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Transgender individuals and their partners may face unique challenges that other couples do not. These unique challenges merit investigation, understanding and consideration by systemic practitioners in order to provide a culturally attuned service for transgender clients. A systematic review of the literature into the experiences of couples in which one member is transgender identified 22 qualitative papers. A translation and synthesis of constructs from these papers utilising a meta‐ethnographic approach generated a number of third order constructs organised into nine overarching themes. These themes included experiences of stigma and discrimination, issues of power, privilege, visibility and identity, and experiences of dissonance and dysphoria that required adjustments and negotiations on the personal and relationship levels. Implications for practice and avenues for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on keynote for the conference being delivered by Pauline Boss. Topics include embracing both-and, multiple perspectives and to stay in a curious, creative, meaning-making position while holding new hope for the future; and service evaluation for families referring to family therapy after the child being given a diagnosis of autism.

Copyright of Journal of Family Therapy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper highlights the question, often asked, why does racism persist despite the many attempts to eradicate it? The paper provides some answers, first for social relations generally and second for systemic psychotherapy. Central to the answers is an acknowledgement of the obstacles in both spheres to address the structures, systems, organisation and processes which lie behind conceptualisations of race, racism, identity and relationships. It is in these structures and systems that the suffocating and inevitable effects of racism originate. The paper suggests that, if we want to begin to eradicate racism, we need to look in those places (mostly White) where we least suspect it, the places which seem 'natural' and therefore foundational. It concludes that we cannot teach race and equity, because by singling out this topic without looking behind it, we perpetuate a violence through which the very relations we want to eradicate are produced. This does not mean, however, that we should ignore the topic. Practitioner points: Racism is deeply rooted in action and ideas.The recent murders of Black persons demonstrate the slow, suffocating and strangling aspects of racist systems and structures in our society.Ideas and concepts are difficult to address because they tend to be buttressed by basic assumptions about life and relationships.Race, ethnicity and culture are processes rather than a list of items/things.Tools such as the Social GRRRAAACCEEESSS and the cultural genogram are inadequate for training because the assumptions they are based on are rarely made transparent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Family Therapy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Family Therapy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper sets out to explore the use of a systemic reflexive exercise called "Collective Cut‐Outs", detailing its methodology and usefulness with "frontline" mental health practitioners within supervision and teaching contexts. We draw on the use of storytelling, image, creativity and the usefulness of the left hand (right brain) in clinical mental health contexts and focus on its value in reflexive supervisory groups. We also aim to give voice to the experiences of "frontline" Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) clinicians in an inner‐city mental health team during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The Collective Cut‐Out exercise and its methodology provide a framework to help facilitate reflexive spaces that promote mindful group exercise and the subsequent expression of personal and professional resonance. The subjects of clinical challenge and collective resilience are also brought forth. We offer a case study in the second part of the paper, outlining the use of the exercise in a reflexive group supervisory context. The team in focus have kindly given us, the authors, permission to use their experiences and "cut‐outs". We have either adapted or removed identifiable information from the writing to protect and respect the identity of the team and individuals involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astrophysicists and cosmologists seriously propose that our universe, with its three dimensions and local physical bylaws, is one of an infinite number of parallel universes. This paper discusses the relevance of these ideas for contemporary systemic family therapy, such as thinking about the therapist's positioning in relation to the family. Ideas such as the anthropic principle suggest each meeting of a therapist and family forms a unique systemic entity or singularity with its own universe of by‐laws peculiar to a location in time and space. We are like travellers between parallel family therapy universes where the therapist's epistemology, theory or model is less important than how therapists and clients position themselves towards each other. This ecological positioning encompasses contextual, emotional, cultural, ethical and spiritual belief systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to examine the experiences and views of parents whose child lived with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and eating disorder (ED), specifically 'diabulimia' and the professional support offered to them. