MFT650 Assessment of Couples and Families (3 cr.)

Prerequisite(s): MFT605 , MFT608 , MFT616 , MFT617 , MFT618 , MFT619 , MFT620  
This course examines the strengths and limitations of different assessment strategies with couples and families, including assessment based on observation, therapist/rater, family report, and interactional methods. It includes an overview of various measures and instruments used, including parent-child, family, and couple inventories.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

1. Understand the connection between ways of observing and assessing couples and families, and the underlying values and theoretical assumptions of the assessment instruments.
2. Evaluate family assessment tools appropriate for families.
3. Understand the legal, ethical, and clinical issues in couple and family assessment.
4. Administer various instruments and feedback to participants based on results.
5. Analyze the role that gender, ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation play in the assessment of couples and families.
6. Create interview questions based out of the MFT models to use in assessments.