Introduction
The study of common factors focuses on identifying core elements of effective couple and family therapy (CFT). Proponents of common factors claim that once model-specific language is removed, most CFT theories orient the therapist to similar patterns of dysfunction and help them guide the family towards similar patterns of health. Much of what makes therapy effective is also inherent in the structure of therapy itself. For example, the alliance created by confidentially disclosing vulnerabilities to and seeking guidance from a nonjudgmental, caring, empathetic therapist is thought to be healing, regardless of the theoretical approach used. Common factors theorists believe that regardless of their source, identifying the core and unifying elements of effective CFT may lead to more efficient training and ultimately better clinical outcomes. As such the common factors paradigm is not a model of therapy per se, but a principle-based meta-model, or “model of models.”
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References
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Davis, S.D. (2019). Common Factors in Couple and Family Therapy. In: Lebow, J.L., Chambers, A.L., Breunlin, D.C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49425-8_515
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49425-8_515
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