Emotionally focused family therapy in cases of intimate partner violence: Exploring psychotherapist views

There is no published data on emotionally focused family therapy (EFFT) for families impacted by intimate partner violence (IPV). In this thesis, 79 psychotherapists were surveyed about whether to use EFFT when parents disclosed violence in the home, including weighing risks and benefits. Descriptive statistics and correlational analysis were used to analyze the data. All responding therapists believed it was important to receive IPV-specific supervision and preferred working with parents motivated to eliminate violence. Participants believed EFFT may promote more responsive caregiving but could also be risky when therapists have limited IPV training. Those with EFFT or IPV training seemed most interested in using EFFT with families impacted by violence. A top priority for future research includes investigating the safety and efficacy of this approach. Future directions for psychotherapists include seeking IPV-specific training and supervision when working with clients impacted by violence. Institutions are encouraged to prioritize IPV training.

Authors

• Paquette, Rosalie V.
• University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Education

• Family therapy
• Emotionally focused family therapy
• EFFT
• IPV (Intimate partner violence)
• Violence in the home

Identifier

hdl:10133/6225

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:opus.uleth.ca:10133/6225