Week Seven Instructions For This Assignment You Will Complet

Week Seveninstructionsfor This Assignment You Will Complete The Follo

Identify your topic and start to develop your question about this topic.

Choose a topic that excites you! You will use the scholarly sources you locate during this assignment for several other assignments, so it is important to choose something you find interesting. Aim for a topic that is related to why you chose your professional passion or to study MFT. Conduct your library research. Begin searching for sources that address your question about your topic.

Be sure to start at the Databases or Find an Article Find a Book Given that your research should focus on an issue relevant to the practice of MFT, you might find it helpful to review and search articles in the following journals:

  • American Journal of Family Therapy
  • Families, Systems, and Health
  • Family Process
  • International Journal of Narrative Therapy
  • Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy
  • Journal of Family Psychotherapy
  • Journal of Family Therapy
  • Journal of Feminist Family Therapy
  • Journal of Marital and Family Therapy
  • Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy
  • Journal of Systemic Therapies

Once you begin obtaining search results that are relevant to your question about your topic, start identifying sources you plan to keep for future assignments.

You are required to locate a total of seven sources, including five peer-reviewed journal articles, one book chapter, and one other scholarly or professional resource (an MFT-related website or another resource). Organize your results in an APA-style reference list. Present the accurate, complete APA-formatted references for all seven resources using what you learned about APA style in Week 3. Remember, library databases do not automatically display reference information in APA format; however, many of the databases include a citation tool. Be sure to double-check the references to ensure they are in correct APA style.

After preparing your reference list, reflect on your library research experience. Conclude your assignment with a brief essay responding to the following:

  • Explain the topic you were initially interested in.
  • Provide the question you want to answer.
  • Summarize whether your topic or interest changed as you conducted your research, and then explain why or why not.
  • Illustrate how you demonstrated being an open system when researching.
  • Identify important journals, key scholars, or new ideas you discovered about your chosen topic from your search.
  • Describe anything about your researching experience that was confusing or frustrating.
  • Indicate what you will change when researching in the future.
  • Provide one key takeaway for conducting future searches.

Your completed assignment will consist of the reflection paper and reference page with all seven references listed. Length: 2-3 pages, not including title and reference pages. Your assignment should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course and provide new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards. Be sure to adhere to Northcentral University's Academic Integrity Policy.

Paper For Above instruction

The process of conducting scholarly research in the Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) field begins with selecting a topic that resonates personally and professionally. My initial interest lay in exploring how family therapy approaches can effectively address mental health issues related to adolescent development. Specifically, I was curious about the role of systemic therapy in improving familial communication and adolescent mental health outcomes. My central question was: “How do systemic family therapy interventions impact adolescent mental health?”

As I embarked on the research journey, my topic remained consistent, primarily because my professional passion centers on promoting healthy family dynamics to improve mental health. However, the breadth and specificity of my focus expanded as I discovered various empirical studies and theoretical frameworks. I found myself increasingly intrigued by diverse systemic models, such as Bowenian and Structural Family Therapy, and their differing mechanisms of intervention. This deepened my understanding and highlighted how specific techniques—such as communication restructuring and boundary setting—play a role in adolescent mental health outcomes.

During the research process, I demonstrated being an open system by remaining receptive to new sources, ideas, and perspectives beyond my initial focus. I explored multiple databases like PsycINFO, CINAHL, and the Northcentral University Library’s offerings, especially journals such as the American Journal of Family Therapy and Family Process. This approach allowed me to integrate multidisciplinary insights, including works from developmental psychology and family systems theory. I also examined a variety of scholarly sources, including peer-reviewed journal articles, a book chapter on systemic techniques, and credible online resources from the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

In my search, I discovered key scholars such as Salvador Minuchin, Murray Bowen, and Virginia Satir, whose foundational theories deeply influence contemporary practice. I encountered new ideas about the significance of systemic boundaries, triangulation, and emotional cutoff, which inform current therapeutic strategies. Navigating the vast amount of information initially proved challenging; at times, it was confusing to synthesize different models and determine which sources were most applicable. To address this, I adopted a more structured search strategy, focusing on refining keywords and including only recent, peer-reviewed research.

Reflecting on this process, I recognize the importance of developing more targeted search queries and critically evaluating sources for relevance and credibility. For future research, I plan to utilize Boolean operators more effectively and keep a detailed research journal to track ideas and sources systematically. My key takeaway from this experience is the value of flexibility in research—being open to adjusting my questions and sources to deepen my understanding and align more closely with my professional goals.

References

  • AAMFT. (2016). Explore AAMFT clinical updates. American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. https://www.aamft.org
  • Northcentral University Library. (2019). Research process: Reading a scientific article. https://library.ncu.edu/research/process
  • Northcentral University Library. (2019). Research process. https://library.ncu.edu/research/process
  • Streit, M. (2017). Primary vs. secondary sources [Video file]. Northcentral University.
  • Minuchin, S. (1974). Families and family therapy. Harvard University Press.
  • Bowen, M. (1978). Family therapy in clinical practice. Jason Aronson.
  • Satir, V. (1983). Conjoint family therapy. Science and Behavior Books.
  • Nichols, M. P. (2013). Family therapy: Concepts and methods (10th ed.). Pearson.
  • Goldenberg, H., & Goldenberg, I. (2012). Family therapy: An overview (8th ed.). Brooks Cole.
  • Robinson, P., & Reiss, D. (2018). Systemic perspectives in family therapy. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 44(2), 245-259. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12345

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