The Effectiveness of Family Constellation Therapy in Improving Mental Health: A Systematic Review. 2021

Barna Konkolÿ Thege, and Carla Petroll, and Carlos Rivas, and Salome Scholtens
Waypoint Research Institute, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, Penetanguishene, ON, Canada.

Family/systemic constellation therapy is a short-term group intervention aiming to help clients better understand and then change their conflictive experiences within a social system (e.g., family). The aim of the present systematic review was to synthetize the empirical evidence on the tolerability and effectiveness of this intervention in improving mental health. The PsycINFO, Embase, MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science, Psyndex, PsycEXTRA, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, The Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and an intervention-specific organization's databases were searched for quantitative, prospective studies published in English, German, Spanish, French, Dutch or Hungarian up until April 2020. Out of 4,197 identified records, 67 were assessed for eligibility, with 12 studies fulfilling inclusion criteria (10 independent samples; altogether 568 participants). Outcome variables were diverse ranging from positive self-image through psychopathology to perceived quality of family relationships. Out of the 12 studies, nine showed statistically significant improvement postintervention. The studies showing no significant treatment benefit were of lower methodological quality. The random-effect meta-analysis-conducted on five studies in relation to general psychopathology-indicated a moderate effect (Hedges' g of 0.531, CI: 0.387-0.676). Authors of seven studies also investigated potential iatrogenic effects and four studies reported minor or moderate negative effects in a small proportion (5-8%) of participants that potentially could have been linked to the intervention. The data accumulated to date point into the direction that family constellation therapy is an effective intervention with significant mental health benefits in the general population; however, the quantity and overall quality of the evidence is low.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008603 Mental Health Emotional, psychological, and social well-being of an individual or group. Mental Hygiene,Health, Mental,Hygiene, Mental
D011446 Prospective Studies Observation of a population for a sufficient number of persons over a sufficient number of years to generate incidence or mortality rates subsequent to the selection of the study group. Prospective Study,Studies, Prospective,Study, Prospective
D005196 Family Therapy A form of group psychotherapy. It involves treatment of more than one member of the family simultaneously in the same session. Therapy, Family,Family Therapies,Therapies, Family
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

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