FAMILY RELATIONAL PROBLEMS - THEIR PLACE IN THE STUDY OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

The role of family relational problems in the assessment and treatment of psychopathology, including the relationship between family and ind ividual disorders, is considered in this article. The study of family relational problems is placed in historical context, and methods and d omains in the assessment of family problems are discussed. Considerati on is given to how family relational problems are to be defined and di agnosed, and current classification schemes are reviewed. Methods of f amily treatment and their efficacy are used to illustrate the importan ce of family problems within the field of clinical science. Recommenda tions for how family relational problems may best be conceptualized wi thin the broader arena of psychopathology are offered.