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was employed as a methodology to explore the experience of three parents (mothers) living in the United Kingdom, regarding their chronically ill children. Four themes emerged from the analysis: battling, blaming, surviving and loss. These were interpreted through the lens of systemic theory. Within the framework of the results and the discussion, further research and the provision of systemic family therapy for children, parents and families in both paediatric and adolescent‐to‐adult transition diabetes clinics is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to examine parents' views and experiences regarding their adolescent children's violent and aggressive behaviours within the framework of the Non‐Violent Resistance approach in Turkish culture. The study group consisted of 40 volunteer married parents (35 females, 5 males) between the ages of 30 and 56 who resided in Central Anatolia. We conducted a descriptive study using a phenomenological design. A thematic analysis method was used in the analysis of the data. Within the framework of the results, we describe parents' experiences of their children's violence, their responses to such behaviour and their accounts of parental conflicts and presence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Family Therapy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Racist discourses embedded in our social structures can have a profoundly negative impact on people's emotional well‐being. This paper calls for a re‐focusing within systemic therapy on anti‐colonial and social justice approaches specifically on addressing racism. We propose that if we are to make this shift in our practice, we need to first engage in processes of self‐reflexivity about the impact of racism on ourselves and our personal relationships. We draw on Paolo Freire's idea of 'conscientisation', or consciousness raising – a form of self‐reflexivity through the lens of power, and on the work of McKenzie‐Mavinga, who highlights the importance of therapists developing their awareness and understanding of how racism operates in their lives. We illustrate these ideas through an exploration of how we have approached this work within a long‐standing peer supervision group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family therapy practice in the UK, as elsewhere in the world, takes place within the context of structural and systemic racism. Hence the practice of family therapy has the potential to mirror racist and colonialist tropes found within society. There are low levels of satisfaction by people from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds to the level of sensitivity to culture and racism that takes place in therapy. This paper explores ways a systemic psychotherapy might be more sensitive to differences in race and culture. Drawing upon systemic and anthropological constructions of culture, suggestions are made for practice that is more questioning of the barely conscious or unconscious assumptions made by the therapist, which can then lead to open scrutiny of these assumptions. In doing so, I draw upon my own experiences, and those of my own family, of racism, of culture and of movement across cultures. Practitioner pointsStructural racism in society will find its way into the therapy room unless therapists are open to an examination of their own prejudices and often unconscious assumptions.Such an examination then opens the way to forms of practice that are more sensitive to differences of race and culture.A form of practice more sensitive to race and culture is proposed as a systemic response to racism, whilst keeping in mind the need for change at a social and political level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents research that explored the ways that systemic and family therapists might approach the support of families living with dementia. A constructivist grounded theory methodology was used to interpret interviews with four systemic family therapists working in the United Kingdom. All participants had professional and/or lived experience of dementia. Transcript analysis and theoretical sampling led to the development of five categories, each related to different aspects of considering systemic therapy in a dementia context. These categories were further developed into a 'systemically informed dementia orienteering' conceptual framework, which is presented in this paper as a learning resource. Findings are related to existing literature, and recommendations for future research are made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the results of a study exploring sibling stories of parental mental distress and the societal discourses that may have contributed to the adult siblings' sense‐making. Four sibling pairs were purposively recruited and interviewed, using a narrative inquiry approach. Two main plots were constructed through analysis of the participants' narratives: 'The story of us' and 'We are who we are because of what happened'. Results highlighted that the identity construction of each sibling and the collective identities of the sibling pairs are influenced by the parental mental health context. The findings also suggest a change in the siblings' meaning‐making from childhood to adulthood. These findings are considered along with the implications for systemic practice and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the journal on family therapy is presented, including other systemic treatment approaches in mental health services in England and beyond, a study on the feasibility of systemic interventions for the prevention and treatment of children and adolescent mental health difficulties in Latin American countries, and a study on the feasibility of a Dutch intervention for parents in high-conflict divorces.

