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Basic family therapy
Behar. Res. Ther. Vol. 26. No. 4. pp. 361-367. 1988 Press plc. Printed in Great Britain
Pergamon
BOOK P. BARKER: Basic Furnil!
Therapy, 2nd Edn., Collins.
REVIEWS
London
(1986). xviii + 334 pages.
f4.95.
The aim of this book is to serve as an introduction to family therapy, providing a comprehensive, eclectic overview of the field. A substantial proportion of it is taken up by a careful account of the development of the field of family therapy, an explanation of the basic theoretical concepts and a description of the different approaches or schools of family therapy. These chapters provide a very good overview with comprehensive references to the major works for those readers who wish to acquaint themselves with the field in more detail. Similarly, the review of research provides a fairly basic but quite comprehensive overview of family research and again is a useful source of references in this area. The rest of the book is more concerned with clinical issues. The idea is to give the novice therapist some basic tools to help him decide when to use family therapy, how to engage families in treatment, whom to involve in treatment, how to deal with specific clinical problems and how to terminate treatment. The style of writing in these sections of the book is in marked contrast to the other sections. In the chapters dealing with clinical issues Barker moves away from an evaluative style of writing, and presents his own particular approach to treatment. These two styles of writing do not coexist easily in one book, and I felt it was a pity that the author did not maintain his ‘review’ approach throughout the book. Although I enjoyed reading the book, I lind it difficult to decide whom I would recommend the book to. Because of its contrasting styles it is not the type of book that I would recommend to be read from cover to cover, particulary if one is looking for an introduction to the field. On the other hand, it is certainly excellent as a reference book or a book for someone who wants to read about family therapy without necessarily wanting to become a family therapist. IVAN EISLER
D. M. GELFAND and L. PETERSON: Child Developmenr and Psychopathology. Sage Publications, f 10.00 Paperback; f 19.75 Hardback.
London
(1985).
IS7 pages.
This is the first volume of a series in Developmental Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry. It is aimed at convincing both clinicians and developmental psychologists of the need for collaboration. The authors follow two coherent lines of argument. Firstly, that it is not possible to understand either normality or deviance in isolation; and secondly, that there are fundamental ways in which children differ from adults. They provide a clear and concise comparison of adult and child disorders and stress that information on developmental levels are essential in the planning and implementation of treatment and prevention programmes with children. This is a readable and concise monograph which should appeal to students of both clinical child and developmental psychology looking for a brief introduction to developmental issues in clinical practice and research. It is not for those wanting details of child development and offers little of practical value to those currently working with children in clinical settings. It does, however, present a useful overview of the contributions (past. present and potential) of developmental psychology to the understanding of child psychopathology, albeit in an uncritical way. It is also convincing in its arguments for the need for further collaboration and joint teaching by the two disciplines. SUSAN GOODE
L. S. HEARNSHAW: The Shaping of Modern Psychology-An (1987). viii + 423 pages. f 19.95.
Historical Introduction. Routledge
and Kegan
Paul, London
One may be forgiven for wondering whether a new history of psychology, one that takes us back to the Greeks and does not reach ‘the beginnings of scientific psychology’ until almost half way through the volume, could possibly be of interest “the behaviourists, from their pioneer Watson to to readers of this journal. As the author points out in his Introduction, the contemporary Skinner, have made it clear that they totally reject the historical part of psychology. Prescientific views of human behaviour can, according to them, provide no help towards the creation of a scientific psychology”. Moreover, school or group of schools of although Hearnshaw acknowledges that behaviourism represents “the most characteristic he devotes no more than four out of his more than four the 20th Century, at any rate among academic psychologists”, hundred pages to the behaviourist approach. He concedes that behaviour therapy and programmed learning were two to emerge from the Skinnerian paradigm but he dismisses, as “obviously untenable and “extremely useful applications” absurd,” Skinner’s contention that “behaviour is a subject matter in its own right with its own self-contained orderliness and lawfulness” and, likewise, “Skinner’s total rejection of the inner world”. But perhaps I misjudge the readership of this journal? Behaviour therapy is. after all, a technology and there is no reason why its practitioners should renounce an interest in those wider issues concerned with the nature of man or the meaning 361
Pergamon
BOOK P. BARKER: Basic Furnil!
