Courses in Family Therapy for General Practitioners: Identifying Learning Objectives

Abstract

This paper describes two courses whichtrain general practitioners (GPs) in generic family therapy skills applicable to consultations with individuals, couples or families in the general practice setting. and to patients with physical or psychological problems. Based on feedback from previous participants, eight topics were identified and described as useful. These are stressors, genograms, problem clarification, options. involvement of patients. reflection on interventions, recognition of an interactive cycle and review of treatment. General practitioners' skills in these areas can be assessed by asking them to respond in writing to two case vignettes, featuring respectively an individual. and a mother-child dyad. These vignettes have been piloted in previous family therapy courses for GPs and are written as typical presentations to a GP. We give examples of pre and post-course responses of GPs undertaking a short or long course. present and discuss quantitative assessment of learning objectives using structured criteria scored from 0-10,andinclude excerpts from a sixmonth follow up.

Aged Care Residential Facility and Family Interface: A Training Program for Staff

“…This is consistent with previous findings that education not only promotes competence but also sensitivity, such that successful education can result in increased awareness of one's hitherto unrecognized difficulties (Thulesius et al, 2002). Use of the case vignette as an evaluation method tests what participants would do rather than how they think about the situation (Tisher & Jackson, 2003). A critical factor in training is the balance between affirming strengths and developing knowledge about gaps in capacity.…”

“…Case vignettes as assessment tools test applications of learning rather than reports about learning (Tisher & Jackson, 2003 Responses to the self ratings and to the case vignette were analyzed quantitatively, using paired two-tailed t-tests with the significance level set at p = .05.…”

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“…Tisher et al, has identified the main learning objectives for family centered care for GPs, from the feedback sessions of participants in two family therapy courses. The eight identified topics included importance of stressors, genograms, problem clarification, options, involvement of patients, reflection on interventions, and recognition of an interactive cycle and review of treatment [27]. The first four of these topics are relevant in the General Knowledge domain for managing children with ASDs in primary care, while the later four are relevant in the Surveillance dimension.…”

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“…A search within the Australian Psychological Society's Australian Psychologist from 1966 and Clinical Psychologist from 1996 (since the journals were first published) yielded no relevant publications. A search within the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy in the past 10 years on training yielded five related papers (Allison, Perlesz, & Pote, 2002;Larner et al, 2002;Mason, Gibney, & Crago, 2002;Young, Stuart, Rubenstein, Boyle, Schotten, & McCormick ,2003;Tisher & Jackson, 2003).…”