Perceptions of the Triad Model's efficacy in training family counsellors for diverse South African groups

Abstract

South Africa is a multicultural, ethnically diverse society, the vast majority (over 80%) of whose members have been oppressed by the white minority under the apartheid system. A model which takes into account the sociopolitical context and is sensitive to culture and class would provide a useful theoretical framework for the formulation of clinical interventions here. Pedersen's Triad Model is considered to constitute such an approach. There have been no known attempts to introduce this model into South African clinics or training centres. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate the perceptions of the Triad Model's potential effectiveness held by trainers in family counselling. A role-play of a family counselling session was constructed, using a procounsellor and an anticounsellor Triad design, respectively. This was sent to family counselling trainers, together with an evaluation questionnaire. Of the 16 university- and 25 clinic-based trainers approached, 12 returned the questionnaire. Results reflected a significant and consistent preference for the procounsellor over the anticounsellor Triad design, and for the anticounsellor design over conventional family counselling. The findings provide encouragement for the feasibility of the Triad Model's further investigation and adoption in South Africa.