Exam 3: Family Therapy

Question 1

What is the biopsychosocial model used in family therapy?

Answer 1

A model that considers biological, psychological, and social factors, including family relationships, when diagnosing and treating mental health conditions.

Question 2

Why is family therapy essential for working with children and adolescents?

Answer 2

Young clients are especially affected by their family environment; assessing family roles and conflicts is crucial for effective treatment.

Question 3

What approach does family therapy encourage?

Answer 3

A systems approach that looks at how family interactions impact a person’s mental health rather than just focusing on the individual.

Question 4

Who is the founder of Systemic Family Therapy?

Answer 4

Murray Bowen.

Question 5

What does Murray Bowen’s approach emphasize?

Answer 5

Understanding family members as part of an interconnected system and the importance of differentiation.

Question 6

What is Structural Family Therapy?

Answer 6

An approach developed by Salvador Minuchin in which he believed that problems arise when family structures are weak or rigid, and he focused on improving family interactions by adjusting boundaries and hierarchies within the family system.

Question 7

What is the focus of Strategic Family Therapy?

Answer 7

Developed by Jay Haley. This therapy focuses on Integrating ideas from structural therapy and communication theory with an emphasis on solving the immediate problem. It does not focus on deep emotional exploration, SFT is problem focused.

The goal is to identify the family’s main issue and quickly create a solution to change the dysfunctional pattern. (If parents constantly argue, therapy will focus on changing the way they communicate instead of exploring childhood trauma).

Question 8

What is Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)?

Answer 8

A therapeutic approach associated with Leslie Greenberg and Sue Johnson that focuses on emotional experiences within relationships.

Question 9

What are subsystems in Structural Family Therapy?

Answer 9

Smaller groups within families that help manage roles and responsibilities, such as spousal, parental, sibling, and extended family subsystems.

Question 10

What is a coalition in family dynamics?

Answer 10

When two family members team up against another, creating unhealthy alliances.

Question 11

What are the types of coalitions?

Answer 11

• Cross-generational coalition: When a parent and child side against another parent.
• Schism coalition: When a child takes one parent’s side during conflicts, making the other parent feel isolated.
• Skewed coalition: When one parent takes on too much responsibility in the family while the other avoids their role.

Question 12

What defines boundaries in family therapy?

Answer 12

Rules and limits that define how family members interact, which can be clear, rigid, or diffuse.

Question 13

What is an enmeshed family and what are examples?

Answer 13

A family with weak boundaries where members are overly involved in each other’s lives.

• Parents being overly controlling and not allowing children to make their own decisions, and there is a lack of privacy.
• Family members feel guilty for being independent.

Question 14

Define family structure in the context of family therapy.

Answer 14

The invisible rules that guide how a family functions, including authority, decision-making, and roles.

Question 15

What characterizes a disengaged family?

Answer 15

Too strict boundaries leading to emotional distance and little communication between members.

• Little communication or support between family members.
• Family members being overly independent and not relying on each other for help.
• Parents being uninvolved in their children’s lives.

Question 16

What is parentification?

Answer 16

When a child takes on the role of a parent due to the actual parents’ inability to fulfill their responsibilities.

Question 17

What is the focus of Structural Family Therapy?

Answer 17

Examining family organization, authority, decision-making, and interactions to identify and resolve dysfunction.
Every family follows a set of invisible rules that guide behavior. When these rules create dysfunction (such as parents lacking authority or unclear roles), therapy helps reorganize the structure so that the family functions more effectively.

Question 18

What is emotional cutoff?

Answer 18

When a person separates from their family to avoid dealing with unresolved issues.

Question 19

What does the term triangulation refer to?

Answer 19

When two family members involve a third person to reduce tension instead of addressing the issue directly.

Question 20

What is a genogram?

Answer 20

A family tree that maps relationships and patterns across generations to identify recurring issues.

Question 21

What is the nuclear family emotional system?

Answer 21

The emotional functioning within the immediate family unit (parents and children), focusing on how members rely on each other for stability.

If a couple has constant conflict, their anxiety may shift onto a child, who then develops emotional or behavioral issues as a result.

Question 22

What is the focus of Emotion-Focused Family Therapy?

