Which of the Following Statements About Family Systems Is True?
In contempo years, family unit therapists accept sought to establish the brownie of their therapeutic approach past building the evidence base for models of do. I such family therapy model - Olson'southward Circumplex Model - is supported by over 1,200 studies conducted over the terminal xxx years (Olson, 2011), making it highly attractive to psychologists working with families nether stress.
Modelling family unit dynamics
The Olson Circumplex Model (Olson, 2000) conceptualises flexibility, cohesion and communication skills every bit three central variables that ascertain family interactions. Based on a conceptual clustering of many concepts designed to describe family and couple dynamics, the model "is specifically designed for clinical assessment, handling planning and research on outcome effectiveness of marital and family therapy" (Olson, 2000, p.144).
The Circumplex Model suggests that "balanced levels of cohesion and flexibility are most conducive to healthy family functioning. Conversely, unbalanced levels of cohesion and flexibility (very low or very loftier levels) are associated with problematic family functioning" (Olson, 2011, p.65). The model too provides a means of discussing these concepts with couples and families, and tin can provide them with tools to manage stress into the hereafter.
Flexibility - between anarchy and rigidity
Olson's model addresses flexibility through examining the corporeality of change that is possible in leadership, role relationships and family unit rules (come across boxed information). Both stability and alter are necessary in salubrious family and couple relationships, and the power to permit change when it is needed distinguishes functional from dysfunctional families.
Too piddling flexibility leads to rigidity, with the family or couple human relationship unable to shift or evolve in response to change, whether it arises internally through individual members' development or is imposed past the environs. Likewise much flexibility results in chaos, with family members unable to create shared agreements that govern their actions and inter-relationships, providing no house base on which to stand. In between these ii extremes lies the balanced options of flexible or structured families, where the remainder between rigidity and chaos is negotiated from a stiff base of shared understanding of rules and roles inside the relationship.
Dimensions of Flexibility (afterwards Olsen, 2000) | |||
| Chaotic | Flexible | Structured | Rigid |
| Lack of leadership | Shared leadership | Leadership sometimes shared | Authoritarian leadership |
| Erratic discipline | Democratic subject | Somewhat democratic field of study | Strict bailiwick |
| Dramatic office shifts | Role-sharing modify | Roles stable | Roles seldom change |
| Too much change | Change when necessary | Alter when demanded | Besides little alter |
| Unbalanced | Counterbalanced | Balanced | Unbalanced |
Cohesion - not disengaged, not enmeshed
The level of emotional bonding betwixt family members is measured in the Circumplex Model through the degree of cohesion - the extent and nature of connections, boundaries and shared interests within the family. Cohesion refers to the residual between family unit members' independence and their togetherness (see boxed information). Once again, both appropriate levels of connection to, and independence from, family unit are of import for maintaining salubrious relationships.
Likewise much closeness results in enmeshment - families exhibit extreme amounts of emotional closeness and may be dependent on, and reactive to, one another. Loftier levels of family unit loyalty and consensus are required and there is piddling tolerance for private infinite or relationships outside the family. Too much separateness causes disengagement, where families showroom little emotional closeness, instead remaining focussed on private experiences and activities. There is limited commitment to family interests, and members are often unable to plow to i another for emotional or practical back up or aid. The residuum is found for separated or connected families, where a balance between individual and group interests supports optimal family functioning.
Dimensions of Cohesion (after Olsen, 2000) | |||
| Disengaged | Separated | Continued | Enmeshed |
| 'I' | 'I - We' | 'I - We' | 'Nosotros' |
| Piffling closeness | Low-moderate closeness | Moderate-high closeness | Very high closeness |
| Little loyalty | Some loyalty | High loyalty | Very high loyalty |
| Loftier independence | Interdependent (more independence) | Interdependent (more dependence) | Loftier dependency |
| Unbalanced | Balanced | Counterbalanced | Unbalanced |
|---|---|---|---|
Communication - a facilitating skill
Olson's model regards communication as a 'facilitating' skill - one which has the potential to support families and couples to move to more than functional levels of flexibility and cohesion. Families which show balanced levels of engagement and openness to change tend to score higher on measures of listening skills, cocky-disclosure, and demonstrating respect and regard in communication.
Integrating the model
Olson views flexibility and cohesion as two dimensions on a grid (encounter Figure 1), so that families tin be, for example, flexibly continued, or structurally separated, or chaotically enmeshed, or rigidly disengaged. Families and couples which are characterised by more than balanced characteristics tend to be more than functional over the developmental bicycle, and tend to have better communications skills and habits (white boxes in Figure 1). Families and couples who possess more unbalanced tendencies find it challenging to deal with the pressures caused by changes in working arrangements, illness and injury, adultery, challenging kid behaviours, or the intersecting developmental arcs of different family members (black boxes in Effigy 1). They tend to have poor communications skills. Families with a mixture of balanced and unbalanced styles (grey boxes in Effigy i) will detect it challenging to deal with pressures and changes, but take a stronger foundation on which to base a move to a more balanced mode of interaction, especially if they can also develop their communications skills.
