FAMILY THERAPY - A SUMMARY OF SELECTED LITERATURE

• NCJ Number: 66854
• Author(s): B SOWDER; S DICKEY; T J GLYNN
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 48 pages
• Contract Number(s): 271-77-4519
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: Burt Associates, Inc
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: SERVICES RESEARCH MONOGRAPH SERIES

Annotation

THIS REVIEW SUMMARIZES SELECTED LITERATURE ON FAMILY THERAPY, WITH EMPHASIS ON ITS EFFECTIVENESS WITH DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSERS AND CRIMINAL POPULATIONS.

Abstract

THE LITERATURE REVIEWED WAS WRITTEN OR PUBLISHED THROUGH 1977. ACCOUNTS OF FAMILY THERAPY BEGAN TO APPEAR IN THE MENTAL HEALTH LITERATURE IN THE EARLY 1950'S. IT HAS GRADUALLY GAINED WIDESPREAD ACCEPTANCE AS A PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTION TECHNIQUE. TYPES OF FAMILY THERAPY INCLUDE MULTIPLE IMPACT THERAPY, STRUCTURED FAMILY THERAPY, AND OTHER SYSTEMS-ORIENTED APPROACHES AS ADVOCATED BY GREGORY BATESON, VIRGINIA SATIR, AND MURRY BOWEN. THESE TECHNIQUES ARE NOT A METHOD OF TREATMENT AS MUCH AS AN ORIENTATION TO HUMAN PROBLEMS. FAMILY THERAPY HAS BEEN USED AS BOTH A PRIMARY APPROACH AND AS A SECONDARY APPROACH TO DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT. ALTHOUGH CLINICALLY-BASED REPORTS ARGUE THAT FAMILY THERAPY CAN AID DRUG ABUSERS, ESPECIALLY ADOLESCENTS, FEW OUTCOME DAT EXIST TO SUPPORT THE CLINICAL LITERATURE. CLINICAL REPORTS PROMOTING THE USE OF FAMILY THERAPY FOR ALCOHOL ABUSERS ARE NOT SUPPORTED BY TWO SMALL-SCALE STUDIES ON CLIENT ATTITUDES, ALTHOUGH EMPIRICAL STUDIES PROVIDE LIMITED SUPPORT FOR THE CLINICAL IMPRESSIONS. THE USE OF FAMILY THERAPY WITH ADULTS IN THE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM HAS BEEN LIMITED TO PILOT OR EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAMS. FAMILY THERAPY HAS BEEN CREDITED WITH DEALING WITH SUCH PROBLEMS AS INSTITUTIONALIZATION, EXTENDED FAMILY SEPARATION, AND OFFENDERS' INADEQUATE SOCIALIZATION. IT IS MOST WIDELY ACCEPTED AS A TREATMENT FOR JUVENILE DELINQUENTS, ESPECIALLY IN CONNECTION WITH DIVERSION PROGRAMS. ALTHOUGH OUTCOME REPORTS CONSIDER IT TO BE AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN BOTH DIVERSION AND IN REDUCTION OF RECIDIVISM, FAMILIES DISAGREE ON THE EXTENT OF ITS EFFECTIVENESS. FAMILY THERAPY RESEARCH SHOULD FOCUS ON WELL-CONTROLLED LONGITUDINAL STUDIES ON THE EFFECTS OF DRUG ABUSE, ON TREATMENT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF FAMILIES, AND ON OPTIMAL USE IN DRUG ABUSE, COSTS OF TREATMENT, AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR PROVIDERS. A FOOTNOTE AND A REFERENCE LIST ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)