Robert B. Hampson

Relative Effectiveness of Behavioral and Reflective Group Training With Foster Mothers

This article describes group parent training procedures for a sample of 42 foster mothers. Half of the foster mothers were trained in behavioral child-rearing skills, and the other half received reflective group counseling for 8 weeks. Comparison of the two modes of training showed that reflectively counseled mothers improved primarily in parent attitudes, whereas behaviorally trained mothers improved primarily in actual use of appropriate behavioral skills, reporting reductions in problematic child behavior and improvements in overall family functioning. The future use of a combination approach is addressed, as are suggestions regarding how to motivate foster parents and improve their attendance rates. Throughout the 1970s the use of parent counseling and training has grown as a means of employing parents as therapists for their childrens problem behaviors. Tavormina (1974) discussed two major topics of parent counseling: (a) reflective counseling, which emphasizes parental awareness, understanding, and acceptance of the childs feelings, and (b) behavioral counseling, which emphasizes actual observable behavior and the environmental variables that maintain certain behavior patterns. In a comparison of the relative effectiveness of the two procedures (Tavormina, 1975), both had beneficial effects relative to the notreatment control condition, but the behavioral method resulted in a significantly greater magnitude of improvement across attitude and behavior change dimensions. Tavorminas (1975) study trained biological mothers of retarded children, and the present study represents an extension of that study to foster mothers, who differ from other parents along several dimensions. First, these parents are charged with the duty of managing children who are wards of the state, yet they have consistently been implicated as being neither economically nor therapeutically prepared to manage the children entrusted to their care (Levitt, 1973). Second, foster children as a

Comparing Males' and Females' Perspectives through Family.Self-Report.

The development of reliable and valid means of assessing family functioning has been the subject of much research and theory-centered debate in the past several years. Self-report family rating scales have the advantage of being able to be administered to large samples and being subjected to scaling, statistical analyses, and factoring procedures (Bloom 1985; Olson et al. 1983). Still, there may be influences on ones perception of his/her family functioning that are unique and often not accounted for in analyses of such self-report scales. One fundamental, yet minimally researched, factor is whether male and female respondents differ systematically in the weights attributed to different elements of family functioning.

Family therapy and outcome: Relationships between therapist and family styles

This study examined therapeutic outcome for a group of 175 clinic families divided into levels of family competence and style, and, later, into seven clinical groupings. The division into these groups was based on the level of rated Competence and Style determined by using the Beavers Systems Model. Therapists also rated their level of Openness/Sharing Strategy, Power Differential, and Partnership with the family at the third session. Results indicate that more competent families who fared well in therapy had therapists who formed a partnership, disclosed strategy, and employed a minimal power differential with the family. The most disturbed families, and those with a Centrifugal style, did better with therapists employing a high power differential and lower levels of openness and partnership. The study also presented the distribution of individual diagnoses by family groups. Implications for family therapists, including the value of family assessment, are provided.

Helping behavior in children: Addressing the interaction of a person–situation model.

Abstract A critical review of major trends and developments in the study of childrens helping behavior is presented, with specific emphasis on demand characteristics of different situations (rescue, donation, assistance) and methodological difficulties inherent in such a study. In general, researchers have been able to isolate certain here-and-now situational influences which have led to mean increases in childrens sharing behavior. As yet, however, relatively few studies have attempted to isolate personal characteristics of individual children as a means of examining baseline differences of individuals across different helping behaviors. As a start, this paper calls for a person-situation interactional approach to the study of childrens helping behavior, examining such key factors as the childs family style, status in the peer group, and personality style as interactive with the characteristics of the particular helping situation.

Observational assessment of couples and families

Assessment of Couples and Families considers the impact of recent changes on the assessment process and provide practitioners with a review of contemporary techniques and the means by which they can be implemented into practice in conjunction with new reporting inventories and observational methods. These new assessment strategies will be presented collaterally with case material that addresses a specific problem, such as family violence or marital suitability. This unique problem focus will provide practitioners with a handy point of reference to acquaint themselves with modern practice techniques that address issues new to the therapy session while providing a supplement to coursework on assessment.

Special foster care for exceptional children:: A review of programs and policies

Abstract This article reviews programs and policies regarding alternative home care for exceptional and special-needs foster children. While some focus is placed on program evaluation and efficacy of these specialized foster homes, the major thrust of the review is to identify major procedural underpinnings of successful programs for special needs foster children. These include: (a) appropriate selection of qualified therapeutic parents; (b) preservice training of parents; (c) matching of child to abilities of parents; (d) high-intensity and high-frequency casework and consultation; and (e) professional status for the specialized foster parents. Special foster care programs which have been evaluated offer generally high levels of success and goal attainment at much lower per diem rates than institutional care. Summary policies and recommendations are forwarded.

Family therapy in the People's Republic of China: An update

This article describes cultural and structural changes in Chinese families over the past decade and offers descriptions of the increasing, yet limited, recognition of the importance of family systems interventions. These impressions were garnered from a 14-day visit to the Peoples Republic of China by a delegation of 40 marital and family therapists and researchers led by the authors.