs are addressed.
References
1.
BowenM.Family therapy after twenty years. In: ArietiSilvano, eds. American handbook of psychiatry, revised edition.New York: Basic Books, Vol V, Chapter 18, 1975: 365–392.
2.
GurmanA.S., KniskernD.P.Preface. In: GurmanA.S., KniskernD.P., eds. Handbook of family therapy.New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1981.
3.
LiddleH.A.On the problems of eclecticism: a call for epistemologic clarification and human scale theories.Fam Process1982; 21: 243–250.
4.
KuhnT.S.The structure of scientific revolutions, second edition.Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1970.
5.
JacobsonN.S.Toward a nonsectarian blueprint for the empirical study of family therapies.J Mar Fam Ther1985; 11 (2): 163–165.
6.
GurmanA.S., KniskernD.P.Family therapy outcome research: known and unknowns. In: GurmanA., KniskernD.P., eds. Handbook of family therapy.New York: Brunner/Mazel.
7.
KantorD., NealJ.H.Integrative shifts for the theory and practice of family systems theory.Fam Process1985; 24: 13–30.
8.
WynneL.C.Forward. In: GurmanA.S., KniskernD.P., eds. Handbook of family therapy.New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1981.
9.
GurmanA.S., KniskernD.P.Research on marital and family therapy: progress, perspective and prospect. In: GarfieldS., BerginA., eds. Handbook of psychotherapy and behaviour changes, second edition.New York: John Wiley, 1978.
10.
TuckerS.J., PinsofW.M.The empirical evaluation of family therapy training.Fam Process1984; 23: 437–456.
11.
MatarazzoR.Research on the teaching and learning of psychotherapeutic skills. In: GarfieldS., BerginA., eds. Handbook of psychotherapy and behaviour changes, second edition.New York: John Wiley, 1978.
12.
LangsleyD.G.Teaching family therapy to psychiatric residents and child psychiatry fellows: a department chairman's point of view. In: FlomenhaftK., CuristA.E., eds. The challenge of family therapy: a dialogue for child psychiatry educators.New York/London: Plenum Press, 1980.
13.
KieslerD.J.The process of psychotherapy: empirical foundations and systems of analysis.Chicago: Aldline Publishing Co., 1973.
14.
PinsofW.M.Family therapy process research. In: GurmanA.S., KniskernD.P., eds. Handbook of family therapy.New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1981.
15.
KniskernD.P.Climbing out of the pit: further guidelines for family therapy research.J Mar Fam Ther1985; 11 (2): 159–162.
16.
JacobsonN.S.A review of the research on the effectiveness of marital therapy. In: PaolinoT.L., McGradyB.S., eds. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1978.
17.
WellsR.A., DezenA.E.The results of family therapy revisited: the nonbehavioural methods.Fam Process1978; 17: 251–274.
18.
WellsR.A.Discussion. Panel presented at the American Orthopsychiatric Association Meeting, New York City, April, 1977.
19.
JacobsonN.S.Family therapy outcome research: potential pitfalls and prospects.J Mar Fam Ther1985; 11 (2): 149–158.
LindenbaumS., ClarkD.Toward an integrative approach to the psychotherapy with children.Am J Orthopsychiatry1983; 53 (3).
25.
AckermanN.W.The psychodynamics of family life.New York: Norton,1958.
26.
JacksonD.D., YalonI.Conjoint family therapy as an aid to intensive psychotherapy. In: BurtonA. ed. Modern psychotherapeutic practice.Palo Alto: Science and Behaviour Books, 1965: 80–89.
27.
Boszormenyi-NagyI., FramoJ.L.Intensive family therapy.New York: Harper & Row,1985.
28.
American academy of child psychiatry committee on family therapy, position statement on the child psychiatric approach to family therapy.Newsletter, Am Acad Child Psychiatry Autumn,1982.
29.
SilverL.B., SilverB.J.Clinical practice of child psychiatry: a survey.J Am Acad Child Psychiatry1982; 22: 573–579.
30.
SugarmanS.Integrating family therapy training into psychiatry residency programs: policy issues and alternatives.Fam Process1984; 23: 23–32.
31.
American Psychiatric Association, report of Task Force on Family Therapy and Psychiatry.Final Draft, 1982.
