Affiliation:
1. Mental Research Institute, Palo Alto, California
Abstract
The interactional view that problem behavior occurs in the context of, and is maintained by, other behaviors, is seen as the basic premise of family therapy in general. It is proposed that not all environing behaviors are important. “Attempted solutions” are primary—and if these premises are taken seriously, it follows that it is not necessary to see whole families routinely. Advantages of seeing individual in certain kinds of situations are outlined. As a counterpoint, the application of the same interactional viewpoint to apparently “individual” problems is considered briefly.