“Therapeutizing” research: The positive impact of family‐focused research on participants

The therapeutic potential of family‐oriented research has hardly been examined or conceptualized. This paper addresses seven aspects of the research process which may have therapeutic effects on participants. Examples from published research are used to provide empirical evidence of the therapeutic‐like responses of research participants. A perspective on the ethical responsibilities of doing family‐oriented research is offered, as are cautions about possible unintended negative effects.