Evidence demonstrates the deleterious impact of ongoing and poorly resolved parental conflict on children's wellbeing. 'No Kids in the Middle' (NKM) is a multi‐family programme that aims to help high‐conflict separated parents find new ways of communicating. The aim of this study was to adapt, deliver and evaluate NKM in three UK pilot sites. This paper reports findings from interviews exploring families' experiences of this intervention, and questionnaires which measured change for families over the course of the programme. Parents reported reductions in hostility and conflict when discussing parenting issues. Children reported improved wellbeing with respect to family life, and a reduction in 'avoidance' with respect to talking or thinking about parental conflict. Parents reported reduced internalising symptoms in children. The findings indicate that NKM could be a promising intervention for high‐conflict separated parents and their children, deliverable by frontline practitioners. Practitioner pointsInter‐parental conflict can negatively impact children's wellbeingMulti‐family therapy may be a promising approach for separated parents experiencing co‐parenting conflictAfter the NKM multi‐family programme, parents reported reduced levels of hostility and conflict when discussing parenting issuesAt the end of the NKM programme, children reported improved wellbeing with respect to family life, and a reduction in 'avoidance' with respect to talking or thinking about family conflict. Relatedly, parents reported reduced internalising symptoms in children [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The written transmission of therapists' expertise in manuals is an important issue which is highlighted in the literature. Manuals are essential for research, training and therapeutic guidance. However, the conceptualisation, design and drafting of therapy manuals have received little attention. Our team conceptualised and designed a 10‐monthly session multi‐family therapy programme for adolescents suffering from anorexia nervosa. This paper presents the methodology used to evolve from training and theoretical models to designing a programme and drafting the accompanying manual. We then describe how our team reached a consensus regarding the role to be attributed to food‐related symptoms in the programme. These arduous tasks were rewarded by fruitful discussions among team members, which led to a shared theory of treatment. The methodology presented here is drawn from both the experience of specialised teams and from that of families in providing care to adolescents with anorexia nervosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Family Therapy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Family Therapy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper describes a multi‐family therapy (MFT) group for adult outpatients with obsessive‐compulsive disorder and their family members. Since family accommodation (FA) is known to maintain OCD symptoms by preventing exposure and response prevention (ERP), reduction of FA is a major focus of the treatment. Furthermore, psychoeducation, conjoint ERP and (re)discovering resources and strengths of families are also important therapeutic foci of the family group. The organisation of MFT is explained and involvement of family is illustrated with clinical vignettes. Finally, some reflections about MFT are provided. On the basis of initial clinical impressions, MFT seems a promising approach. A clinical trial is currently underway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refugees and asylum seekers experience throughout their lives numerous losses of various nature. Treating mental health among these communities is challenging owing to language and cultural barriers. In addition, there are specific stressors associated with migration and settlement to be considered. This paper explores the use of the model 'continuing bonds' (CB) in two case studies as a form of enquiry. The authors draw upon social constructionist and narrative ideas to provide an enquiry approach that enables clinicians to understand and respond to the numerous losses of one's culture and relationships as a result of migratory grief. This is an emerging enquiry model based on the authors' work with unaccompanied minors which professionals can make use of in responding promptly and treating mental health difficulties within this population, drawing upon both past and present relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates whether Reflecting Team Practices (RTP) are a helpful tool to a team (i) undergoing change and (ii) to facilitate staff being heard across the hierarchy. We hypothesised that RTP would enable staff to speak and be listened to, in relation to their experiences of organisational restructuring. We offered three team away‐day and follow‐up processes. Due to the paucity of systematic research in this area, we designed a qualitative process, utilising individual interviews with four team members aged 30–59 years. Interview data were analysed using thematic analysis. Thematic analysis yielded seven themes, which enabled understanding of our team's experiences of separating talking and listening. It has also led to wider changes in our teams functioning and our communication with other parts of the organisation in which we work. The results are very limited due to the small sample size, but further research in this area is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although attachment seems to be 'in fashion' when