The model is peculiarly useful when working with families or couples who are entrenched in their positions to explicate that the state of affairs doesn't have to be black or white, all or none. Information technology demonstrates clearly how incremental change can be helpful, provides clues as to how individual actions can bring results, and visibly illustrates the 'shades of gray' that lie between the unproblematic considerations of 'balanced' and 'unbalanced'. Interventions which improve communications skills can support families to move closer to optimal flexibility and cohesion, and changes in one dimension tin can have flow on effects to other dimensions.
The Circumplex Model operates on the central assumption that families naturally progress through cycles of modify in response to altered ecology demands and the evolving needs of family members. This is termed 'second order modify', which involves a modify in the rules which govern the organisation and effectively creates a 'new' family better suited to its conditions. Functional families sympathize alter - that a couple's relationship volition alter once a baby arrives, that it's not appropriate to parent a xvi-year-old in the same way you parented a half dozen-year-quondam, that when adult children leave abode the caste of closeness with parents will alter - and adjust their interactions to meet the required levels of flexibility and cohesion. Balanced families flexibly transform from one arrangement to another in times of stress and equally the life cycle unfolds. Conversely, unbalanced families tend to remain condemned to their dysfunctional patterns, which further increase the pressures on the system.
Having the ability to understand and respond to needs for increased or decreased closeness or flexibility in a human relationship is a protective machinery. One time presenting symptoms are addressed, the family is empowered with the tools to respond functionally to time to come pressures, environmental changes and the developmental trajectories of its members.
Example study
Roy and Jenny had been unhappily partnered for years, ever since the birth of their son Ben, at present 13 years old. They had separated three years previously, and attended therapy post-obit an extended custody boxing. With the end of Jenny'south previous human relationship they were spending more time together and struggling to agree on how to manage their son. Ben was described as having been 'hard' since kindergarten, was refusing to attend school and had recently been arrested for shoplifting. He spent well-nigh of his days with his mates on the street and appeared to take fiddling or no respect for either parent or any other authority effigy.
When the family attended for the beginning session it was clear that advice was a serious issue. It seemed impossible for whatsoever family unit fellow member to complete a sentence without interruption from another, and Roy and Jenny were unable to agree about any issue. Jenny believed her son had a psychiatric disorder which could but resolve with time, while Roy was of the view that if they could "work together as a family" they may exist able to influence Ben. While initially surly, Ben soon engaged in the session past describing how both his parents contributed to the family's difficulties, and, in item, the fighting between them. As this unfolded, the younger children quietly slipped out of the room. Despite the fact that they were divorced, information technology was apparent that Roy and Jenny remained highly reactive to eachother, and Ben to each of them. They were, in Olson'due south schema, chaotically enmeshed, without the communication skills to resolve the changing needs of this family as a separated unit with an boyish who required a flexible blend of independence and parental control.
Work with the family unit focussed on improving communication and respect between the parents in order to cooperatively join in managing Ben'southward difficult behaviour. Practically, this involved an agreement to 'stop yelling', disengage from conflict and to answer to Ben'due south challenges in a planned style, utilising the best of each parents' skills. Each has been encouraged to set up firm, however reasonable limits which tin can be effectively enforced. Gradually change is occurring, with Ben irregularly attending school, spontaneously tidying his room and reacting less negatively to parental demands. Jenny has reduced her yelling and chooses not to respond to Roy's efforts to engage her in conflict. She is now actively seeking greater independence from Roy. While there is yet a need for farther change, the family could now be characterised equally moving towards flexible connection.
The principal author tin be contacted at [email protected].
¹ Bower Place (world wide web.bowerplace.com.au) is a Registered Grooming Organisation and clinical practice of psychologists, family therapists and psychiatrists which offers seminars and internships designed to meet CPD requirements.
Disclaimer:Published in InPsych on Feb 2011. The APS aims to ensure that information published in InPsych is current and accurate at the fourth dimension of publication. Changes after publication may affect the accuracy of this data. Readers are responsible for ascertaining the currency and completeness of information they rely on, which is specially of import for government initiatives, legislation or best-practice principles which are open to amendment. The information provided in InPsych does not supervene upon obtaining appropriate professional and/or legal communication.
Source: https://psychology.org.au/publications/inpsych/2011/february/sanders
0 Response to "Which of the Following Statements About Family Systems Is True?"
Post a Comment