Theoretical and Cultural Aspects of the Development of Family Therapy in China*

Nowadays, a multicultural perspective seems more pressing between clinicians and psychotherapists. For systemic family therapists, a cross-cultural conversation is necessary to respond well to this request. The past three decades have witnessed a rapid development of family therapy in China both clinically and academically since the late 1980s. Intending to lay a solid foundation for cross-cultural exchange between Western and Eastern therapists, this article gives a brief review on the application of family therapy in China along with cultural issues faced by Chinese psychotherapists. Some main topics are covered, such as the social background of the boom of family therapy, the cultural compatibility and the effectiveness of family therapy, the peculiarity of Chinese families, and the cultural adaptation of family therapy. Despite all the fruitful achievements, given the current Westerncentrism in the field of psychotherapy, it is still a long way to further the indigenisation of family therapy in China. From the review, it is clear that more theoretical research from a critical spirit and comparative research with an open-minded attitude is needed to further the indigenisation of family therapy in China.