Multi‐Family Therapy in East and Southeast Asia—A Systematic Review and Meta‐Synthesis

ABSTRACT

This systematic review examined the characteristics, cultural adaptations, and effectiveness of multi‐family therapy in studies conducted in the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Eighteen reports from 17 studies were included, covering quantitative, qualitative, and mixed‐methods designs. Quantitative findings showed that multi‐family therapy was more consistently associated with improvements in individual‐level outcomes (e.g., symptom severity, psychological distress, functioning), whereas effects on family‐system outcomes were more mixed. Thematic synthesis of qualitative and mixed‐methods studies identified four interrelated themes: multi‐family therapy creates a non‐problem‐saturated space for families to come together; engages them in fun activities; fosters inter‐ and intra‐family connection; and supports relational understanding. Overall, individual‐level benefits are more readily captured by quantitative measures, while relational and process‐level changes may be less well‐reflected. Future research should strengthen methodological rigor and extend multi‐family therapy to presenting problems, such as eating disorders, to better evaluate its family‐system mechanisms and effects