Families provide the bedrock for the development of interpersonal relationships. It grooms a young member’s entry into a web of societal relationships and contributes to one’s mental health and well-being. Couples and families transition through a set of stages, known as family life-cycle stages, with each stage unique in its tasks and goals. In addition to introducing the key tenets of family systems theory, the chapter details contemporary topics in marriage and family, including extramarital involvement, violence, divorce, and same-sex marriages. It discusses important theoretical and therapeutic approaches to marriage and family therapy, including behavioural, dynamic, systemic, and experiential formats of family therapy. It also reviews process and outcome research in the area of marriage and family therapy.
