Abstract
Developing a balanced picture of a family's functioning is difficult when the family is culturally different from the therapist. Open-minded family therapists often translate culturally different traits and behaviors as culturally appropriate and exclude them from clinical judgment, which can limit therapeutic range and effectiveness. The following case study about an Indian family with a mentally retarded child is especially illustrative of the dilemmas facing the therapist working with families of different backgrounds. Therapeutic traps were avoided by having the family assess its own differences, while the therapist held steadfast to social interconnectedness as essential to healthy family functioning.
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An earlier and somewhat different version of this material appeared under a different title in Families, published by the Family Institute of Philadelphia.
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Ross, J.L., Phipps, E.J. Understanding the family in multiple cultural contexts: Avoiding therapeutic traps. Contemp Fam Ther 8, 255–263 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00902927
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00902927