Intro- History of Family Therapy Flashcards
theory is context driven
TRUE: theory dev is shaped by social & historical contexts
famiily relationships are based on shared history, internalized perceptions/assumptions about the world & sense of purpose
social factors influence dev of beliefs/behaviors/flexibility/stability
modernism
world is observable/measurable
post-modern (hypermodernity)
no “true” reality - only familys agreed upon reality (set of constructions, created thru language & based on relational/generational)
we can only offer subjective observations of the “facts”
social constructionism
family narratives = explain/justify family patterns
family constructs own reality
when did strands family therapy begin to surface?
1950’s
rise of family therapy due to end of world war II
TRUE: soldiers returning home to family - high social stressors - needed new form of therapy
cybernetics (Weiner) to discuss info, control & feedback
TRUE
family = natural, sustained social system w/unique:
evolved set of rules
assigned roles
organized power structure
intricate forms of communication
numerous ways of negotiating/problem solving that allows task completion
true
give an example of how family is socially influenced?
gender roles = social & generational influence
(post-modern = relational equality)
cultural diversity = values/rituals/communication patterns/kinship/etended family
social class
epistemology?
study of origin of knowledge how individual gains knowledge and; use it to understand the world
rules used to make sense of experience & language used to interpret incoming info ; rules = underlying assumptions of behavior
epistemology
multiple view of reality exist & absolute truth can never be known
postmodernism (narrative + no objectivity)
Postmodernism:
Numerous family lifestyles exist (stepfamilies-gay-single parent) & can’t be compared to formal standard of heterosexual marital unit
TRUE
Study on control within a system – how a system functions/regulates
Understand how system (family) describes, controls & organizes itself
Cybernetics:
Cybernetics
Systems ability to predict outcomes
circular feedback mechanism
demonstrates:
regulation & systems effort to remain stable
- switch from psychoanalytic (linear) systems (circular)
input-feedback –output
a) Families (input) resources, process them (feedback) & send results back into env (output)
Self –regulation can be achieved by = reinserting the results of past performance into current functioning change patterns of performance by altering feedback mechanisms
systems governed by self-regulting feedback loops that correct for deviations to restore stability
early explanations on dev of male schizophrenia = due to maternal rejection
true;
“schizophrenogenic mother” = dominate, rejecting, possessive
father = passive, detached, ineffectual
cybernetics ideas brought to communication identified 2 levels of communication
report and command
study of paradox in communication led to 3 main assumptions of family therapy
- logical levels: various levels of communication
- symptom functionality: (symptoms have reciprocal function- serve need - family attemp to resolve crisis-maintains dysufnction)
- Homeostasis: (family interaction patterns dev around keeping stability/balance)
resist change
Double bind principle: (baetson used concept of cybernetics to study impact of family dysfunction on schizophrenic member of family)
♣ Occurs when individual (child) receives repeated conflicting messages from the same person (adult) (ex. “don’t touch me / come closer - expressions of love and hate – approach & stay away
Forced into impossible situation of trying to discriminate between contradictory messages
♣ Disorder = result of failure in family’s communication system (not internal conflict of identified patient)
♣ Schizophrenia = result of flawed relationship transactional communication in family context that give symptoms meaning
♣ Groundbreaking look beyond symptomatic personexamine what occurs in exchange of info & process of relationships btwn family members
1) Homeostasis: self-regulating efforts to maintain stability + resist change
Mechanisms used to keep balance of ongoing arrangement btwn members by activating rules to define their relationships
familys dev structure (interactional patterns) to maintain stability
Seek validation for what we think we already know “we see what we want to see”
Healthy stable family = ability to change (bounce back & cope with crisis)- maintain order + adapt
2 patterns of chronic marital conflict in schizo families:
schizo due to failure of both parents to be supportive & develop complementary roles
- Martial Schism:
♣ Parents preoccupied with own problems – undermine each others worth to children & compete for loyalty, affection, sympathy and support of children
♣ Parents don’t respect / value each other – fear that child will end up like spouse
♣ Common = Threats of separation/divorce & father is shunned - Marital Skew:
♣ 1 parent with serious psychological disturbance + other parent is weak/dependent
♣ weak parent accepts situation / denies realityl tells children its normal
♣ lead to further denial & distortions of reality by children
♣ common = male schizos from skewed family with dominant/emotionally disturbed mother
patterns of chronic marital conflict in schizo families
1 parent with serious psychological disturbance + other parent is weak/dependent
♣ weak parent accepts situation / denies realityl tells children its normal
♣ lead to further denial & distortions of reality by children
Marital Skew
patterns of chronic marital conflict in schizo families
common = male schizos from skewed family with dominant/emotionally disturbed mother
Marital Skew
patterns of chronic marital conflict in schizo families
♣ Parents preoccupied with own problems – undermine each others worth to children & compete for loyalty, affection, sympathy and support of children
♣ Parents don’t respect / value each other – fear that child will end up like spouse
Martial Schism:
patterns of chronic marital conflict in schizo families
Common = Threats of separation/divorce & father is shunned
Martial Schism:
2 ways schizo families deal with emotions
2 ways schizo families deal with emotions:
• Pseudomutuality family:
o False appearance of a mutual, open & understanding relationship
used to cover up conflict / conceal distance & lack of intimacy btwn members
o shared family defense mechanism to avoid separation from eachother + meaninglessness
o labels member Identified patient = allows myth by others that their normal
o family emphasis on togetherness & views personal identity as threat to family
o results in: no sense of self, lack in outside social interaction + family as priority
• Pseudohostility family:
o Continuous bickering to mask deep need for intimacy
o Inability to deal with intimacy + impairs realistic sense of relationships
o Effort to disguise underlying chronic conflict + destructive alignments
defense used by schizo families to avoid outside influence?
Rubber Fence mechanism:
o Resistance to outside influences to minimize threatening contact with outside world
o Changeable/Shifting boundaries surrounding families – controls flow of information
allows acceptable info in & closes to keep unacceptable info out
What do the incorrect studies on the development of schizo families show about the shift of family theory?
prior to cybernetics - freud (psychoanalytic theory on sx within individual)
now- focus is on whats going on inside the family
key familiy processes in resilience
belief system
organizatinoal processes
communication
psychological testing & medication is not used in current family theory because of interpersonal idea that
labeling identified patient with pathology = reinforces that they have problem (problem is in system not individual)
origin
family one is born into or adopted into
family member who bears the symptom of family dysfunction
identified patient
organized repetitive patterns that help stabilize a family
rules:
Ñ influenced by culture and past generations
Ñ how families construct & maintain their relationships
Ñ reveal/provides: traditions, expectations, values, roles, regularity in relationships
Ñ family functionality = fair, consistent & well-communicated rules (not whether rules are followed)