Efficiency of systemic family therapy

The author raises the inventory of the research concerning the efficiency of the family, marital and systemic therapies. The "classical" approaches have been poorly controlled during the 90s. However, the situation gradually modified. New "integrated" models were developed and assessed, essentially with children and teenagers - and their family - presenting conduct and substance abuse disorders. A model more particularly holds attention: the BFST (Briefing Strategic Family Therapy). This model integrates the structural approach of Minuchin and Fishman and the strategic approach of Haley. The studies concerning this model constitute consequently the first probation of the systemic "classical" approaches. The author steers then the attention on the effective therapeutic processes that prooved to be efficient. It seems that it is not a technique but a set of combined techniques that are effective. Besides, it seems that the theoretical models overvalue the effects of their specific technics. The article ends in a report: every model should rather open in certain practices stemming from the other approaches.