The present doctoral thesis discusses the role of the father in child care, problematic child behavior and relational family therapy as a mode of help to families in need. The theoretical overview of the literature in the field of family systems, the role of the father in the family, the development and functioning of the mind, and relational family therapy is presented. The quantitative research assesses the status of 380 fathers and mothers of primary school children who participated by filling in the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory and Parent-Child Relationship Inventory. The statistical comparison of fathers and mothers shows that mothers have more developed parenting skills than fathers. The one exception is the efficiency of setting limits, where fathers are as efficient as mothers. The regression analysis proves the same skill to be the most important predictor of child problem behavior. The qualitative analyses of a small 3-family-sample focused on verifying the effectiveness of the relational family therapy. The changes in the family, as a result of a therapeutic treatment, are examined via three research methods – ECBI and PCRI, time diary, and structured interview. The methodological triangulation ensures deeper understanding of the change in the family system. The results obtained imply that the relational family therapy is an effective aid to the families of children with problematic behavior while firm conclusions are not possible due to low research participation. The research is important for understanding family dynamics and problematic behavior as well as for providing appropriate assistance to families in need.
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