A Beginner's Guide to the Problem‐Oriented First Family Interview
- 1 September 1985
- journal article
- Published by Wiley in Family Process
- Vol. 24 (3), 357-364
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1545-5300.1985.00357.x
Abstract
The large volume and diversity of family therapy resources can often confuse trainees who are in need of more abbreviated guidelines for managing their clinical responsibilities. This paper presents a structured outline of a problem-oriented first family interview for the family therapy supervisor and the beginning family therapist. We view the first interview as an integrated process including the important tasks preceding and following the initial family meeting. After the goals that shape the work of the first interview are described, a step-by-step guide to the twelve phases of the interview is presented: (1) telephoning; (2) forming hypotheses; (3) the greeting; (4) the social phase; (5) identifying the problem; (6) observing family patterns; (7) defining goals; (8) contracting; (9) checklist; (10) revising hypotheses; (11) contacting the referral person; and (12) gathering records. This approach to the first interview integrates a variety of structural and strategic procedures. The guide, intended for use in conjunction with close supervision, may serve as a foundation on which beginning therapists can build their unique styles.Keywords
This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit:
- Multiple Theoretical Approaches to Supervision: Choices in Family Therapy TrainingFamily Process, 1983
- Hypothesizing — Circularity — Neutrality: Three Guidelines for the Conductor of the SessionFamily Process, 1980
- Families and Family TherapyPublished by Harvard University Press ,1974