Lecture 5 - Family & Other Systems Perspectives

Flashcards covering the key theories, figures, life cycle stages, and therapeutic techniques of the family systems perspective based on Lecture 5.

Systems perspective

A broader viewpoint that extends beyond individual explanations and treatments of psychological problems to consider social conditions and multiple levels of influence.

Family systems approach

A model for explaining and treating psychological problems developed in the 1950s that views the problem as created in the interactions between people rather than inside an individual.

Gregory Bateson (1904-1980)

A key figure in the development of family therapy associated with Systems Theory and Cybernetics.

Salvador Minuchin (1921- )

A prominent figure in family therapy known for developing Structural Family therapy.

Jay Haley (1923-)

A key figure in family therapy associated with Strategic Family Therapy.

Michael White (1948-2008)

A key figure in family therapy who developed Narrative Family Therapy.

Inter-connection

A principle stating that changes in any one part of the family system affect all other parts.

Family Life Cycle

The concept that issues arise when a family fails to readjust its structure at turning points or changing demands; it implies families must expand, contract, or realign to support member development.

Leaving home

The primary task of this life cycle stage is to separate from the family of origin without cutting off or seeking a substitute emotional refuge, establishing autonomy before joining another person.

Joining families through marriage

A life cycle stage involving commitment to a new couple and linking two different family systems.

Families with young children

A life cycle stage focused on making space for children and maintaining the marital relationship; noted as the period with the highest divorce rate.

Families with adolescents stage

A life cycle stage characterized by supporting the autonomy of children and maintaining open, flexible family boundaries.

Launching children and moving on stage

A life cycle stage where parents must let children take hold of their own lives; often associated with the 'midlife crisis.'

Families in later life

A life cycle stage involving retirement, declining health, and grieving the loss of others.

Emerging adulthood (Arnett, 2004)

A contemporary family concept characterized by changing employment patterns, increased demand for education, and ambivalence about adulthood.

Sandwich generation (Steiner et al., 2017)

A term for individuals who find themselves simultaneously looking after their own children and older family members.

Tikanga

Māori values and practices that support flourishing within extended kinship and inter-generational support systems.

Role labelling

An intervention technique where the psychologist identifies specific roles family members play (short as 'the fun one' or 'the bossy one') to highlight patterns.

Reframing

A technique that puts a positive twist on a family role to allow for more space for connection and understanding (e.g., viewing 'bossy' as 'trying to make sure everybody's okay').

The parental child

A structural problem where a child is drawn into an alliance with one parent, breaking the boundary between the parent and child subsystems and giving the child inappropriate power.

Circular causality

An interactional problem where one person's behavior (e.g., cleaning) intensifies another person's behavior (e.g., sitting), creating a vicious cycle.

Paradoxical intervention

An interactional technique where a family member is told to perform the problematic behavior (e.g., telling a child to have a temper tantrum) to disrupt the sequence and highlight its absurdity.

Dominant narrative

An incomplete representation of reality that closes down alternative ways of thinking by putting family members 'in boxes' (e.g., 'Mum is always nagging').

Externalising

A narrative technique that separates a psychological problem from an individual by framing it as a family issue with its own name (e.g., calling lazy behavior 'the slump').

Unique outcomes

Findings or stories that contradict the dominant narrative to emphasize alternative, positive perspectives of family members.