Family Strengths

Family strengths are attributes or characteristics within a family that facilitate its ability to successfully overcome adversity and hardship and move forward in ways that promote growth and resilience. Identifying and promoting family strengths is an important function of advancing the survival and enrichment of families. The topic of family strengths is relevant in marriage, family, and couples counseling because it promotes the identification and utilization of positive family attributes that can greatly influence therapeutic change. This entry will present an overview of family strengths by focusing on the assumptions underlying a family strengths perspective, the unique challenges associated with strength-based practice, family research models that have contributed to knowledge about family strengths, and conceptual frameworks and therapeutic approaches that inform clinical practice.