it comes to discussing mental health issues, there are few evidence‐based therapy models treating attachment issues related to psychopathology. In this paper, we will briefly introduce Attachment‐Based Family Therapy (ABFT) as an evidence‐based intervention for depressed and suicidal adolescents, and its first‐time large‐scale application and implementation in a young adult inpatient care unit. We present our clinical data showing that 98% of the young adults who were proposed ABFT engage into this therapy. In our discussion we briefly describe accommodations to the young adult (YA) age and the inpatient setting and discuss hypotheses about which characteristics of young adulthood, the ABFT core interventions and the residential setting play a role in this high engagement. We discuss how adopting a shared clinical attachment‐based framework as a team might broaden the impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non‐violent resistance (NVR) is a systemic approach to working with young people presenting with aggression and other harmful behaviours. The work draws on the use of personal presence in resistance movements of the twentieth century, focusing on the role of the caregiver to increase their presence through acts of resistance and care. This paper investigates the experiences of professionals using NVR in one UK residential care home. Eight participants took part in semi‐structured interviews, which were analysed thematically. Analysis identified four overarching themes: NVR is both a set of processes and a way of being, NVR and transformation, NVR and the personal–professional divide and NVR and organisational support. The findings suggest that NVR offers an effective and acceptable alternative to behavioural approaches. Further research is required to investigate the liminal role of the professional/parent and the challenge of managing reluctance both within and around the organisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2019, the NHS established a taskforce to review inpatient care for young people, exploring ways to reduce inappropriate admissions and lengthy stays. This paper indicates that day services (DSs) could play a role in resolving these issues. Qualitative research investigating whether DSs are considered valuable to key stakeholders is scarce. Therefore, this qualitative case study sought the perspectives of ten clinicians working at a DS integrated with an inpatient service (IPS). Thematic analysis highlighted the systemic value of accessing intensive support whilst still living with family, with participants perceiving that day patients better consolidated therapeutic skills when compared with inpatients. Importantly, the DS was perceived to enhance the overall therapeutic impact of the wider IPS. The implications of these findings for the use and funding of DS are discussed, highlighting the need to further explore the efficacy of integrated services incorporating day and inpatient care. Practitioner pointsThe DS was perceived to provide young people with high‐intensity support, whilst maintaining key systemic connections to their homes and communities.The DS was perceived to positively influence the systemic dynamics of the inpatient service, improving the efficacy of inpatient care.Findings indicate a mutually beneficial relationship between day and inpatient services, strengthening the case for the integration of both services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young people who have experienced complex trauma are often under‐reached by statutory therapeutic provisions. Systemic therapy has potential for these clients as many of their difficulties are systemic in nature but adaptations to practice can be beneficial in order to support engagement and enhance positive outcomes. I describe an approach based on several years of practice experience which includes using expressive and physical activities, attending to issues of power and difference, using non‐clinical settings, providing long term attachment‐informed therapy, combining family with individual work and adopting an integrative practice that combines systemic and other approaches. The paper illustrates this approach with reference to theoretical explanations, practice experience and case material. Practitioner points: Systemic and family therapy with adaptations can be an effective intervention for socially disadvantaged young people with histories of complex trauma and their familiesBecause of the complexity of both need and symptomology it may be helpful to synthesise elements of evidence‐based practices (EBPs) which target particular symptomologies and also to use strategies that address the engagement difficulties often encountered with EBPs.Particular strategies that can aid engagement and therapeutic process include making available the option of non‐verbal activities, providing therapy in school and at home, attending to attachment needs (including availability of long‐term work and individual sessions for young people) and tailoring therapy to suit the particular needs of male, minority ethnic and working‐class clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial is presented on the rise of right-wing governments leading to increased xenophobia, racism, and prejudice in many countries. Topics include academic journal standing in solidarity with protesters against racism and with the Black Lives Matters movement; and highlighting some of the lived experiences of racism on the lives of systemic psychotherapists and the people working with.

