Observational coding in family therapy process research.

Observationally based coding systems represent one major source of information regarding the process of family therapy, the nature of change mechanisms, and the necessary components of intervention manuals. In this article, the authors introduce a two-dimensional framework for organizing the diverse approaches to observational coding that currently exist. These dimensions focus on the information used in identifying the coding unit and the degree of inference involved in assigning a code (i.e., meaning) to that unit. The goal in developing this framework is to provide a common basis on which observationally based family therapy process research initiatives can be developed, compared, and integrated.