Children’s Mental Health Task 11 FY 2007: Family-Directed Structural Therapy Training

Abstract

Family-Directed Structural Therapy (FDST) is a family-based helping modality that is designed to be utilized with a variety of family and relationship issues. There is a corresponding FDST assessment tool, which is completed by adult family members, allowing them to rate themselves on five relationship issues (commitment, empowerment, control of self, credibility, and consistency), roles, and external stressors. Using these scores and a framework of interaction that offers suggestions regarding ways to bring about positive change, service providers guide families to identify areas of concerns and strengths upon which to build. A conceptual article describing FDST can be found in the October 2005 issue of The Journal of Marital and Family Therapy.

Family-Directed Structural Therapy has been developed over the last twenty years and has been utilized in a traditional clinical setting, as well as in a therapeutic wilderness family camp. With funding through Kansas Social and Rehabilitation Services - Division of Health Care Policy, KU School of Social Welfare completed an evaluation of FDST as utilized in this family camp. Building on the success of this project, a FDST training project began in two Kansas Community Mental Health Centers in July 2005. Finally, in July 2006, a corresponding project commenced which collects outcome measures from families with whom trained service providers have utilized FDST.