The image of marriage and family therapy

The purpose of this study was to explore the image that professions other than marriage and family therapy (MFT) have of MFT as being either a profession or a subspecialty within a larger profession. Lawyers, physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers in three states (Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania) were surveyed regarding their beliefs about MFT and nine other occupations. A questionnaire was developed, based upon the sociological literature pertaining to the criteria inherent in all professions. Results indicated that MFT is viewed by lawyers, physicians, psychiatrists, and psychologists as being more like a subspecialty within a larger profession than a profession in its own right. Social workers were the only group which felt that MFT is more like a profession. Of note is that MFT was viewed as having a strong code of ethics, its own support structures, and it has demonstrated its usefulness. Its perceived weaknesses lie in the absence of a distinct subject matter, theory and research, methodology, that it is not based upon scholarship and research, and that clients dictate the nature of the service they receive. Future research needs to examine how MFT can change its image.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Family and Child Development

Department dc:contributor.department

Family and Child Development

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Year dc:date.issued

1988

Author dc:creator

• Earle, Marcus R.

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Sporakowski, Michael J.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Cross, Lawrence H.
• Garrison Jr., James E.
• Keller, James F.
• Protinsky, Howard O.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

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

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/77908

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/77908