A cross-sectional quantitative survey design was used and the questionnaires were administered to a non-probability purposive sample of systemic family therapist trainees enrolled at a German family therapy training institute. The sample consisted of 70% females, 30% males and 95% were Germans. Data were collected through the German Version of the 29-item Life-Orientation Questionnaire (Antonovsky, 1987). This instrument has well-established reliability and validity. In terms of the present study, internal consistency reliability ranged between 72 and 92.
The results indicated that the participants’ level of SOC in the first course was above average, and for the second and third courses was average during the first measurement (n=66). No significant differences between participants’ perception of SOC and the demographical variables of gender, age, marital status and religion were found. However, findings showed changes in SOC in terms of first and second measurement of SOC during the two year period. Practical implications: The findings suggest that systemic family training institutions should consider SOC in systemic family therapists training as an important construct to promote (mental) health in future therapists.
