Do Personality Changes Occur in Parents Receiving Behavioral Family Therapy?

The present outcome study is a preliminary report on whether personality changes occur in parents receiving behavioral family therapy. Behavioral techniques for changing the identified patient's presenting problem were taught to the parents and each family member was given a weekly behavioral homework assignment intended to change the dysfunctional interactions assessed in the family.
An analysis of pre and post measures using Cattell's 16PF questionnaire showed a significant decrease in the parent's self-sufficiency index, indicating increased group dependence. The mean number of sessions was 12.6. The results of this study raise questions about the nature of the personality changes occurring in family therapy of this type. Family therapists, often-times assuming the role of the "expert" for the family, may be unwittingly fostering group dependence and losses in confidence for parents receiving such family guidance.     

The Marital/Family Therapist as an Expert Witness: Some Thoughts and Suggestions

The role of the therapist in forensic activities is highlighted from the standpoint of protection of the therapist from unauthorized disclosure to orientation and effectiveness in court in a step-by-step process. Conclusions reached that the adversary process and the role of mental health professional challenge the objectivity needed by the mental health professional.     

The third dimension in social casework: Mary E. Richmond's contribution to family treatment

This article traces the development of family group treatment as conceptualized by Mary E. Richmond (1861–1928). While the main course of social work was following the new individual psychology from Europe after World War I, Richmond was paving the path for a clinical approach that was not to be realized until 30 years later.This is a revised, abbreviated version of a presentation made by the author at a doctoral seminar on the casework roots of practice delivered in 1965 at the School of Social Work, University of Southern California.     

The impact of childcare responsibilities on part-time or single fathers

The study described in this article was designed to determine the effects of childcare involvement on the lifestyles of fathers with young children. One hundred and twenty-seven separated or divorced men were interviewed. Their parental responsibilities ranged from full custody or joint custody to weekends or monthly visits. For the most part these men represented a middle class, highly educated, urban population. The primacy of work and occupational roles in the lives of the fathers was challenged by the contractual obligations of parenting. Fathers who spent time with their children had the opportunity to work out some crisis issues of divorce such as control, interdependence, and self-image. It was found that postdivorce parenting is an important source of resocialization for men in areas of work orientation and personal relationships. It is expected that this new functioning will have positive effects on the structure of reconstituted (i.e., second marriage) families.     

The Family Rule Concept in the Theory of Family Therapy: Part II**

In the second part of this paper the author traces the processes by which it is possible to learn rule conforming behaviours without necessarily being able to formulate the rule or see any point in the rule; the rule is followed blindly. In following a rule blindly a person may nevertheless be engaged in a practice which has a systemic function; he argues that when we positively connote symptomatic behaviours in the process of making paradoxical systemic interventions, we should avoid any suggestion that the family members are acting deliberately with the goal of “helping” in mind.     

The population debate: A survey of opinions of a professional organization's membership

In analyzing results of a survey concerning population issues taken among members of an organization devoted to the scientific study of population, namely, the Population Association of America, we found high agreement that: (1) world population growth was much too high, (2) many of today's serious problems are caused by overpopulation, and (3) the U.S. should help any requesting country establish programs to curtail growth. There was no consensus, however, on issues such as: (1) ideal population size, (2) family planning as the most reasonable means of reducing population growth, (3) the need to initiate coercive birth control immediately, (4) redistribution of resources as a long-term solution to overpopulation, (5) how to solve population problems in time to avoid widespread catastrophe, and (6) whether the U.S. should exert pressure on other countries to establish a family planning program as a prerequisite to economic aid. These findings apply with few exceptions to four subcategories of members defined on the basis of extent of demographic training and employment.