Racism is a pervasive force; its influence is felt in the lives of Global Majority people worldwide, and across generations. As Global Majority systemic psychotherapists in the UK, we take a position to stand against racism in all areas of systemic theory and practice. The ideas in this paper offer an opportunity for all systemic psychotherapists to join us in the decolonisation of theories, practices and knowledge, to step outside White Western structures that have kept Global Majority voices silenced for too long. This article reviews the damage of intergenerational racism upon the lives of Global Majority systemic psychotherapists and the Global Majority families we support. We invite systemic psychotherapy to begin drawing on the rich cacophony of Indigenous knowledge, from Africa and the Caribbean, and from East, West and South Asia to de‐centre 'White ways of knowing'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the ways in which African Caribbean families communicate with each other and the outside world in the context of post migration. The Big and Small Story in narrative inquiry was used to make sense of the data as it pays attention to the manner and style in which this story is told, and what identities are being claimed post migration. The key findings are set out using three archetypal positions: the trickster, passer/conformer and resister/revolutionary. These were used to capture different ways people responded to power and identities claimed within their daily life. Findings in part of reflect Du Bois' concept of double consciousness to consider the way black people carry out their negotiations with power. These African Caribbean participants were having to think about what is acceptable to the power base and how can this be negotiated. This paper is intended to be helpful to practitioners interested in indigenous knowledge of self and its clinical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the challenge to organisations seeking to address institutional racism. It is argued that racism is systemic in its historical roots, anchored in racialising discourses, bolstered and fused by the ideology of Whiteness. It describes an approach to organisational consultancy, where the consultant can facilitate change in organisations by adopting an anti‐racism stance and approach which disrupts Whiteness and engages the organisation in anti‐racism praxis, towards dismantling institutionalised racism. Ways in which this process can be facilitated are outlined, as part of the change process towards institutionalising anti‐racism praxis. Practitioner pointsWhat is already known about this topicRacism is historically scaffolded by Whiteness, and it is institutionalised in every aspect of organisations, including in policies, structures and practices.Whiteness is reproduced, including in the theories, models and practices of systemic psychotherapy, our training institutions and services.Scrutinising and disrupting Whiteness in systems in which we work, and in organisations we consult to, is essential to anti‐racism praxis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the settler colonial roots of family therapy, positing that much of what is considered the standard or ideal family form comes from colonialism. Utilising settler colonial theory as a guide, I identify how the colonial nations, built through the violent exclusion of Indigenous and exogenous peoples, utilised the family to further their goals. Rather than suggest settler colonialism was an historic event, I consider how it continues today, privileging white families of European descent. To move the conversation forward on how white therapists from majoritised cultures can engage with racialised clients, I describe the negotiated spaces as a meeting ground where therapists and clients navigate differing worldviews. In these negotiations, our clients trust us, and to be accountable to this trust, we can unsettle the influence of settler colonialism. To conclude this paper, I discuss four possible pathways to begin the complicated process of unsettling. Practitioner PointsSettler colonialism contributed to the standardisation of the nuclear family, informing the foundations of family therapy.Establishing a 'negotiated space' in therapy can encourage ethical engagement between therapist and client as they navigate differences in culture, knowledge and meaning.To ethically be in the negotiated spaces, therapists from majoritised cultures can 'unsettle' settler colonialism's influence.Learning personal and disciplinary relationships to settler colonialism, developing cultural humility and attending to power is the first step in unsettling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The activities of extremist groups are perceived as a key threat to modern democracies. However, much remains unknown about the role families can play in prevention or disengagement from such groups. A scoping review identified seven studies that were eligible for inclusion. The findings suggest that there is limited, yet some, support for family‐directed services to directly prevent engagement in extremist groups. Rather, family directed services may indirectly influence this by strengthening family members' resilience and thus their ability to engage with the family member. Additionally, professionals working with families where a member is on a path to developing extremist ideology should continuously reflect upon their professional conduct and develop a narrative approach to reduce resistance. An important limitation to these findings is the different contexts and countries they have been conducted in, spanning from East Africa to Northern Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor discusses various topics within the issue, including systemic-dialogical therapy, the use of family-based treatment for anorexia, and the interventions for patients with gaming disorder.

