ICONOCLASM VERSUS INNOVATION - BUILDING A SCIENCE OF FAMILY-THERAPY - COMMENTS ON MOON, DILLON, AND SPRENKLE

We dispute Moon, Dillon, and Sprenkle's (1990) claims regarding the unique advantages of qualitative methods and inherent limitations of traditional quantitative approaches for addressing the needs of family therapy research. We support the role of qualitative research as a generative phase in theory development and concur that exclusive allegiance to a standard set of research methods may limit our attention to important family therapy processes. However, we also assert the need to document generalizability of informal observations through controlled procedures using appropriate quantitative techniques. Both ethical and practical considerations demand that we document treatment efficacy based on a science of family therapy. Copyright © 1991, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved