The Role of a Medical Family Therapist: An Ecological Systems Look at Pediatric Illness

This research explores the question of what role medical family therapists play on a health care team when working with serious pediatric illness. Seven participants from three different health care settings were interviewed. Results were organized within the ecological systems framework (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) according to the various ways participants became a part of the family's illness experience. Participants identified roles directly with the family, with the health care team, and within the larger health care system. Clinical implications are identified concerning the preparation of the health care system for the continued growth and evolution of the field of medical family therapy.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Human Development

Department dc:contributor.department

Human Development

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2010

Author dc:creator

• Perkins, Jessica Lee

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Huebner, Angela J.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Falconier, Mariana K.
• Wittenborn, Andrea K.

• pediatric illness
• ecological systems
• medical family therapy
• critical illness

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-05122010-182228

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/42640