Therapy, 2nd Edn., Collins.
REVIEWS
London
(1986). xviii + 334 pages.
f4.95.
The aim of this book is to serve as an introduction to family therapy, providing a comprehensive, eclectic overview of the field. A substantial proportion of it is taken up by a careful account of the development of the field of family therapy, an explanation of the basic theoretical concepts and a description of the different approaches or schools of family therapy. These chapters provide a very good overview with comprehensive references to the major works for those readers who wish to acquaint themselves with the field in more detail. Similarly, the review of research provides a fairly basic but quite comprehensive overview of family research and again is a useful source of references in this area. The rest of the book is more concerned with clinical issues. The idea is to give the novice therapist some basic tools to help him decide when to use family therapy, how to engage families in treatment, whom to involve in treatment, how to deal with specific clinical problems and how to terminate treatment. The style of writing in these sections of the book is in marked contrast to the other sections. In the chapters dealing with clinical issues Barker moves away from an evaluative style of writing, and presents his own particular approach to treatment. These two styles of writing do not coexist easily in one book, and I felt it was a pity that the author did not maintain his ‘review’ approach throughout the book. Although I enjoyed reading the book, I lind it difficult to decide whom I would recommend the book to. Because of its contrasting styles it is not the type of book that I would recommend to be read from cover to cover, particulary if one is looking for an introduction to the field. On the other hand, it is certainly excellent as a reference book or a book for someone who wants to read about family therapy without necessarily wanting to become a family therapist. IVAN EISLER
D. M. GELFAND and L. PETERSON: Child Developmenr and Psychopathology. Sage Publications, f 10.00 Paperback; f 19.75 Hardback.
London
(1985).
IS7 pages.
This is the first volume of a series in Developmental Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry. It is aimed at convincing both clinicians and developmental psychologists of the need for collaboration. The authors follow two coherent lines of argument. Firstly, that it is not possible to understand either normality or deviance in isolation; and secondly, that there are fundamental ways in which children differ from adults. They provide a clear and concise comparison of adult and child disorders and stress that information on developmental levels are essential in the planning and implementation of treatment and prevention programmes with children. This is a readable and concise monograph which should appeal to students of both clinical child and developmental psychology looking for a brief introduction to developmental issues in clinical practice and research. It is not for those wanting details of child development and offers little of practical value to those currently working with children in clinical settings. It does, however, present a useful overview of the contributions (past. present and potential) of developmental psychology to the understanding of child psychopathology, albeit in an uncritical way. It is also convincing in its arguments for the need for further collaboration and joint teaching by the two disciplines. SUSAN GOODE
L. S. HEARNSHAW: The Shaping of Modern Psychology-An (1987). viii + 423 pages. f 19.95.
Historical Introduction. Routledge
and Kegan
Paul, London
One may be forgiven for wondering whether a new history of psychology, one that takes us back to the Greeks and does not reach ‘the beginnings of scientific psychology’ until almost half way through the volume, could possibly be of interest “the behaviourists, from their pioneer Watson to to readers of this journal. As the author points out in his Introduction, the contemporary Skinner, have made it clear that they totally reject the historical part of psychology. Prescientific views of human behaviour can, according to them, provide no help towards the creation of a scientific psychology”. Moreover, school or group of schools of although Hearnshaw acknowledges that behaviourism represents “the most characteristic he devotes no more than four out of his more than four the 20th Century, at any rate among academic psychologists”, hundred pages to the behaviourist approach. He concedes that behaviour therapy and programmed learning were two to emerge from the Skinnerian paradigm but he dismisses, as “obviously untenable and “extremely useful applications” absurd,” Skinner’s contention that “behaviour is a subject matter in its own right with its own self-contained orderliness and lawfulness” and, likewise, “Skinner’s total rejection of the inner world”. But perhaps I misjudge the readership of this journal? Behaviour therapy is. after all, a technology and there is no reason why its practitioners should renounce an interest in those wider issues concerned with the nature of man or the meaning 361