Postmodernism in therapy: meanings and concerns

This dissertation project seeks to confront confusion and criticism that has accompanied postmodernism\u27s introduction into the field of therapy by identifying separate characteristics found in the professional literature and by asking three contributors to respond to criticism;The first article examines common ideas and characteristics attributed to postmodernism as found in family therapy literature. Toward that end, thirty-one articles from seven journals were examined to identify these meanings. This research found six general categories within which comments about postmodernism were expressed. Within the core category, twenty-six separate characteristics were identified;The second article addresses published criticism that postmodernism promotes an attitude of \u27anything goes.\u27 Speaking to this criticism are three notable contributors, Harlene Anderson, Kenneth Gergen, and Michael Mahoney. These respondents were also asked to distinguish between postmodernism and related concepts and speculate on why criticism of postmodernism continues. Among the results that the research yielded, it was found that these respondents neither utilize nor encourage postmodernist ideas or characteristics towards the promotion of an attitude of \u27anything goes.\u2