ABSTRACT
Family therapy has become an increasingly popular mode of treatment over the last two decades (Epstein and Bishop, 1973; Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry, 1970; Gurman and Kniskern, 1978; Haley, 1971; Olson, 1970; Zuk, 1971). Its acceptance has not been limited to psychiatry and other mental health fields, for it is increasingly viewed as an important development by family medicine (Comley, 1973; Epstein and McAuley, 1978; McFarlane, Norman, and Spitzer, 1971; McFarlane, O'Connell, and Hay, 1971; Patriarche, 1974; Stanford, 1972), by pediatrics (Finkel, 1974; McClelland, Staples, Weisberg, and Bergin, 1973; Tomm, 1973), and by those working with the disabled (Bishop and Epstein, 1979). Training programs and study curricula in family therapy have grown tremendously in the last ten years (Bishop and Epstein, 1979; Liddle and Halpin, 1978). Reports of a significant amount of research have also appeared (DeWitt, 1978; Glick and Haley, 1971; Gurman and Kniskern, 1978; Guttman, Spector, Sigal, Rakoff, and Epstein, 1971; Olson, 1970; Santa-Barbara, Woodward, Levin, Streiner, Goodman, and Epstein, 1975; Wells, Dilkes,
and Trivelli, 1972; Woodward, Santa-Barbara, Levin, Epstein, and Streiner, 1977; Woodward, Santa-Barbara, Levin, Goodman, Streiner, and Epstein, 1975; Woodward, Santa-Barbara, Levin, Goodman, Streiner, Muzzin, and Epstein, 1974). Several authors have pointed to the need for clear descriptions of conceptual orientations and the specifics of the therapy process (Epstein and Bishop, 1973; Liddle and Halpin, 1978).
