The Family Health Scale is an instrument designed to quantify the quality of family functioning from the perspective of an external clinical observer. Rating may be based on whatever information is available on the family but, ideally, should be derived from a valid standardized method of direct observation like the Family Task Interview (Kinston and Loader, 1986). Clinical judgement must be exercised in rating, and new methods to enhance its quality have been devised. The scale may be used with nonlabelled, as well as psychiatrically labelled, families. The FHS has demonstrated consistently high inter‐rater agreement, and test‐retest reliability. Evidence is also offered for its validity and specificity.
This article introduces the concept of goal-corrected empathic attunement, a process we consider essential to psychotherapy. We locate the concept within the theoretical framework of attachment theory, illustrate it through sequences of interaction taken from video clips, and show how to achieve statistically reliable ratings using independent raters.
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