Family Therapy and School Discipline Concerns: A 20-Year Scoping Review of Interventions by Family Therapists and Clinical Mental Health Counselors

Abstract

Family therapy in schools is gaining increasing focus in both education and counseling fields. To explore existing literature on family therapy in schools, this scoping review examines and synthesizes key concepts of peer-reviewed literature on family therapy or family-focused interventions. Empirical and conceptual articles were included if the article included behavioral or discipline-related concerns and involved family therapy or family-focused interventions within the context of K-12 education provided by clinical mental health counselors (CMHC) or marriage and family therapists (MFT). This PRISMA scoping review synthesizes themes including the school and behavioral contexts, the target population and sample characteristics, the interventions provided, and the outcomes assessed. Implications for this review include serving as a foundation for future research, such as a systematic review, informing family therapy program development within schools, and informing training objectives for counselor educators.