An editorial is presented on the method of inquiry that fits neatly with systemic practice: auto ethnography. It outlines the space to small, local stories complements other ways of research-knowing about the world. An overview of the study in the Netherlands exploring family therapists' experiences of their remote work during pandemic lockdowns with a very specialist client group is presented.

An introduction to articles in the issue is presented on topics including a diversity of clinical practices and research from different parts of world, development of a monthly multifamily programme and manual for adolescents with anorexia nervosa, and implementation of multifamily therapy (MFT) in the treatment of different medical illnesses.

An introduction is presented in which the author discusses articles within the issue on topics including benefits of the Resolutions Approach, influence of therapeutic alliance in a multi-family therapy intervention for multi-stressed families, and views of parents on violence and aggression.

The effectiveness of intense specialised multi‐family therapy (ISMFT) for 111 multi‐stressed families, and the therapeutic alliance as a possible predictor of outcome, were examined. A repeated measures design was used, where changes in all ISMFT phases (preparation, multi‐family therapy and follow‐up) were assessed and compared for both mothers and fathers. Evidence was found for improved family functioning after the therapy period, which was maintained at 3 months follow‐up, although the multi‐stressed families still functioned in the problematic range. The therapy did however not decrease parenting stress, or did so only temporarily. Observations of the therapeutic alliance with the System for Observing Family Therapy Alliances (SOFTA) scales indicated that high therapist engagement was related to positive therapy outcomes, both at the start of therapy and later. High family engagement also predicted therapy effectiveness, but only at the start of therapy. The present study shows that solution‐focused multi‐family therapy at least seems to provide the first step in alleviating problems in multi‐stressed families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a combination of macro‐ and micro‐analytic approaches in discourse analysis, this article examines transcripts from three initial sessions of DVD‐recorded conjoint couple therapy with an intercultural couple. We analyse the strategies of power employed by therapy participants to promote their preferred construction of the referral problem. Focusing on the intersections of gender, psychopathology and culture, we explore how wider sociocultural discourses play out in the micro‐context of participants' discursive exchanges. We also consider how the therapist's interventions privilege and marginalise client discourses in both strategic and unintended ways. This article offers some clinical techniques to address the dilemmas and difficulties identified in our analysis. We conclude by underscoring the value of reviewing recordings and transcripts of therapy dialogues to enhance cultural reflexivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Family Therapy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The constructionist view assumes that therapy participants' maps of understanding depend on the institutional context and their personal perspectives. The purpose of this study was to investigate the initial maps of difficulties reported by family members starting family therapy. 106 families that were referred to a psychiatric institution for outpatient family therapy were asked open‐ended questions regarding the context of the referral, and goal and problem formulation for the therapy. The data were analysed via the consensual qualitative research‐modified (CQR‐M) method, and comparisons between groups were performed. The obtained results show a diversity of perspectives. Of interest was the predominance of medical language in describing the problem and relational language in describing the goal of therapy. An analysis of differences between mothers, fathers, adolescent patient and their siblings was also performed. The findings highlight the complexity of notions that families start family therapy with and may help therapists navigate through the therapeutic contract formulation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open Dialogue is a dialogical approach focusing on the perspectives of patients and their social networks on treatment and recovery processes. As part of a larger research project, this prospective cohort study explores what promotes and hinders the development of Open Dialogue in network meetings (ODNM) based on the experiences of thirty‐seven clinicians and seven supervisors. Multistage focus group interviews were used to collect data and were analysed thematically. We generated two main themes: (1) togetherness and isolation and (2) challenging and evolving. The findings show that ODNM can be developed in public mental healthcare, but this leads to both challenges and opportunities at the organisational level, such as conflicting perspectives, the difficulty of maintaining interest in ODNM, the need for committed and involved leaders, and the growing change in the traditional view of treatment, which has made clinicians collaborate more with patients and their relatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For this qualitative study, eight family therapists were interviewed about their experiences of practising online during the pandemic. Findings are organised using a framework of problems, possibilities, resources and restraints (PPRR, Neden & Burnham, 2007). Despite variation in therapist confidence in online practice, all participants found new possibilities in this way of working, including