‘We argue a lot and don't talk with each other’: How distressed are families when seeking Relate family counselling?

Abstract

Aims Family counselling, with its preventative and supportive focus, could offer an important addition to higher intensity family therapy services, improving functioning for families in need. However, a basic question is whether families presenting to such services are, as assumed, less distressed than those presenting to National Health Service (NHS) services. This study therefore examined the levels of distress (child and family functioning) of families seeking help at a national voluntary sector family counselling service (Relate). In addition, the study explored how parents and children describe their families and understand the difficulties that brought them into family counselling. Method A total of 54 families (60 adults and 15 children) from one local Relate centre completed the ‘Systemic Clinical Outcome and Routine Evaluation’ Scale (SCORE‐15), the ‘Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale III’ (FACES‐III) and the ‘Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire’ (SDQ) before counselling. The answers to three open SCORE questions (family and problem description) were analysed with a combination of thematic and content analysis. Results The quantitative results indicate moderate to high levels of distress reported by families when seeking Relate family counselling, comparable with NHS secondary service Child and Adolescent Mental Health contexts. The qualitative data show a broad range of problems at different levels (child‐related issues, family conflicts, marital break‐down and external pressure). Discussion The results indicate a potential mismatch between the preventative and low‐intensive focus of this kind of intervention and the levels of distress and problem severity in the help‐seeking population. Possible implications from these results for further research and therapeutic practice are explored.

The Score Family Assessment Questionnaire: A Decade of Progress

“…With regard to construct validity, in eight studies significant and predominantly moderate correlations were found between the SCORE-15 and SCORE-28 on the one hand, and measures of theoretically related constructs such as problem severity, family adjustment, parental and marital satisfaction, family of origin history of child maltreatment, parent and child mental health, and quality of life, on the other (Cahill et al, 2010;Fay et al, 2013;Hamilton et al, 2015;McKiernan, Guerin, Quinn, & Carr, 2016;O'Hanrahan et al, 2017;Stratton et al, 2014;Vilac ßa et al, 2015;Vossler & Moller, 2015). Also negligible correlations between the SCORE and demographic variables were found in three studies (Cahill et al, 2010;Fay et al, 2013;Stratton et al, 2014).…”

“…In both trials, there were no significant differences between treatment and control groups on adolescent-completed versions of the SDQ. Vossler and Moller (2015) conducted a study to document levels of distress in families attending a Relate center, which is part of a UK national voluntary sector family counseling service. The SCORE-15 and FACES-III were completed by 60 adults and seven children from 54 families before counseling.…”

“…Vossler and Moller () conducted a study to document levels of distress in families attending a Relate center, which is part of a UK national voluntary sector family counseling service. The SCORE‐15 and FACES‐III were completed by 60 adults and seven children from 54 families before counseling.…”

Score

“…Construct validity. With regard to construct validity, significant and predominantly moderate correlations have been found between the SCORE-15 and SCORE-28, on the one hand, and measures of theoretically related constructs such as problem severity, family adjustment, parental and marital satisfaction, family of origin history of child maltreatment, parent and child mental health, and quality of life, on the other (Cahill et al 2010;Fay et al 2013;Hamilton et al 2016;McKiernan et al 2016;O'Hanrahan et al 2016;Vilaça et al 2015;Vossler and Moller 2015). Also, negligible correlations between the SCORE and demographic variables were found in three studies (Cahill et al 2010;Fay et al 2013;.…”

Psychometric properties of the SCORE‐15 Thai version and its relationship with mental health index

“…The effect sizes of these correlations fell between 0.24 and 0.36 for the total family adjustment of the SCORE-15. Additionally, Vossler and Moller (2015) reported a significant correlation between the SCORE-15 (total scale) and the family cohesion subscale of the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES III) in sixty adults and fifteen children from fifty-four families seeking help at a family counseling service in the UK. However, no significant correlation was observed between the SCORE-15 (total scale) and the family adaptability subscale of FACES III as well as the SDQ.…”