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Partnerships Related Higher Education |
ARCHIVAL DESCRIPTION OF FAMILY PSYCHOLOGY
Brief Characterization
Family Psychology is a specialty in professional psychology that
is focused on the emotions, thoughts, and behavior of individuals, couples,
and families in relationships and in the broader environment in which they function.
It is a specialty founded on principles of systems theory, with the family as
a system being of most central focus. The premise of practice in this specialty
is that family dynamics play a vital role in the psychological functioning of
family members. This applies to extended families as well as nuclear families.
The practice of family psychology takes into consideration as well the family’s
history and current environment (e.g., family history, ethnic culture, community,
school, health care system, and other relevant sources of support or difficulty).
Specialized Knowledge
Family Psychologists acquire specialized knowledge in such areas of human
functioning as:
• General systems theory and its applications to families
and groups as social system
• Life-span human developmental science
• Personality theory and psychopathology
• Group and organizational dynamics
• Ecological psychology
• Communication theory
• Theories, and methods of sociology and anthropology
• Family legal and ethical issues
• Methods of family research
Persons and Groups Served
Family psychologists strive to understand issues presented by persons to be
served not only from the perspective of the presenter(s) but as well through
understanding the contexts in which these issues have developed. Within this
framework family therapists might see:
• Individuals
• Couples
• Families
• Work groups
• Community groups of all kinds
• Organized systems
Problems and Issues Addressed
Some examples of the many problems addressed by Family Psychologists are:
• Relationship issues between individuals who are coupled
• Schooling problems of youngsters
• Behavioral problems of children or adolescents
• Parenting problem
• Adaptational challenges of caring for a family member with a serious
psychological or chronic health problem
• Work-related problems of one or more adults in a family
• Managing the aging problem of a family member or relative
• Problems in relationships between a sub-set of family members
• Problems in communications between two or more persons
• Relationship disturbances based on misperceptions
Procedures Employed
Typical procedures and techniques used by Family Psychologists may include
as appropriate:
• Family assessment including the use of the genogram
• Systems interventions (including family therapy) from a wide array of
emphases
• Network therapy
• Couples therapy
• Group therapy and work group therapy
• Consultation with external authorities such as school professionals,
primary and chronic care physicians, juvenile authorities and the courts
• Supervision of various workers concerned with resolving the presenting
issues