ABSTRACT

Three major problems confront the practitioner in trying to formulate criteria for adopting a family psychotherapeutic approach. In the first place, general systems theory increases the complexity of the selection criteria, even while enabling the practitioner to arrive at a more sophisticated conclusion. In chapter 1, Table 1.1 analysed the relationship of family therapy to five other major treatment modalities available for use by the social worker. Table 1.2 divided family therapy into six sub-specialities, helping to refine the nature of the treatment method as it is applied in different clinical situations. If Tables 1.1 and 1.2 are studied in conjunction with one another, it will be readily appreciated that when deciding whether or not to use family therapy, the practitioner must take into account three overall considerations. First, he must make the decision to use family therapy or another treatment modality given a particular set of clinical circumstances. Second, if he selects family therapy, he must decide which sub-speciality of the method to employ. Third, having decided which sub-speciality to employ, he has to consider whether this should be undertaken alone; or in conjunction with another sub-speciality of family therapy; or in conjunction with another treatment modality, or both. (See Figure 9.1.) links treatment modalities (outer band); family therapy sub-specialities (middle band); and degrees of treatment intensity (inner band). The figure suggests the way in which a choice on each band has to be matched up with a choice on each of the other two. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315814711/bdb6e865-4f26-4078-b25b-7354034d6b84/content/fig9_1_B.tif" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>