Brief emotion‐focused family therapy: A 12‐month follow‐up study. (22nd January 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Foroughe, Mirisse; Browne, Dillon T.; Thambipillai, Prakash; Cordeiro, Kristina; Muller, Robert T.
• Is Part Of: Journal of marital and family therapy. Volume 49:Number 2(2023)
• Page Start: 394
• Page End: 410
• Publication Date: 2023-01-22
• Subjects: Marriage counseling -- United States -- Periodicals; Family psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Counseling -- Periodicals; Family -- Periodicals; Family Therapy -- Periodicals; Marriage -- Periodicals; Gezinstherapie; Conseil conjugal -- États-Unis -- Périodiques; Thérapie familiale -- Périodiques; 616.89156
• DOI: 10.1111/jmft.12628
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0194-472X

Abstract

Abstract: This study provides a 12‐month follow‐up evaluation of caregivers after participating in a 2‐day Emotion‐focused family therapy (EFFT) intensive, a brief intervention for caregivers of youth struggling with mental health difficulties. Caregivers ( N = 498) of children ( N = 337) completed measures of caregiver self‐efficacy and child mental health difficulties 1 week before the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and at 4, 8, and 12‐month follow‐ups. Piecewise latent trajectory models revealed that parental self‐efficacy showed a large immediate increase following the intervention, β = 1.61 (1.32, 2.14), and although this effect was attenuated by 4 months, β = −0.77 (−1.31, −0.52), it did not change further by 12 months. Reductions in child mental health difficulties were observed by 4 months, β = −0.54 (−0.77, −0.37), and remained stable through the 12‐month follow‐up. Caregivers reporting more increases in self‐efficacy also reported greater reductions in their children's symptoms at 4 and 12 months.