Marriage and Family Therapists in Pediatric Integrated Specialty Care Settings: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Pediatric Integrated Specialty Care (PISC), where children receive treatment for complex health conditions alongside behavioral health support, is an emerging area of clinical practice and professional training. Medical family therapists (MedFTs) contribute uniquely in these settings by integrating medical and psychosocial dimensions of care. This study explored the experiences of marriage and family therapy (MFT) trainees and professionals (n = 8) working in PISC through interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Findings revealed seven themes illustrating challenges and opportunities in role negotiation, professional identity formation, and competency-based growth within high-acuity pediatric environments. Participants emphasized systemic skills, relational presence, communication, adaptability, and patience as central to effective collaboration in interdisciplinary teams. Their reflections underscored the importance of experiential learning, supervision, and advanced coursework in medical literacy to strengthen preparedness for PISC practice. Implications are discussed surrounding the integration of national interprofessional competencies to align MedFT education with the unique demands of pediatric specialty care.