Family therapy and the notion of accountability: With reference to trends in individual psychotherapy

Family therapy both overseas and within Australia has seen a rapid rise in popularity and general acceptance as an important therapeutic intervention. Along with the growth in interest, however, has come an increased demand for accountability. The foundation stone for the accountability issue surrounds the questions of therapy efficacy. How effective is family therapy, and, indeed, if it is effective, what are the active elements or ingredients which facilitate positive client change? Three groups, in particular, have vested interests in questions relating to the effectiveness of family therapy: researchers, therapists, and consumers. Although both researchers and therapists, for a variety of reasons, have been concerned with the effectiveness of treatment for some time, it has only been relatively recently that there has been a concerted push from various sections of the consumer group, including administrators, legislators, and policy makers. The consumer group is now providing pressure on professionals as to what we have done, and are doing, to demonstrate that family therapy really “works.”