The Crises in Family Therapy

Abstract

This article critically examines the theoretical base of family therapy. It is argued that family therapy lacks a unified theoretical base. The “theories” underlying family therapy are seen as practical guidelines rather than comprehensive models of family functioning, hence, there is not a close link between theory and practice in this field. Furthermore, those theories do not specify the processes underlying family functioning, not do they relate learning principles with abnormal behaviour and social psychological processes. In an attempt to develop a more unified and integrative approach to family therapy, this article presents an overview of paradigmatic family therapy, (Gross, 1991), which is based on the principles of paradigmatic behaviour therapy (Staats, 1990). A theoretical framework is presented that attempts to relate personality functioning with social and abnormal behaviour in families on the basis of language processes and learning principles. Whereas this approach gives attention to the involvement of personality repertoires in family functioning, other family therapy approaches seem to neglect the influence of personality on social behaviour. As social environments are regarded as possessing affective, reinforcing, and directive properties, they may contribute to the development and maintenance of abnormal behaviour. Furthermore, such behaviour may influence social environments. Thus, PFT examines the bi-directional influence of individuals and social systems on each other. PFT also incorporates a clinical framework that can be linked with various family therapy techniques. PFT aims to relate unified therapeutic procedures with a comprehensive theory of family problems. Although PFT is currently in an early state of development, it has heuristic value.