A Systems Model of Family for Family Therapists*

Abstract

A family model that provides a classification system for family therapists is presented, based on an integration of family systems research in healthy and disturbed families and clinical data. The model provides tools for cross‐sectional, process‐oriented family assessment derived from consideration of family competence in task performance and family operating style. Seven family types result‐optimal, adequate, midrange centripetal, midrange centrifugal, midrange mixed, severely dysfunctional centripetal and severely dysfunctional centrifugal. Identifying characteristics of each type are provided, and intervention strategies and approaches are discussed that follow logically from the assessment.