Answer 22

Understanding emotions in relationships and creating secure emotional bonds.

Question 23

What is emotional regulation?

Answer 23

Teaching coping skills to manage intense emotions in a healthy way.

Question 24

What is differentiation in family therapy?

Answer 24

The ability to separate one’s own emotions from those of the family while maintaining connections.

A well-differentiated person can make decisions based on their own beliefs rather than feeling pressured by their family’s emotions. In contrast, a poorly differentiated person may feel overwhelmed by family expectations and struggle to be independent.

Question 25

What is Triangulation?

Answer 25

Triangulation happens when two family members bring in a third person to reduce tension in their relationship instead of addressing the issue directly.

Question 26

What are paradoxical interventions in SFT?

Answer 26

Interventions that ask the family to continue or exaggerate the problematic behavior instead of stopping it (telling a child to keep misbehaving to make them aware of their actions). This approach often leads to self-awareness and behavior change.

Question 27

What is the purpose of placing the problem under the family's control?

Answer 27

Instead of viewing the problem as something out of their hands, this technique gives the family responsibility for managing or controlling it. Example: If a child refuses to do homework, the therapist might ask the parents to stop reminding them and let the child decide when and how to complete their assignments. The child, now in control, may become more responsible.

Question 28

What are pretend techniques in SFT?

Answer 28

Asking family members to pretend to have the problem in a controlled way. Example: If a child frequently throws tantrums, the therapist might tell them to pretend to have a tantrum on command. The child may struggle to fake it, making them more aware of their real behavior.

Question 29

What are rituals in the context of SFT?

Answer 29

Specific, structured actions assigned to family members to help them break unhealthy patterns. This helps reinforce new behaviors and create consistency. Example: If parents and a child are constantly fighting at bedtime, the therapist might assign a ritual where the child and parents write down positive things about each other before going to sleep. This shifts the focus from conflict to connection. ## Footnote Rituals reinforce new behaviors and create consistency.

Question 30

What characterizes functional families regarding boundaries and roles?

Answer 30

Boundaries are clear but flexible; each member understands their role and feels secure.

Question 31

Who is Milton Erickson and what is his significance in Family Therapy?

Answer 31

He was a psychiatrist and hypnotherapist whose work influenced Strategic Family Therapy. Erickson used hypnosis and paradoxical interventions, meaning he sometimes encouraged problematic behaviors in a way that led to their resolution. His indirect and creative strategies influenced therapists like Jay Haley.

Question 32

What is one unique feature of SFT?

Answer 32

One unique feature of SFT is the use of enactments, where families act out their usual interactions during therapy. This allows the therapist to see problems in real-time and guide the family toward healthier ways of interacting.

Question 33

What is a multigenerational transmission process?

Answer 33

This concept describes how family beliefs, behaviors, and emotional patterns are passed down from one generation to the next. Example: A family with a history of emotional distancing may unconsciously teach future generations to avoid expressing emotions, leading to continued relational struggles.

Question 34

What is the family projection process?

Answer 34

Parent’s Anxiety → A parent becomes overly concerned about a child (believing the child is fragile or has a problem). Projection → The parent focuses excessively on the child, misinterpreting normal behaviors as signs of dysfunction. Child Adopts the Role → The child internalizes these expectations, reinforcing the parent's belief. Impact → The child may develop emotional or psychological struggles, often reflecting the parent's unresolved issues.

Question 35

What are the sibling positions?

Answer 35

* Oldest children tend to be responsible and take leadership roles. * Youngest children may be more dependent or attention-seeking. * Middle children often become peacemakers or struggle to define their role.

Question 36

What are ordeals in Strategic Family Therapy?

Answer 36

This intervention makes the problematic behavior more difficult or inconvenient than not doing it. Example: If a person struggles with procrastination, the therapist might suggest that every time they delay a task, they must wake up an hour earlier the next morning. Since the consequence is unpleasant, they may be more motivated to complete tasks on time.

Question 37

What is an invariant prescription?

Answer 37

A standard directive given to all families experiencing dysfunction. A therapist might instruct parents to keep a secret from their children (such as planning a surprise trip), creating a united front and subtly shifting power back to the parental role