Chapter 11: Family Systems

Question 1

What is the basic unit for Family Systems?

Answer 1

The family as a unit.

Question 2

What is reciprocal causality?

Answer 2

the individual has a feedback loop concerning issues arising in the environment, behaviorally, and established personal factors.

Question 3

What is family structure?

Answer 3

How it organizes and maintains itself at a particular cross section in time

Question 4

What is family process?

Answer 4

The way it evolves, adapts, or changes over time

Question 5

What is Cybernetic Epistemology?

Answer 5

Looking at the family system as feedback loops

Question 6

What is Circular causality?

Answer 6

reciprocal action occur within a relationship network by means of a network of interacting loops. Information about a systems output is fed back into its input to alter, correct, or govern the systems functioning.

Question 7

What is family homeostasis

Answer 7

When family members try to maintain or regain a stable environment.

Question 8

What is a Negative feedback loop

Answer 8

When a external behavior of another leads to a breaking point, and they walk away, restoring equilibrium.

Question 9

What is a Positive Feedback Loop?

Answer 9

this leads to further dangerous, runaway proportions, however positive feedback, although temporarily destabilizing, may be beneficial where they can reassess a dysfunctional transactional pattern, reexamine there methods of engagement, and change the systems rules

Question 10

What is a Subsystem?

Answer 10

Members of a group together carry out certain family functions or processes

Question 11

What are the three key subsystems?

Answer 11

the Spousal, Parental, and siblings subsystems.

Question 12

What can defective spousal systems create?

Answer 12

resulting in scapegoating of children, and children-co-oping them into alliances

Question 13

What can be effective about the spousal system?

Answer 13

Provide security, and teach their children about commitment by presenting a positive model

Question 14

Effective parental systems

Answer 14

child care, nurturance, guidance, limit settings, and discipline

Question 15

Problems in parental systems

Answer 15

takes the form of inter generational conflicts with adolescence oftentimes underlying family disharmony and instability

Question 16

Effective Sibling systems

Answer 16

help members learn to negotiate, cooperate, compete, and eventually attach to others

Question 17

What are Boundaries?

Answer 17

Invisible lines that separate a system from a subsystem, or individual from outside surroundings

Question 18

Boundaries in a family system can be restrictive

Answer 18

Permitting little contact among the members of different groups

Question 19

Boundaries in a family system can be diffused

Answer 19

Overly blurred roles are interchangeable, and members are overly involved in each others lives

Question 20

Whats most important to know about family boundaries

Answer 20

The clarity of the boundary between subsystems and its permeability are more important than the systems membership.

Question 21

What are disengaged families?

Answer 21

in which members feel isolated from one another

Question 22

What are enmeshed families?

Answer 22

are members that are intertwined in one another lives

Question 23

What is an open system

Answer 23

When family boundaries to the environment are permeable

Question 24

What is a closed system

Answer 24

when boundaries are not easily crossed, the family is insular, and not open to whats happening around it, suspicious of the outside world.

Question 25

What is second order cybernetics?

Answer 25

Each family members perception of the presenting problem began to be acknowledged as important and valid because how each member constructs reality influences, and is influenced by a larger social context.

Question 26

What is Object Realtions theory

Answer 26

ORT: emphasizes the search for satisfactory “objects” (persons) in our lives, beginning in infancy. (internalized objects from the past introject/impose themselves on current relationships

Question 27

What is a gender/cultural-sensitive outlook?

Answer 27

Gender, cultural background, ethnicity membership, sexual preference, and social class are interactive and cannot be considered without the others.

Question 28

What is important for a family therapist to pay attention to?

Answer 28

Differences in power, status, position within families, and in society in general

Question 29

What is the pluralistic viewpoint for family therapy

Answer 29

Where the clinician recognizes that attitudes and behavior patterns are often deeply rooted in a family’s cultural background.

Question 30

What are some cultural filters?

Answer 30

values, attitudes, customs, religious beliefs, and “normal” beliefs

Question 31

What did Adlerian theory emphasize in regard to family therapy

Answer 31

An individual an his or her interpersonal relationships, and the importance of current circumstances and future goals rather than unresolved issues from childhood

Question 32

What is the person-centered approach by Carl Rogers?

Answer 32

The clients “here-and-now issues” is growth-oriented, and is applicable to help families move in the direction toward self actualization

Question 33

What are some existential psychotherapies

Answer 33

Emphasizing the individuals awareness and the here and now of the clients existence.

Question 34

Behaviorists View of the family system?

Answer 34

behavior is governed by reinforced responses