Name of Concept
Pluralism
Introduction
Pluralism reflects an approach to treatment integration which holds that there is no single theoretical, epistemological, or methodological approach that is preeminent and no one, correct integrative system toward which the field of psychotherapy is evolving. Informed pluralism comprises a contextually-based approach toward therapy integration (Safran and Messer 1997). It is distinct from (a) common factors approaches emphasizing active but nonspecific components of therapeutic change processes, and (b) transtheoretical approaches attempting to translate diverse theoretical models into a single unifying language. Pluralism potentially accommodates more diverse approaches whose basic tenets defy assimilation into a common theoretical framework.
Theoretical Context for Concept
Arguments for a pluralistic approach to couple therapy are based in part on (a) the limited effectiveness of any single theoretical approach on couples’ long-term response to...
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Gasbarrini, M.F., Snyder, D.K. (2019). Pluralistic Approach to Couple 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_929
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49425-8_929
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