Describes the Milan method of working with families, including a pattern of creative teamwork that separates the therapists' cognitive constructions from the family's belief systems, a style of interviewing that releases information latent in the family, and some novel interventions that facilitate the family's capacity to discover nonsymptomatic…

This paper reviews family therapy with chronically dysfunctional families including the development of family therapy and current trends which appear to give little guidance toward working with severely dysfunctional families. A theoretical stance based upon the systems approach to family functioning and pathology is presented which suggests: (1)…

Within diverse sets of nonmarital relationships it is postulated that similar developmental stages emerge. Delineation of these stages provides a framework for understanding the many complexities of nonmarital interacting systems. Five hypothetical developmental stages are presented and applied to two types of nonmarital dyads. (Author)

This report identifies the need of counselors of various persuasions to be trained not only in psychodynamics and interpersonal relations, but also for understanding the mileau in which the dynamics operate. In a complex technological society those professionals working with families need both these skills in interpersonal facilitation and…

The author present a five-stage intervention model to be used in counseling with couples. The model stages include structuring, observation and assessment, interruption of the system, deviation and amplification, and responding to individuation. (Author/HLM)

A description of the Youth Services Demonstration Project currently being conducted at Alcoholism Services of Cleveland is presented. The family systems approach model used by the project incorporates the following procedures into a multiphase program: (1) assessment and contracting sessions; (2) selection of one of three possible treatment…

Understanding and developing skills in working with families are important for school psychologists. By viewing a child's problems from a family systems framework, new interventions such as short-term family therapy can be employed. Training programs should include courses in family therapy. (JAC)

The truncated nuclear family consists of a two-generation group in which conflict has produced a polarization of values. The single-parent family is at special risk. Go-between process enables the therapist to depolarize sharply conflicted values and reduce pathogenic relating. (Author)

Describes five highly structured writing assignments for teaching family therapy trainees to think in systems terms: 1) analysis of a communication task; 2) family assessment report; 3) family treatment plan; 4) analysis of a marital or family therapy interview; and 5) family autobiography. Discusses the overall training context. (Author)

This paper describes the application of a systems approach model to assessing families with a labeled noncompliant child. The first section describes and comments on the applied methodology for the model. The second section describes the classification of 61 families containing a child labeled by the family as noncompliant. An analysis of data…

Traditional psychological theories which focus on the pathological tendencies of the individual account for little of the reported widespread spouse abuse. Social exchange and general systems theories focus on problems in the relationship rather than problems in the person. Given that a family perspective may be helpful in long-term treatment of…

Program is based on Family Systems Theory. Families are seen from three to seven sessions for evaluation and counseling. Gears interventions toward mobilizing family resources to having parents take responsibility to negotiate an agreement putting their child's interests first. Makes recommendations to the court. Preliminary results are positive.…