ABSTRACT
In the last decade, the rate of growth of research on the outcomes of marital and family therapy has been astounding. Consider some crude indices of this growth. In 1972, Wells et al. published the first review of outcome studies in the family area, and could identify only 13 relevant reports, with a total sample of 290; a year later, Gurman (1973b), offering the first broad review of the results of marital therapy, identified 15 studies totaling 726 cases. Only five years later, Gurman and Kniskern (1978a) presented the most comprehensive analysis of outcome research in marital and family therapy to date and were able to examine over 200 reports, with a total N approaching 5,000.
