Predictions of therapeutic process and progress in conjoint family therapy

Following initial diagnostic interviews with 20 families in an outpatient psychiatric clinic, a group of therapists made predictions of the anticipated responses of the families to therapy. Changes in family structure, organization, and transactional patterns were predicted with use of the Family Category Schema. The families' responses to the process of therapy was predicted in a questionnaire. The results showed poor predictions of response to process. However, a normative response picture of a family in therapy did emerge. Also, all predictions erred in the direction of underrating the overall effectiveness of conjoint family therapy.