Evaluating Change in Families: A Follow‐up Study of the Completed Work with Families in the First Year of Operation of a Family Therapy Agency

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Abstract
This paper offers the results and a discussion of a follow‐up study of closed family cases after ten months of operation of a new family therapy agency. The sample consisted of 75 families, all of whom received a mailed questionnaire asking their opinions as to the effectiveness of the therapy they received at “The Family Centre”, and a description of the type of change that may have occurred in their family. Every fourth questionnaire contained an additional question concerning the family's availability for an interview. Further information was obtained from the therapists, who rated their own performance by answering questions similar to those on the posted questionnaire. Comparisons were made between client and therapist as to their definition of the nature of the problem and the amount of help given. The results indicated that most families who came to The Family Centre in 1979 considered the problems they presented with were overcome at least to some extent. Sixty‐nine percent of those who attended more than one interview said there had been considerable improvement. Further support for the results was found in the therapists' assessments which were similar to those of the families, and from the follow‐up interviews. These results agreed with earlier family therapy consumer satisfaction studies.