Assessment of Couples and Families : Contemporary and Cutting-Edge Strategies

Social changes in the family, from court-ordered mediation to escalating rates of divorce, have necessitated the development of cutting-edge assessment strategies for couples and family therapy. Also, accountability standards and legal issues are forcing therapists to rely on a model of outcome-driven assessment instead of the previous theory-driven assessment model. Recent scientific advances and research data are providing the basis for clinically validated treatment programs. Assessment of Couples and Familiesconsiders the impact of these changes on the assessment process and provide practitioners with a review of contemporary techniques and the means by which they can be implemented into practice in conjunction with new reporting inventories and observational methods. These new assessment strategies will be presented collaterally with case material that addresses a specific problem, such as family violence or marital suitability. This unique problem focus will provide practitioners with ahandy point of reference to acquaint themselves with modern practice techniques that address issues new to the therapy session while providing a supplement to coursework on assessment.

Len Sperry is Professor and Director of the Doctoral Program in Counseling at Florida Atlantic University where he teaches Couples and Family Assessment.