ABSTRACT
This chapter presents programs and interventions that are designed to improve family communication and relationships. Because there is no such thing as a “perfect” family, it is assumed that virtually everyone can benefit from improved family communication. But can families actually improve their communication and relationships? If so, how is this achieved? Are efforts to improve family communication only for distressed families who seek therapy? Is there anything that can be done to help couples who are planning to marry so that their communication patterns do not lead them down the road to divorce? Can communication training help parents do a better job of raising their children? These are just some of the questions that are explored in this chapter as we review examples of the more organized and documented techniques and programs to improve family communication. These techniques are organized into primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies. The design, goals, and evidence supporting such interventions as PREP, PREPARE, marriage encounter, behavioral parent training, systematic training for effective parenting, the couples communication program, cognitive-behavioral family therapy, and structural family therapy are examined to illustrate different approaches to improving family communication.
