The clinical practices of medical family therapists

Abstract

Although mental health professionals use the biopsychosocial approach and make collaborations with other providers in their practice, there is a lack of evidence in how effective Medical Family Therapists (MedFTs) are in their practice patterns with patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical practices of Medical Family Therapists, investigating how likely MedFTs assessed for biopsychosocial issues in patients and what potential referrals for treatment were made. A purposeful and snowball sampling method resulted in 84 participants taking part in an online survey, recruited through various list serves, organizations and educational institutions. Although none of the author's hypotheses regarding participants making a biposychosocial assessment or referral for treatment were confirmed, MedFTs were more inclined to refer to medical providers than any other professional in the patient's treatment after an initial assessment. Mental health professionals who consider themselves MedFTs may benefit from additional training or coursework when using this model in their practice.