Family Systems Theory
(Murray Bowen)
Extends general systems theory beyond the nuclear family. The goal is the achievement of a higher level of differentiation of self on the part of each family member.
8 Interlocking Concepts:
1. Differentiation of Self
2. Nuclear Family Emot
Differentiation of Self
family member's ability to discriminate between their identities and experiences and that of other family members (rather than having fused identities)
Nuclear Family Emotional System
reference to a family in which members' identities are fused
Triangles
denotes that relationships have periods of closeness and periods of distance; occurs during periods of distance�an "outsider" takes sides with one person in the relationship
Societal Emotional Process
denote that the emotional system governs behavior on a societal level, similar to that found in a family, promoting both progressive and regressive periods in society
Emotional Cutoff
unhealthy way of dealing with intergenerational undifferentiation (young adult may sever ties with parents)
Sibling Position
associated with the development of specific personality characteristics
Family Projection Process
process through which parents transmit their lack of differentiation onto their offspring
Multigenerational Transmission Process
reference to the transmission, through the generations, of the family's emotional process
Therapeutic Triangle
social worker "joining" or engaging in work with a couple
Genogram
graphic representation of family relationships; including important information about family members, including, but not limited to, birth and death dates, occupations, and the nature of relationships between different family members
Questioning
process questions to explore the dynamics of family relationships; purpose is to shift the focus of family members from how others are causing them grief to what they are doing to contribute to family difficulties
Detriangulation
process in which the social worker avoids taking sides with partners and encourages each of them to take responsibility for their part in family problem
Coaching
social worker helps the family along each step of the way so they know exactly what they are to do
Communications/Experiential Family Therapy
Primary purpose of symptoms is to maintain homoeostasis in the family. Pathological families are stuck in strong dysfunctional communication patterns and any change is a threat to the integrity of the system. Primary goal of therapy is to alter the intera
Double bind communication
involves contradictory demands
recipient cannot comment on the contradictions and is unable to escape the inevitable consequences of only being able to meet one of the demands
Virginia Satir
Emphasized feelings and self-esteem of individual family members; joined the family to facilitate a family process that promoted the well-being of family members
Looked at the cost to each member of the family of maintaining the present balance in the fam
Structural Family Theory
(Salvador Minuchin)
Based on the premise that all families have an underlying organization, which may be adaptive or maladaptive.
Maladaptive patterns of interaction underlie symptoms observed in individual family members.
Identifies the maladaptive struc
Alignments
coalitions between subsystems in the family that serve a specific purpose
Power hierarchies
refers to the distribution of power in the family
Subsystems
some part of the family (parents)
Interpersonal boundaries
rules that control the amount of involvement of family members have with each other and with others who are not a part of the family
Disengagement
family members and subsystems of the family are isolated from each other emotionally and in terms of their interaction
Enmeshment
family members and subsystems of the family are overly concerned and overly involved with each other resulting in minimal autonomy in functioning
Complementarity
extent to which different family roles are in harmony with each other
Inflexible family structures
rigid structures that do not lend themselves to being changed in the face of changing family circumstances
Joining
social worker's entrance into the family's interactional system; includes forming a strong bond with family members, acknowledging the various perspectives of members, and accommodating the family's organization and patterns
Evaluating family structure
mapping of underlying structures of the family (structural diagnosis, or the identification of the problem and its structural dynamics)
Restructuring the family
changing the family structure via enactment, spontaneous behavior sequences and reframing (increasing the involvement of an uninvolved father and decreasing the involvement of an overly-involved mother)
Enactment
social worker has the family or a subsystem of the family act out, in session, how they typically deal with a specific type of problem; enactments are defined and directed by the social worker
Spontaneous behavior sequences
social worker highlights an interaction that is naturally occurring in the moment and assists the family in modifying problem sequences
Reframing
redefining the family's perspective on problems (that they are the problems of individual family members or caused by the environment) as problems with the structure of the family
Strategic Family Therapy
(Jay Haley)
Emphasizes change techniques over theory; social workers believe in the possibility of rapid change and use resistance of family members in the service of change
Communication is seen as defining relationships
Every relationship involves a str
Take charge role
social worker plays a very active, directive role; responsible for changing maladaptive family organization and for solving the family's problem
Directives
tasks that the social worker tells family members he/she wants them to perform
Paradoxical directives (prescribing the symptom):
tasks assigned by the social worker that he/she wants family members to resist
Ordeals
making the client's symptoms too much trouble for the client to continue to have
Restraining
meeting the family's resistance to change with warnings of the dangers implicit in change and the need to change slowly
Out-positioning
form of paradox that involves having a family member act in an exaggerated way, consistent with another person's apparent perception of them
Reframing
providing an alternative, more positive explanation of behavior to the family so that it will be more amenable to change
Milan Systemic Therapy
(Mara Selvini Palazzoli)
Form of strategic family therapy influenced by three theoretical models:
1) systems
2) cybernetics (studies the processes that control the flow of information in systems) and
3) communication theory (how people exchange informatio
Hypothesizing
therapy team formulates its initial hypothesis relative to the presenting problem
Neutrality
equal acceptance of all family members by the social worker; avoids allying with individual family members
Rituals
engaging family members in repetitious behavior designed to counter dysfunctional family rules and to reinforce the positive connotation of behaviors
Paradoxical Prescription/directive
technique, which involves prescribing the problem behavior
Counter paradox
method of interrupting destructive paradoxes in disturbed families that involves prescribing the problem behavior and all of the interactions that surround it
Positive connotation
involves promoting family solidarity and reducing resistance to therapy via interpreting symptoms as family-preserving efforts
Circular Questioning
utilized as an interviewing technique whereby family members are asked questions that help them to think in relational terms; (client is asked to state what another person thinks)
Circularity
behavior in systems, such as the family, that cannot be adequately explained using a simple, bi-directional, linear model
behavior can only be understood in the context of the complex interaction patterns of the family
Open system
system, such as a family, that accepts information from systems outside itself
Closed system
system, such as a family, that does not accept information from systems outside itself
Homeostasis
tendency of a system, such as a family, to maintain internal stability
Identified patient
symptomatic family member or the individual the family identifies as have a problem
Negative feedback loop
(Attenuating) input that maintains the status quo of a system
Positive feedback loop
(Amplifying) input that forces a system, such as a family, to change
Multifinality
(Equipotentiality) same beginning point may lead to different results
Equifinality
different beginning points may lead to the same result