Essential Skills for Novice Structural Family Therapists: A Delphi Study of Experienced Practitioners’ Perspectives

Abstract

The considerable number of essential skills identified in the literature creates a challenge for family therapist instructors and supervisors who must develop a coherent curriculum for clinical training and supervision. This study used a modified Delphi method to obtain a consensus from experienced structural family therapists concerning the most essential skills needed by novice structural family therapists. The therapists concluded that relational skills are of primary importance to establish a therapeutic relationship that would facilitate the structural interventions. A critical component of the relational factor was the ability of the novice therapist to provide a vision of hope to clients and establish expectancy for change. The study provides an added dimension to understanding the essential training needs of novice structural family therapists from the practitioner’s perspective and brings research in essential skills for novice therapists closer to actual clinical practice. Implications for further research and clinical training are discussed.