connecting family members across distance, increased co‐construction within therapeutic relationships and engaging clients who would not usually attend appointments. Therapeutic alliance was generally possible to establish online, though felt more challenging with whole families than individuals. Problems and restraints included therapist fatigue, risk and safety management, and attuning to nuanced expression of emotion. Implications for practice and future research are proposed. It is suggested that systemic practice has unique qualities to offer the field of online psychotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scoping review sought to examine the existing literature on multifamily interventions with families dealing with inherited genetic conditions. It also seeks to identify gaps in the evidence to help guide future research and intervention development. Four databases (PubMed, Web of Sciences, Scopus and PsycInfo) were systematically searched and analysed, resulting in five publications for inclusion. The main findings evidence two main themes: characteristics of multifamily interventions, and evaluation of the intervention and impact on participants. These findings suggest that multifamily interventions can provide families with extended support beyond the care usually offered by genetic healthcare services and contribute to enhancing positive change in key aspects of adaptation and coping with an inherited genetic conditions. Multifamily discussion groups are a methodology that is particularly suitable when working with families in this context. Collaboration between genetic healthcare services and accredited systemic family therapists is required to sustain the implementation of multifamily discussion groups and their feasibility. Research on the effectiveness, feasibility and economic viability of multifamily interventions is also needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current literature presents a gap in family functioning assessment instruments directed to children. The Child Systemic Clinical Outcome and Routine Evaluation (C‐SCORE) is a self‐report instrument, based on the original SCORE‐15, that measures different aspects of family functioning from the child's perspective. This study aims to explore the psychometric qualities of the Portuguese version of C‐SCORE using a sample of 119 children, aged 8–11 years, recruited from public (state) schools located in North Portugal. Results showed good internal consistency for the total scale and were consistent with the original factorial structure. Correlation analyses using the Perception Scale of Parenting Communication – Children (COMPA‐C) provided support for convergent validity. This study represents the first psychometric evaluation of the C‐SCORE using a sample of Portuguese children, with exploratory results suggesting that this version presents acceptable psychometric qualities, and may be especially useful to assess family functioning from the child's view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the UK, in 2019, there were 2.9 million lone‐parent families, a family with children that is headed by one parent; ~90% of lone‐parents are mothers. I am one of them. Using a social constructionist approach, I look inward at my self and back outward at social‐cultural context in response to my observations, within systemic practice and training, of possible privileging of a dominant social discourse of family—a father, a mother and children—that positions lone‐mothers as other. My experiences in vignettes, my data, are analysed using a daisy model. Emergent salient themes are discussed. The findings hopefully prompt an elicitation of responses and resonances that will act as impetus for necessary future dialogue within systemic practice and inquiry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide bereavement evokes particular emotions that can hamper recovery processes, if neglected. This Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) study explored five women's experiences of bereavement following the death by suicide of a male relative. One superordinate theme, directing from the shadows, and three interrelated subordinate themes: roller coasting, speaking the unspeakable, and finding meaning and living with suicide were identified. This study highlights that women bereaved by suicide may occupy a complex position in the family when trying to balance caring for themselves and others, sometimes leading them to negate their own support and therapeutic needs. However, women in this study felt supported by timely, flexible and sensitive professional responses and found a proactive outreach approach, peer support groups and counselling helpful at different stages in their bereavement process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The October 2019 thawra (revolution) in Lebanon saw unprecedented mass protests across the country in response to governmental corruption, mismanagement and a looming economic disaster. Students learning family systems theory as part of the Clinical Psychology Program at the American University of Beirut faced, at this time, a disconnect between applying systems theory at the individual family level, and their overwhelming experiences at the collective national level. A contextual pedagogical approach was used to apply systems theory to observations of societal level processes during the revolution. Students reported positive feedback about the approach, particularly for being responsive and flexible to student needs, and demonstrating the relevance of systems theory at the community level and not just the family level. Lessons learned, such as sensitivity to both divided and multiple perspectives on national events, are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]