Family interviewing: a review of the literature in primary care.

Background: Interviewing families is an essential skill for family physicians, but there is little research on the process or outcomes of family interviewing in primary care.

Methods: We conducted a search of MEDLINE and PsychINFO using a wide range of terms related to family interviewing. The studies obtained were grouped into one of four categories: physicians' family orientation or level of family involvement, family genograms, family members who accompany patients to routine visits, and family conferences.