Family Systems Theory

KAREN JAE G. CABRILLOS, RN

Objectives:

After my forty (40) minutes to one (1) hour oral report the audiences are expected to understand the Family Systems Therapy.

Specifically to:
a.

b.

c.

identify the contributors of the Family Systems Therapies; cite and compare the different therapies and; to state the different components of the therapies.

introduction
Family is the smallest social group in the human societies. In general, it consists of a man and women with a child or children. It is the most universal of all groups, associations and institutions of human society based on emotional ties.

Family Systems Therapy is represented by a variety of theories and approaches, all of which relational aspects of human problems.

It was during the 1950s that systemic family therapy began to take root. Today, the various approaches to family systems represent a paradigm shift that we might even call the fourth force.

Family systems perspective

Family systems perspective holds that individuals are best understood through assessing the interactions between and among family members. Symptoms are often viewed as an expression of a set of habits and patterns within the family.

The development and behaviour of one family member is inextricably interconnected with others in the family. This perspective is grounded on the assumptions that a clients problematic behaviour may

assumptions
1. 2.

3.

4.

serve a function or purpose for the family be unintentionally maintained by family processes be a function of the familys inability to operate productively, especially during developmental transitions be a symptom of dysfunctional patterns handled down across generations.

Written in the book of Corey by Becvar in 2006 that one central principle agreed upon by a family therapy practitioner, regardless of their particular approach, is that the client is connected to living systems.

Attempts at change are best facilitated by working with and considering the family or relationship as a whole.

Differences between Systematic and Individual Approaches

A case may help to illustrate these differences. Ann, age 22, sees a counselor because she is suffering from depression that has lasted for more than 2 years and has impaired is ability to maintain friendships and work productively. Both the individual therapist and systemic therapist are interested in Anns current living situation and life experiences. Both discovered that she is still living at home with her parents, who are in their 60s.

They note that she has a very successful older sister, who is a prominent lawyer in the small town in which the two live. The therapists are impressed by Anns loss of friends who have married and left town over the years while she stayed behind, often lonely and isolated. Finally, both therapists note that Anns depression affects others as well as herself.

The individual therapist may: Focus on obtaining an accurate diagnosis,

The systemic therapist may: Explore the system for family process and rules,

perhaps using the DSM- perhaps using a

IV-TR Begin therapy with Ann genogram Invite Anns mother, father,

immediately

and sister into therapy

with her

The individual therapist may: Focus on the causes, purposes, and cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes involved in Anns depression and coping.

The systemic therapist may: Focus on the family relationships within which the continuation of Anns depression makes sense

The individual therapist may: Be concerned with Anns

The systemic therapist may: Be concerned with

individual experiences and transgenerational perspectives meanings, rules, cultural, and gender perspectives within the system, and even the community and larger systems affecting the family.

The individual therapist may: Intervene in ways designed to help Ann cope

The systemic therapist may: Intervene in ways designed to help change Anns context

The Development of Family Systems Therapy

Family systems theory has evolved throughout the past 100 years, and today therapists creatively employ various perspectives when tailoring therapy to a particular family. This section presents a brief historical overview of some of the key figures associated with the development of family systems therapy.

Adlerian therapy

Alfred Adler
He was the first psychologist of the modern era to do family therapy.

Adler (1972) was the first to notice that the development of children within the family constellation (his phrase for family system) was heavily influenced by birth order.

Even though birth order appeared to have some constancy to each position, he believed it was the interpretations children assigned to their birth positions that counted.

It was Rudolf Driekers (1950,1973), however, who refined Adlers concepts a typology of mistaken goals and created an organized approach to family therapy. A basic assumption of modern Adlerian family therapy is that both parents and children often become locked in repetitive, negative interactions based on mistaken goals that motivate all parties involved.

Multigenerational Family Therapy

Murray Bowen (1978)

He was one of the developers of mainstream family therapy. Bowen and his associates implemented an innovative approach to schizophrenia at the National Institute of Mental Health where Bowen actually hospitalized entire families so that the family system could be the focus of therapy.

Bowens observation led to his interest in patterns across multi generations. He contended that problems manifested in ones family will not be significantly change until relationship patterns in ones family of origin are understood and directly challenged.

His approach operates on the premise that a predictable pattern of interpersonal relationships connects the functioning of family members across generations. According to Kerr and Bowen (1988).

One of Bowens key concepts is triangulation, a process in which triads result in a two-against-one experience. Bowen assumed that triangulation could easily happen between family members and therapist, which is why Bowen placed so much emphasis on his trainees becoming aware of their own family-of-origin issues

Differentiation of the self involves both the psychological separation of intellect and emotion and independence of the self from others. This differentiation from the family of origin enables them to accept personal responsibility for their thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and actions.

Human Validation Process Model

Virginia Satir

In 1983, she began emphasizing family connection. Her therapeutic work had already led her to believe in the value of a strong, nurturing relationship based on interest and fascination with those who care.

In her view, techniques were secondary to the relationship the therapist develops with the family.

She thought of herself as a detective who sought out and listened for the reflections of self- esteem in the communication of her clients. It was while working with an adolescent girl that it occurred to her to ask about her mother. She was surprised by how her clients communication and behavior changed when her mother was present.

She was surprised by how her clients communication and behavior changed when her mother was present. As she worked out their relationship, it again occurred to her to ask about a father. When he came in, the communication and behavior of both the mother and daughter changed.

It was in working through this process that Satir discovered the power of family therapy, the importance of communication and meta-communication in family interaction, and the value of therapeutic validation in the process of change (Satir &Bitter, 2000).

