Building Skills in High-Risk Families: Strategies for the Home-Based Practitioner - Book Review

Adolescence, Fall, 2002

PETERSON, Jane L., KOHRT, Paula E., SHADOIN, Linda M., & AUTHIER, Karen J. Building Skills in High-Risk Families: Strategies for the Home-Based Practitioner. Boys Town, NE: Boys Town Press, 1995. 265pp. $29.95 (p).

Techniques for working in homes with high-risk families are presented in this comprehensive manual developed by the highly successful Girls and Boys Town Family Preservation Services program. Building upon existing strengths, this approach helps families acquire skills to overcome generations of dysfunction and manage urgent problems. The book first discusses the foundations of in-home treatment, including cultural and family differences, community resources and networking, family assessment, building relationships, and detecting abuse and neglect. The intervention techniques of active listening, teaching, exploration, Effective Praise, metaphors, circular refocusing, criticism by suggestion, reframing, role playing, confrontation, mediation and contracting, and crisis intervention are described. Identifying, increasing, and building on family strengths will make intervention quicker, more effective, and longer lasting. The book discusses how to create individualized treatment plans and a process called "phas es" that helps the practitioner stay focused on treatment issues. Examples, references, and an index are also included.