THE INDICATION FOR FAMILY-THERAPY AT AN U NIVERSITY OUTPATIENT-CLINIC

Research about indications for family therapy is almost lacking. There are only few studies dealing with the issue which problem or which in trapsychic or interpersonal conflicts should be addressed by family th erapy. Clinical decisions concerning family therapy should be based on empirical studies to get more knowledge about the criteria, in which case a specific modality of family therapy and/or a specific setting a re indicated. The differential and adaptive indication process complem ents one another by means of the interaction of the therapist-family s ystem. Our study includes 67 decision making processes which took plac e at an university outpatient clinic. Our results show that the decisi onmaking process is based on a selection of indications. The modality of treatment - individual or family therapy -, run either in combinati on or in a sequence, is related to criteria with respect to the patien t and his family. The style of application for psychotherapy - whether one family member is registering the family as a whole or the patient seeks help only for himself - makes the difference. The style of appl ication seems to clear the way for the treatment suggested by the ther apist.