Region as a Cultural Context in Family Therapy
Abstract
Environmentally-constructed, regional culture as defined by geographic place is
not generally included in family therapy research and training concerning race, ethnicity,
gender, sexual orientation, and other contextual factors. This grounded theory research
project explores how practitioners working with families acknowledge, access, and use
region as a cultural context in their service delivery, specifically in the New River Valley
region of Southwest Virginia. Ecological theory, social construction theory, family
systems theory, and cultural competency perspectives were used to frame the research
questions, to develop the interview protocol, and to support the analysis of the
properties and dimensions of the concepts and categories that emerged from the data
analysis. The resulting grounded theory revealed that clinicians working with regionally distinct
clients combine a client-centered approach with multiple-layers of regional knowledge and self-awareness.
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- Doctoral Dissertations [14904]