2004/04/01 by Douglas H. Sprenkle, Adrian J. Blow · 1 citation
paper · doi:10.1111/j.1752-0606.2004.tb01228.x
crossref issued 2004/04/01 · crossref published 2004/04/01 · crossref published-print 2004/04/01 · crossref published-online 2007/05/01 · crossref created 2007/05/01 · crossref deposited 2023/09/11 · crossref indexed 2026/08/03
In this article we argue that much of what makes one treatment effective is common to other forms of effective treatment‐both in psychotherapy generally and in marital and family therapy (MFT)specifically. Yet MFT has largely ignored the research on common factors. In this article we present a moderate view of common factors that, while repudiating the extreme position that there isno difference among treatment models, stresses that there are common factors and mechanisms of changethat undergird most forms of successful treatment. These common mechanisms of change should begiven more attention in our field, which has tended to emphasize the uniqueness of our sacred models. We delineate some of the major common factors, review the empirical evidence for them, and discussimplications of adapting a common factors informed approach to family therapy.