Premium
Are family therapists listening to the young? A psychological perspective *
Author(s) -
Dowling Emilia
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of family therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1467-6427
pISSN - 0163-4445
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-6427.1993.00768.x
Subject(s) - perspective (graphical) , psychology , active listening , developmental psychology , family therapy , cognition , psychological theory , psychotherapist , predictability , social psychology , physics , quantum mechanics , artificial intelligence , computer science , neuroscience
This paper sets out to examine the family therapist's relationship to young children from a psychological perspective. Earlier contributions to the literature regarding the involvement of children in family sessions are reviewed briefly. Aspects of attachment theory and Piaget's theory of cognitive development are considered in terms of their implications for family therapy. It is argued that family therapists should be mindful of parents’ responsibilities for meeting their children's needs, particularly their need to experience predictability and to have a coherent story about their lives. The importance of exploring the effects of adult choices on the children is also emphasized.