In her view, techniques were secondary to the relationship the therapist develops with the family. her therapy came to be called as human validation process model.

Experiential Family Therapy

Carl Whitaker in the 1960s

It seeks to help individual family members feel more fulfilled and self-actualized by building levels of intimacy and cooperation within the family unit. Experiential family therapy does not typically blame the problems of the family on the qualities of individual family members, but usually examines how family interactions cause problems for individual members of the family.

Experiential family therapy generally seeks to help family members communicate and respect one another's thoughts and feelings.

Family members are typically encouraged to be themselves and family secrets are usually not encouraged.

Problems among individual family members can stem from distance in interpersonal familial relationships, or from the keeping of secrets within the family. Some family members may feel compromised by the demands of the family as a whole. This can impair individuals' abilities to fully express themselves and meet their needs.

Structural Strategic Family Therapy

Salvador Minuchin

Minuchins (1974) central idea was that an individuals symptoms are best understood from the vantage point of interactional patterns within a family and that structural changes must occur in a family before an individuals symptoms can be reduced or eliminated.

(1) (2)

reduced symptoms of dysfunction bring about structural change within the system by modifying the familys transactional rules and developing more appropriate boundaries.

Goals:

Structural- strategic approaches were the most used models in family systems therapy. Both models seek to reorganize dysfunctional or problematic structures in the families; boundary setting, unbalancing, reframing, ordeals, and enactments all became part of the family therapeutic process.

In the late 1960s Jay Haley joined Minuchin at the Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic.
Indeed by the late 1970s, structural- strategic approaches were the most used models in family systems therapy. Both models seek to reorganize dysfunctional or problematic structures in the families; boundary setting, unbalancing, reframing, ordeals, and enactments all became part of the family therapeutic process.

A comparison of Six Viewpoints in Family Therapy

Adlerian Family Therapy MultiGeneratio nal Family Therapy Murray Bowen Human Validatio n Process Model Virgina Satir Experient ial/ Symbolic Family Therapy Carl Whitaker Structural Strategic Family Family Therapy Therapy

Key Alfred Figure Adler s Rudolf Dreikers Oscar Christense n& Manford Sonstegard

Salvador Jay Haley Minuchin & Cloe Madanes

Adlerian Family Therapy

Time focus

MultiHuman Experient Structura Strategic Generatio Validatio ial/ l Family Family nal n Symbolic Therapy Therapy Family Process Family Therapy Model Therapy Present Present Here and Present Present Present with and past now and past and future some family of reference origin; to the three past generatio ns

Adlerian Family Therapy

MultiGeneratio nal Family Therapy

Differentia te the self; change the individual within the context of the system; decrease anxiety

Human Validatio n Process Model

Promote growth, selfesteem, and connectio n; help family reach congruent communic ation and interactio n

Experient Structura Strategic ial/ l Family Family Symbolic Therapy Therapy Family Therapy
Promote spontaneo us, creativity, and autonomy to play Restructur e family organizati on; change dysfuncti onal transactio nal patterns Eliminates presenting problem; change dysfunction al patterns; interrupts sequence

Therap y goals

Enable parents as leaders; unlock mistaken goals and interactiona l patterns in family; promotion of effective parenting

MultiGeneratio nal Family Therapy Role Educator; Guide, and motivation objective functio al researcher n of investigato , teacher; the r; monitor therapi collaborat of won st or reactivity

Adlerian Family Therapy

Human Validatio n Process Model Active facilitato r; resource detective; model for congruen ce

Experient ial/ Symbolic Family Therapy Family coach; challenge r, model for congruen ce

Structura Strategic l Family Family Therapy Therapy

Friendly uncle ;stage manager; promoter of change in family structure

Active director of change; problem solver

Adlerian Family Therapy

MultiGeneratio nal Family Therapy

Questions and cognitive processes lead to differentiat ion and understand ing of family of origin

Human Validatio n Process Model

Family is helped to move from status quo through chaos to new possibiliti es and new integratio ns

Experient Structura Strategic ial/ l Family Family Symbolic Therapy Therapy Family Therapy
Awareness and seeds of change are planted in therapy confrontati ons Therapist joins the family in a leadershi p role; changes structure; sets boundarie s Change occurs through action oriented directives and paradoxical intervention s.

Process of change

Formation of relationship based on mutual respect; investigatio n of birth order and mistaken goals, reeducation

Adlerian Family Therapy

MultiGeneratio nal Family Therapy

Genograms ; dealing with family of origin issues; detriangula ting relationshi p

Human Validatio n Process Model

Empathy; touch, communic ation; sculpting; role playing; family life chronolog y

Experient Structura Strategic ial/ l Family Family Symbolic Therapy Therapy Family Therapy
Cotherapy; self disclosure; confrontati on; use of self as change agent Joining and accommo dating; unbalanci ng; tracking; boundary making; enactment s Refraining; directives and paradox; amplifying; pretending; enactments

Techniq ues and innovat ions

Family constellatio n; typical day; goal disclosure; natural/ logical consequenc es

Family Systems Therapy from a Multicultural Perspective

Strengths from a Diversity Perspective

One of the strengths of the systematic perspective in working from a multicultural framework is that many ethnic and cultural groups place great value on the extended family. If therapists are working with an individual from a cultural background that gives special value to including grandparents, aunts, and uncles in the treatment, it is easy to see that family approaches have a distinct advantage over individual therapy.

Shortcoming from a Diversity Perspective

A possible shortcoming of the practice of family therapy involves practitioners who assume Western models of family are universal. Indeed, there are many cultural variations to family structure, processes, and communication.