11. Systemic therapy Flashcards
what are family systems?
- The system is an interactional unit
- “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”
- Any influence on one part affects other parts
how are individuals best understood according to systemic therapy?
Individuals are best understood through assessing the interactions within the family
what does systemic therapy focus on?
- Focus on interaction patterns rather than content
* Focus on ‘Circular Causality’
what do families tend to do
• Families tend to self regulate to resist change – homeostasis
what are the basic assumptions of systemic therapy?
A family member’s problematic behaviour may:
o serve a purpose or function within the family
o may be a symptom of the family’s inability to function effectively in times of crisis/transition
o may be unintentionally maintained and/or exacerbated by the family
o be indicative of dysfunctional interaction patterns handed down across generations
is linear causality?
A causes B which causes C. E.g. Husband with alcoholism blames his wife because she nags. He gets bored and drinks to reduce his stress. It’s her fault. She must change her behaviour
what is circular causality?
o Where an individual’s behaviour is affecting others in the family. The family’s problems go back and forth as circular and escalating via time and frequency of problems. E.g. the husband drinks, so the wife nags him. The wife I always nagging the husband so he continues drinking. This together with other causes influences their problems. However, if the wife changes but the husband does not, it will create a pressure that hinders the wife from changing.
what did adlerian family therapy (1927) find?
Noticed that children’s development with family constellation (system) heavily influenced by birth order.
what didi Drekurs (1950, 1973) find?
When children don’t “belong” (socially) they subscribe to a “mistaken goal” – undue attention, power, revenge, avoidance (inadequacy) – which manifests as misbehaviour
who were other influences of the history of systemic therapy and what therapy did they practice?
- Murray Bowen (1978) – Main stream FT
- Virginia Satir (1983) – conjoint FT
- Carl Whitaker (1976) – symbolic-experimental FT
- Jay Haley and Gregory Bateson (1963) – strategic FT
- Cloe Madanes (1981) (with Haley) – brief problem-solving therapy
who was practiced the Multigenerational family therapy?
murray Boen (1913-1990)
what is Bowenian Family Systems Theory/Therapy considered to be?
• Bowenian Family Systems Theory/Therapy is considered the most elegant approach among systemic theories
who was bowen and what did he do?
- Bowen was a psychiatrist who did pioneering work with families of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia
- His research with families at the Menninger Clinic demonstrated the presence of intense emotional patterns
- He focused on the analysis of the process of differentiation drawing on his personal family experience
what are the central constructs of multigenerational family therapy?
- Differentiation of self (low differentiation=need for approval/permission/people pleasers)
- Anxiety contagion
- Triangulation (deliberately shifting focus to a third party)
- Multigenerational transmission of communication patterns
- Emotional cutoff
- Sibling Position (same position = similar characterstic)
what are the factors that contribute to differentiation of sellf?
o emotional separation o autonomous functioning o balance of togetherness – separation o validation of difference o adult to adult communication
on the a scale of 1-100 of differentiation from the family, what characteristics would a person between 1 and 25 have?
- No separation – enmeshed
- Emotionally needy/dependent
- Emphasis on closeness/fusion
- ‘Other’ validation
- Anxiety contagion
- Absence of autonomous thinking
on the a scale of 1-100 of differentiation from the family, what characteristics would a person between 25-50 have?
- Maintains separation in some situations
- Emotionally vulnerable
- Prioritizes other validation
- Needs frequent affirmation
- Sexual pleasing and appeasing
on the a scale of 1-100 of differentiation from the family, what characteristics would a person between 50-75 have?
- Able to maintain distance
- Emotional separation
- Prioritizes self validation
- Minimum reaction to other’s anxiety
- Enhanced autonomous thinking
on the a scale of 1-100 of differentiation from the family, what characteristics would a person between 75-100 have?
- Comfortable with differences
- Self soothing skills
- Robust identity
- Non reactivity
- Sexually assertive
what is the therapeutic process of Multigenerational FT?
- Emphasises insight
- Therapist as a ‘coach’ to
- Uses genograms to map interactive patterns over generations
what is the therapist a coach to in Multigenerational FT?
o enhance differentiation
o change emotional reactivity
o facilitate de-triangulation
how are genograms effective in Multigenerational FT?
o directs clients to take the ‘I position’ in communication
o Uses circular, process oriented questions
o Therapist is supportive but remains de-triangle
who developed the human validation process model?
Virginia Satir (1916-1988)
what therapy did Virginia Satir (1916-1988) develop under the human validation process model?
career in family therapy which has an association with human potential movement
where did Virginia Satir (1916-1988) work?
Worked at Mental Research Institute & Illinois State Psychiatric Institute. Felt unappreciated and marginalised by male family systems ‘experts’
