A content analysis of research in family therapy journals.
In order to assess trends in family therapy research, empirical articles (N = 195) from three family therapy journals over a 5-year period were coded for several variables: authorship, external funding, methodology, sample, purpose, cost effectiveness, use of therapeutic model, and topic. Results indicated that a large pecentage of research in these journals focused on nonclinical issues and used nonclinical samples. Authors were affiliated with a wide variety of disciplines and reported low levels of external funding for their research. While a majority of the studies used quantitative methods, there appeared to be a growing number of studies using qualitative methods. Implications of these findngs are discussed in light of research reviews over the past two decades.
Hawley
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DR
Woodbury Church of Christ, MN, USA. dhawley@pressenter.com
Bailey
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CE
Pennick
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D005196:Family Therapy; D006801:Humans; D010506:Periodicals as Topic; D011643:Publishing; D012106:Research