Multi-Family Therapy in East and Southeast Asia-A Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis

This systematic review examined the characteristics, cultural adaptations, and effectiveness of multi-family therapy in studies conducted in the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Eighteen reports from 17 studies were included, covering quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods designs. Quantitative findings showed that multi-family therapy was more consistently associated with improvements in individual-level outcomes (e.g., symptom severity, psychological distress, functioning), whereas effects on family-system outcomes were more mixed. Thematic synthesis of qualitative and mixed-methods studies identified four interrelated themes: multi-family therapy creates a non-problem-saturated space for families to come together; engages them in fun activities; fosters inter- and intra-family connection; and supports relational understanding. Overall, individual-level benefits are more readily captured by quantitative measures, while relational and process-level changes may be less well-reflected. Future research should strengthen methodological rigor and extend multi-family therapy to presenting problems, such as eating disorders, to better evaluate its family-system mechanisms and effects.