Abstract
Following a description of many of the problems, this chapter proceeds to propose treatment for polygamous families. A case background of a polygamous family consisting of eight wives and 60 children is presented, with a treatment model.
The treatment is a multistep process which includes seeing each person individually as well as in groups. This intervention model has much to teach us about clinical approaches to treating Arab-Muslim polygamous families. In a collective society, individualization is a delicate issue and so, when an individual is treated, it is imperative that the treatment plan be framed within a larger context.
Finally—and critically—polygamy is likely to bring up strong feelings in the clinician: biases must be noted and professionally managed.
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Al-Krenawi, A. (2014). A Proposed Model for Treatment of Polygamous Families. In: Psychosocial Impact of Polygamy in the Middle East. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9375-4_6
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