Family therapy: A case for training for school psychologists

Abstract

This article presents both a rationale and methodology for family involvement by school personnel and underscores the need for school psychology training programs to respond programmatically to the training of their students in understanding and working with families. A family systems approach is adopted by the authors and is presented in the form of key questions concerning some important family dynamics. Five applications of this framework in the school setting are discussed.Parental involvement in the education of their children has been accepted with caution and at times trepidation by the educational establishment. At the same time, the need for parental involvement beyond PTA and fund-raising programs is recognized in the light of the implications of PL 94-142 for joint parent-school participation in identification, assessment, and intervention strategies. This emphasis historically has centered upon the school, parents, and children as discrete entities, rather than as systems that share many elements in common.The literature on family therapy and on the expanding role of the various schoolbased professionals (school psychologists, social workers, and counselors) argues for more school contact with families; the rationale and procedures for such involvement, however, have not always been clearly presented.The purpose of this paper is to present both a rationale and a methodology for family involvement, and to underscore the need for school psychology training programs to respond programmatically to the training of their students in understanding and working with families. While there are several different approaches to family theory and therapy, the authors present their views on the family as a system and its interaction with another system-the school. RATIONALE FOR FAMILY INVOLVEMENTThe home and the school are two of the most important systems for the child, and what occurs in one system can substantially affect the other. Problem school behavior usually has its correlates within the home and helps to define the nature of family relationships. Accordingly, the study of the relationships within the home can shed considerable light on the problems children experience in public education (Christensen, 1972).Several family theorists stress that the symptom of the identified patient, in this case the child, can serve to preserve the equilibrium of the family. The family, in turn, supports the child's symptom, which is, in many cases, school related. Buxbaum (1964) noted the "symbiotic relationship" between infants and their mothers that resulted in the retardation of their developmental milestones. Miller and Westman (1964) studied children who, as inhibited readers, maintained their family stability through their disability. Likewise, prevention of adequate learning occurred for preadolescent underachievers whose parents were reportedly in some crisis (Esterson, Feldman, & Requests for reprints should be sent to Marvin J. Fine, School of Education, Bailey Hall, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045. 24 1

School psychologists' perceptions of priorities for dealing with the dropout problem

“…Research linking the practice of school psychology with the dropout dilemma is not entirely lacking. However, only a few studies were found exploring the role of school psychologists in dropout prevention (Pagliocca & Sandoval, 1995;Green & Fine, 1980;Fine & Holt, 1981). Pagliocca and Sandoval (1995) indicated that school psychologists can assist school counselors in providing counseling services in the schools.…”

“…Another study discussed the implications of training school psychologists in using a family systems approach with school dropouts (Green & Fine, 1980). The family is presented as a system that interacts with another system (the school).…”

Attending to the Context of Family Treatment: Pitfalls and Prospects

“…As with medicine and churches, the school is a universally available institution for families with schoolage children. School counselors, working in collaboration with teachers, may be the first professionals to become aware of serious family dysfunction, manifested in a child's school problem (Green & Fine, 1980). Similarly, parents can have access to school counselors about minor behavioral problems that are discussed in the broader context of the child's academic progress.…”

Intervention from a systems-ecological perspective.

“…This article attempts to consolidate and extend ideas on a systems-ecological perspective in relation to school-based consultants such as school psychologists and social workers. The thesis is that by viewing the disruptive child in a systems-ecological context, some potentially successful interventions can occur (Apter, 1982; Fine & Holt, 1983; Green & Fine, 1979; Pfeiffer & Tittler, 1983; Swapp, 1978; Wendt & Zake, 1984). A systems-ecological orientation seems particularly suited to school-based mental health consultants.…”