Objective: Because family oriented patient care improves patient outcome and reduces family burden, clinical family skills of communication, assessment, alliance, and support are part of core competencies required of all residents. Teaching residents to "think family" as part of core competencies and to reach out to families requires change in the…

Reviews recent articles in child psychiatry in America, with emphasis on studies of interest to family therapists. Covers normal development, deviant development, and the impact of trauma. Finds differences from "family therapy" literature including multi-causal explanations, respect for scientific studies, reviews of progress in…

Concerns knowledge and thinking of therapist who is link between theory and therapy. Based on self-analysis of single family consultation interview, theories employed and decision points are described. Suggests that therapists can espouse many theories or single ones, but are always confronted with difficult decisions. (Author/NB)

This paper discusses couple decision making with reference to family planning. A decision process is suggested that involves three central factors: (1) the motivations of each partner; (2) the level of incentive to resolve their differences; and (3) the ability of the spouses to perceive, conceptualize, and communicate about their differences.…

Objective: The authors discuss the knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed for a resident to be competent in supporting and working with families, as mandated by the residency review committee (RRC) core competencies. Methods: The RRC core competencies, as they relate to patients and their families, are reviewed. The Group for Advancement of…

Presents a classification system which presumes that information about families can be seen from three different perspectives (historical, interactional, and existential) and that treatment proceeds from three approaches (understanding, transformation, and identification). Discusses how theories from different schools of thought are substantially…

Examines Garfield and Bergin's "Handbook of Psychotherapy and Behavior Change," which emphasizes that marital and family therapy are a type of psychotherapy. Analyzes major findings about nonfamily psychotherapies, applying them to family therapy, and draws conclusions regarding therapists' thinking, emphasizing need for studying applicability of…