AIMS: To present a systemic family therapy approach for children with psychiatric disorders, based on multiple family therapy principles and employing video-feedback and peer review techniques. Children and their parents together attend a family day clinic for periods of between 3 and 14 weeks. METHOD: We report on conceptual and clinical work, with case examples and discussion of a pilot study. RESULTS: At 6 months follow-up there are symptomatic and behavioural improvements in 75 % of the children and 90 % of the parents. CONCLUSIONS: Active involvement of parents in the therapy of their children appears to lead to better and longer lasting treatment results. Extensive interdisciplinary work between adult and child psychiatric services is needed, particularly with the more severe spectrum of parental psychiatric disorders.
AIMS: To present a systemic family therapy approach for children with psychiatric disorders, based on multiple family therapy principles and employing video-feedback and peer review techniques. Children and their parents together attend a family day clinic for periods of between 3 and 14 weeks. METHOD: We report on conceptual and clinical work, with case examples and discussion of a pilot study. RESULTS: At 6 months follow-up there are symptomatic and behavioural improvements in 75 % of the children and 90 % of the parents. CONCLUSIONS: Active involvement of parents in the therapy of their children appears to lead to better and longer lasting treatment results. Extensive interdisciplinary work between adult and childpsychiatric services is needed, particularly with the more severe spectrum of parental psychiatric disorders.
Authors: Tilman Furniss; Jörg M Müller; Sandra Achtergarde; Ida Wessing; Marlies Averbeck-Holocher; Christian Postert Journal: Int J Ment Health Syst Date: 2013-04-20