ABSTRACT
One of the most salient influences upon a person’s life is their family. Therefore, as practitioners intervening with athletes and performers, it is important to understand the influence of one’s family upon the individual. The family systems approach is broader than traditional individual and/or dyadic models and has been embraced internationally since the 1980s. This model seeks to understand the influence of complex reciprocal family interactions that can influence an athlete’s performance. In order to provide a clear understanding of the family systems approach, this chapter focuses on family systems theory and interventions even though an individual intervention is often integrated into the treatment plan. It addresses the core tenants of the family systems model as it is applied to sport psychology services. The main difference between family systems theory and intervention, and an individual approach is the need to adopt a broader perspective and to consider the influence of a system of reciprocally interacting factors.
