Families final Flashcards
(23 cards)
2.Scripts:
***shared expectation of how family Rules/roles should be performed in various contexts
Characteristics
-Found in repeated family interactions and significant life events
Impact
-Script shape responses to life challenges across Generations
-Family members learn routines and implied instructions for behavior
Common Scripts
-parent, grieving, caregiving, rules duties, control, distancing
-Families May either reinforce or change Scripts
- Family beliefs
-Sometimes Beliefs that arise from family scripts can be quite constraining and prevent families from seeing and exploring other options
Influences
-Religion, life experiences, societal influence, family history
Issues
-Rigid adherence to old scripts can limit growth and block positive change
-Refusing to deviate from how things have always been done in a family can be highly problematic and prevent families from embracing new scripts that might be healthier and more positive in their outcomes
Positive
-Provide stability in a sense of continuity
-Can serve as a foundation for future generations to develop new responses
- Myths
stories told repeatedly within families often accepted as the truth
Purpose
-imaginal narrative that emphasizes the importance of reinforce family identity and values, create a sense of stability/ belonging
Forms of myths: Yarns, lies, legends
Functions
-Protects the family from painful truths, maintains homeostasis (family balance/stability).
-Can be a defense mechanism against deeper truths/ family issues
ex-Thinking they are a perfect family, distortions or untruth told us fact
- Secrets
Hidden information often considered taboo shameful
Effects
-can lead to resentment shame distancing and emotional pain
-unspoken Secrets create unconscious family wounds
Risk of disclosure
-Revealing Secrets can cause shunning shame legal consequences and violence
-Must be handled with care preparation
Helping families rewrite negative Scripts
Exploring authentic family stories and their influence on the present.
Encouraging modification of narratives without complete denial of the past.
Using (family maps) to visualize generational patterns.
Identifying patterns in how challenges have been addressed across generations.
Reframing family history to promote healing and growth
genograms
The four common Types of Attachment
-Secure attachment: Confident, trusting, able to form and maintain relationships. Can explore the world as needs were met by parents.
-Ambivalent- insecure: Clingy, distressed when parents leaves but upon return they become agitated and not easily comforted.
-Avoidant- insecure: Emotionally distant, avoids close relationships.
Children who avoid or ignore a parents presence, show little response when parents are close by, as they don’t have trust needs will be met
-Disorgnozed insucure:
when there is serious mental illness criminality and or severe substance abuse that causes a child’s world to seem out of control completely unsafe and frightening
The Five Types of Violence
-Physical violence: Hitting, kicking, use of weapons, sleep deprivation, withholding necessities.
-Emotional or psychological violence: Threats, intimidation, mind games, blackmail.
-Spiritual abuse: Using religion to manipulate or control.
-Criminal harassment or stalking: Following, watching, invading privacy.
-Financial abuse: Withholding money, forcing dependence.
Causes of family violence:
1 Control & Power Imbalance:
-Low self-esteem, emotional regulation issues, jealousy, cultural acceptance of abuse
2 Family of Origin Influence
-Children who witness abuse are more likely to repeat the cycle.
-Can lead to anxiety, depression, and difficulty maintaining relationships.
3 Psychopathology
-Early exposure to violence disrupts emotional regulation and trust.
4 Social Norms & Patriarchy
- Violence Against Women links violence to male control in finances, politics, and social institutions.
5 Impact on Children
-Anxiety, fear, aggression, withdrawal, regression, substance abuse, weakened family bonds.
The 4 Roles children may take on when living in families with addiction
-The hero hero: mature, trustworthy, helpful, organized
-The lost child: quiet, shy, lonely, solemn
-The mascot: entertaining, excitable, cheerful, playful
The scapegoat: is disobedient, deceitful, hostile and irritating
Roles develop as coping mechanisms to deal with family dysfunction
Transference v Countertransference
-Transference refers to ‘the redirection of feelings and desires and especially those unconsciously obtained from childhood to a new object’
Ex- seeing counselor as parental figure
-unconsciously falling in love as they were unloved in childhood
Countertransference
-When the repressed feelings of the professional are aroused by work with a particular client.
These kinds of reactions can be dangerous as
professionals can model denial for the family members they are working and also fail to deal with the uncomfortable feelings that evoked.
ex see them as project, their reasonability
-seeing client money troubles and relating to their son
importance of personal and professional self-care as an SSW
Support, supervision, balancing work and private life, relaxation tech
domains: Physical, Psychological, Emotional.
