title: Combination of multiple-family therapy with parallel groups.
abstract: Parallel groups for children, adolescents, and parents have been a usual modality in the Community Guidance Center for over 12 years. This has provided effective therapeutic intervention. However, an inherent difficulty in these groups was discussion with parents about the identified patient's progress. Various methods, on a trial-and-error basis, were attempted. The most successful process, which evolved four years ago, is a multiple-family-therapy session combined with the parallel groups. The multiple-family-therapy group provides an interface for five subsystems [parents and children, also forming families; trainees; staff], opens communication to parents about the child's progress and includes the parent more viably in the treatment process. It provides greater awareness and opportunity for work toward family and individual goals with major focus on communication skills, role modeling for parents and trainees, and realistic goal setting.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D003219:Confidentiality; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods