A Comparison of Seven Family Therapy Approaches

Dimensions which should be part of a family theory are developed by drawing from ‘Integrative Family Therapy’, a theory incorporating the concepts, hypotheses, and techniques of American family therapists. The family theories of seven family therapists (Minuchin, Haley, Zuk, Friedman, Speck, Boszormenyi-Nagy, Rubinstein) are described and compared with one another. Their limitations are shown and thereby the characteristics of approaches of family therapy are indicated. Their contribution to a more encompassing ‘Integrative Family Theory’ is shown.