-necessary for practicing self care and maintaining a balance when working in this field. to prevent burnout and vicarious truma
-Professionals can:
Take regular breaks
Maintain a personal life outside of work
Have a social support network outside of work
Learn to set limits
-Agencies can
Specialized training
Introducing reflective practice
Helping staff find meaning in their work
Specialized consultation
Maintaining reasonable caseloads
Including self care activities in staff meetings
prevent secondary truma
Family as a System
H
-Families function as systems and strive for homeostasis (stability).
-relationships are healthy, family goals are met, growth is encouraged, a positive state of homeostasis is achieved.
-relationships are the opposite and destructive interactions may occur a *negative state of homeostasis is achieved
Closeness & Distancing
Families must balance separateness and togetherness.
Too much separation = distancing (family members feel disconnected).
Too much togetherness = enmeshment (family members feel smothered, lack independence).
Rigid Family Structure & Roles
Too rigid or too flexible family structures can cause problems.
Families need clear roles, boundaries, and adaptability.
Crisis situations require role flexibility and coping mechanisms.
Family Centered Positive Psychology:
defintion
framework for working with children and families that promotes strengths and capacity building within individuals and systems, rather than focusing on the resolution of problems or remediation of deficiencies.
Positive psychology
approaches.
successful approach with families, these include:
- Identification of strengths upon which families can build to promote a sense of control over their lives.
- Redefining problems as challenges.
- Addressing challenges by setting SMART and that help to strengthen their personal and family capacities and
abilities. - The focus is on helping families to learn and grow together rather than on addressing identified problems.
using positive psyc with families
build capacity for family develop resource necessary confront challenge
empowerment over directive .
- The family identifies its own strengths instead of professional doing it
- Families are the experts in their own lives and know best what they want to address.
- promotes social support systems to help families mobilize helpful resources.
*Ecological theory
4 Macrosystem: cultural values, customs, and laws, build strengths and connections at all levels
3 Exosystem: larger system- community that surrounds the family
2 Mesosystem:connections with each other - connections between child and parent, the parent and the
school, and the school and the family
1 Microsystem: immediate connections to child-
home, child-care
Key Goals for Professionals Working with Families
Helping families:
Create a safe environment.
Balance togetherness and individuality.
Maintain clear yet flexible expectations.
Establish fair limits and appropriate boundaries.
Attachment Issues (Bowlby)
Proximity maintenance: Desire to stay close to attachment figures.
Separation distress: Anxiety when an attachment figure is absent.
Safe haven: Seeking comfort from attachment figures during distress.
Secure base: Confidence to explore, knowing support is available
belief system process
Beliefs- thoughts-feelings-behavior
addiction impact on families
-Jealousy, marital conflict, conflict with children, emotional trauma
-distancing (addition takes precedence) on families bc dependency on a substance takes place of relationship
-extend family who feel anxiety embarrassment fear or guilt about substance abuse relative may cut ties, leaving family members isolated.
-work relationship effected since substance abusers likely to be unreliable thereby placing additional burdens on coworkers
-negativism , compliant and criticism may be common form parents to kids.
-family members only get attention by creating crisis
-lack of parental consistency may not understand limits or develop appropriate boundaries
-Denial of the problem in the family
-Unrealistic parent exceptions my cause children to become over or under achievers
What can be done about family violence -
-Primary prevention: attitude in society that can lead to change in values and distorted thinking which results in respect and building heathy relationships (stop thinking pattrens before occours)
-secondary prevention: efforts targeted to specific families and people to assist them in leaving abusive behaviors. (imidate response to violnce)
-Tertiary prevention efforts often involve agency & cooperation in providing direct services and support to families. (maintaing long term care after violnce occours)
Resiliency-Based Approaches
identifies 3 Domains of Family Functioning (PP)
1 Belief Systems
Belief systems influence how families interpret problems and how they find strength and meaning during tough times:
-Attitudes, values, and perceptions that shape how families make sense of challenges.
ex-A family that loses their home in a fire may focus on their safety and the opportunity to rebuild, rather than just the loss.
2 Organizational patterns
-structure and flexibility of the family unit—how they are organized and how they respond to changes or stress:
-flexibility: adapt roles, rules, or routines as needed.
-Connectedness: Maintaining strong emotional bonds and mutual support
-Access to social and economic resources:
Ex A single parent who loses their job might temporarily rely on extended family for childcare and support while job hunting.
3-Communication processes
how families talk, listen, and share feelings during stressful times:
-clear and open communication
-Emotional expression
-Collaborative problem-solving
Ex- After a crisis, family members sit down together to talk about what happened and create a plan for moving forward, making sure everyone feels heard.
