Does the portal of entry determine our view? Interfaces between dyadic and three-way assessment of a clinical family transitioning to parenthood

The purpose of this interface was to explore the influences of dyadic and three-way observation on clinical assessment of young families. Three independent clinicians observed a clinically referred family using semistructured play paradigms, each with only a limited view of the family. One had only the data on dyadic interactions, the second only had data on the family triad, and the third observed both the dyads and the triad. Interactions were scored using standardized measures as well as the clinical impressions of the three practitioners. The various ports of entry yielded similar impressions in some instances, but each port also provided a richness of information not available from the other portal. Clinical implications are discussed, including not only the benefits of each port for assessment but also the implications for therapy in this case example.