title: African American therapists working with African American families: an exploration of the strengths perspective in treatment.
abstract: With the exception of Hill's (1971, 1999) work, historically much of the literature on African American families has focused more on pathology than strengths. This study used interviews with 30 African American psychotherapists, self-identified as employing a strengths perspective with African American families, to investigate which strengths they identified in the families and how they use those strengths in therapy. Themes emerging from data analysis confirmed the continued importance of the five strengths Hill noted. In addition, two new strengths were identified by the participants: a willingness of a greater number of families to seek therapy, and the importance of family structure. Strategies used in engaging the families in therapy and practice implications for family therapists are discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Arkansas 72214, USA. lbtolliver@ualr.edu
authors.forename: LaVerne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bell-Tolliver
authors.forename: Ruby
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Burgess
authors.forename: Linda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Brock
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D003469:Culture; D005195:Family Relations; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008388:Marital Therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012944:Social Support; D012945:Social Values; D029181:Spirituality; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D035502:Trust; D055815:Young Adult