Poster Session 1: Children, Parents, and Families in a Therapeutic Context

Presenter: Heather Koehl

Summary
Research has identified family therapy is significantly more effective than individual therapy to treat children's behavioral problems, yet Marriage Family Therapists (MFTs) report discomfort in working with children due to lack of training (Dowell & Ogles, 2010; Johnson, 1995; Sori & Sprenkle, 2004). For training that improves clinicians' comfort level of working with children to take place, research must be conducted to explore the methods of working with children. This decade literature review explores the articles published in the official publication for AAMFT, Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, over the past ten years reporting children's experiences in family therapy sessions.

Objectives
-- To analyze the frequency of research focused on children in family therapy sessions.
-- To identify assessments utilizing children's responses to evaluate family therapy sessions.
-- To demonstrate the need for research focused on children in family therapy sessions.

Subject Codes: health care, healing, inclusion
Population Codes: inclusive of minor children, marriage and family therapists/clinicians
Method and Approach Codes: family therapy, systematic literature review, therapy