ABSTRACT
The purpose of family assessment is to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a family as perceived by its members and by the evaluating clinician. The assessment should be conducted in the spirit of understanding the family from its indigenous perspective as well as from the perspective of the larger society in which the family functions. This chapter shows issues that may significantly impact the outcome of a family assessment. It presents the basics of completing an evaluation. The chapter describes some theories and concepts concerning families. It utilises ecological theory to explore the idea that families, as units, function in different settings and from each setting receive an array of social and emotional contributions that influence their stability and functioning. One of the most common errors of clinicians is to homogenize people in categories that permit a prescriptive approach to assessment and psychotherapy.
