Inter- and intrafamily interaction in multifamily group therapy

Evidence base for Multiple Family Therapy (MFT) in non‐psychiatric conditions and problems: a review (part 2)

“…Around thirty years ago, three interesting studies were carried out on this subject (Cassano, ; Gould and DeGroot, ; Reiss and Costell, ) . Although dominant patterns of interaction were not exactly the same across studies – probably because of differences in diagnoses, therapeutic contexts, group characteristics and therapists' styles of intervention – stable trends nevertheless emerged, such as decreased therapist involvement and increased peer and inter‐family interactions over time.…”

“…Although dominant patterns of interaction were not exactly the same across studies – probably because of differences in diagnoses, therapeutic contexts, group characteristics and therapists' styles of intervention – stable trends nevertheless emerged, such as decreased therapist involvement and increased peer and inter‐family interactions over time. Two of the studies (Cassano, ; Gould and DeGroot, ) showed dominant and somewhat rigid intra‐family parent‐child interactions during the early phases of the group, which eventually evolved towards more varied and flexible processes involving more inter‐family interactions. In closer agreement with Curry's observations, the third study (Reiss and Costell, ) revealed the predominance of peer subgroups that were maintained over the life of the group, with little parent‐adolescent interaction.…”

“… One of these studies (Gould and Degroot, ), which involved schizophrenic patients and their families, has already been summarized in another review article on MFT for psychiatric disorders. We include it again in this review as it contributes to the emergence of general trends from this otherwise limited body of research.…”

Multiple Family Therapy: Current Status and Critical Appraisal

“…In the second study, Gould and DeGroot (30) examined the interactions in a twelve‐session multiple family group of nine families with a hospitalized adolescent or young adult. In contrast to Reiss and Costell's findings, their analyses of records of who‐spoke‐to‐whom revealed greater intrafamily than interfamily interaction.…”

“…Therapist ratings of the scope and quality of the family's social support system at the initial, post, and follow‐up periods would be advisable. Other variables of this type include the number of contacts between members of the group outside the treatment context, as well as in‐session process measures in interfamily and intrafamily participation like those employed by Reiss and Costell (54) and Gould and DeGroot (30). Increases in frequencies of interfamily communication and in the overall activity levels of members (e.g., talk time) from pretreatment to posttreatment levels would be examples of desired changes in family interactions.…”