A golden intervention: 50 years of research on filial therapy.

Abstract

In this article, the authors present an extensive review of the research conducted to date on filial therapy. Filial therapy, first described by Bernard Guerney, Jr. (1964) 50 years ago, is an innovative outgrowth of child-centered play therapy in which parents receive training, supervision, and support as they embark on a process of learning how to conduct therapeutic play sessions with their own children. The authors reviewed quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method research studies in which researchers investigated the outcomes and experiences of filial therapy with participating children, parents, and families. Results are synthesized according to the following areas: general effectiveness and the reported outcomes and experiences related to participating children, participating parents, parent–child relationships, and family functioning.

Filial Therapy as a Core Intervention with Children in Foster Care

“…FT has accumulated a solid research base over the years that has consistently established it as an effective therapeutic intervention in addressing a range of child and family problems that present in a variety of cultural and ethnic contexts. These include: child and family trauma, bereavement, domestic violence, conduct problems, attention deficit, pervasive developmental disorders, children with learning difficulties, chronically ill children and children of incarcerated parents (Cornett and Bratton, ; VanFleet and Topham, ). A comprehensive meta‐analysis conducted by Bratton et al .…”

“…() of 93‐controlled outcome studies of play therapy, 22 of which focused exclusively on FT, demonstrated a significantly greater effect size for FT over professional‐directed play therapy interventions. Other studies have consistently demonstrated that FT is effective in: a variety of formats; maintaining benefits over time; decreasing parent stress and increasing parental acceptance; improving parent–child relationships; and in a wide variety of cultures and family constellations including foster care (Cornett and Bratton, ; VanFleet et al, ).…”

Evidence Based Dyadic Therapies for 0- to 5-Year-Old Children With Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties

“…Therapy is designed for a wide range of issues that include attachment disorders or difficulties bonding, for adoptive families and for those with a history of abuse in families with resulting emotional and behavioral problems in children. For the latter group, the aims of the treatment include decreasing parental stress and their secondary trauma symptoms, and helping with their child’s behavioral issues (52–55). Behavioral issues are addressed by parents serving as role models for their children and their ability to interact with them in a non-judgmental way with empathy and respect.…”

Empowering nondeployed spouses and children through filial therapy.

“…Both FT and CPRT have been recognized within the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs & Practices (NREPP), and are considered, at their core, two strengths-based approaches that focus more on positive relational shifts over symptom reduction and behavior change (Wickstrom, 2009). The treatment approach follows the empirical research that suggests that parents can be more effective than mental health professionals in enacting change in their children (e.g., Ray, Bratton, Rhine, & Jones, 2001), and it has shown great promise as a straightforward, accessible, effective, and culturally sensitive strategy (see Cornett & Bratton, 2015; Guerney & Ryan, 2013, for a review; VanFleet, Ryan, & Smith, 2005). Through FT, parents develop sensitivity and responsiveness to their children and an increased confidence in parenting ability (Guerney, 1964).…”

“…Children, meanwhile, gain access to a safe place to express emotions, develop coping skills, increase self-esteem, and practice positive behaviors (VanFleet et al, 2005). Studies demonstrate a decrease in children’s internalizing, externalizing, and trauma-related symptoms with the use of filial therapy, and an increase in parents’ awareness and acceptance of their children’s feelings, greater understanding of the impact of their behaviors on their children, and decreased parenting stress (Cornett & Bratton, 2015; Kidron & Landreth, 2010; Smith & Landreth, 2003; Tew, Landreth, Joiner, & Solt, 2002; Tyndall-Lind, Landreth, & Giordano, 2001).…”