THE FAMILY THERAPY PROFESSION: UNIVERSITY AND INSTITUTE PERSPECTIVES

PHILIP WAYNE HENRY, Purdue University

Abstract

For this investigation, 150 faculty and 500 students from 10 institute and 12 university family therapy training programs were surveyed. They expressed their opinions about the family therapy profession, training and supervision, their professional identities and affiliations, theory, the ideal family therapy training program and therapy for students. Results indicated faculty and students generally identified themselves as family therapists and perceived family therapy as a unique clinical profession. Furthermore, the American Association for Marital and Family Therapy was the principal professional organization for most subjects. Both faculty and students joined AAMFT to achieve personal professional goals rather than to enhance an emerging profession. Both students and faculty preferred professional activities associated with direct client contact. Community service work was important to a higher percentage of faculty than students. Theoretically, most subjects were eclectic and felt free to reject their programs' orientations. Live supervision was preferred but not routinely used. Institutes were perceived as less interested in research and general theory development and more devoted to family therapy training. They wished to strengthen their bonds with universities. Universities were perceived as committed to establishing the family therapy profession. Research and theory were hallmarks for these programs. Tradition of therapy for students was upheld. Those opposed denied its necessity because they doubted its link to effective therapy. Also, they believed coercion and privacy invasions could occur. The ideal family therapy training program was degree-granting with a moderately flexible curriculum. Institutes eschewed mandatory research and AAMFT approved supervisors. Universities disagreed. In general, similarities were more numerous than differences among students and faculty and between program settings.

Degree

Ph.D.

Subject Area

Psychotherapy

COinS