Structrual Family Concepts and Techniques

Alliances

Relationships between family members that can either support or undermine family structure.

Boundaries

Limits that define the roles and responsibilities of family members; healthy boundaries maintain individual identities.

Coalitions

When two family members align against a third, often leading to dysfunction.

Enmeshment

A condition where family members are overly involved in each other’s lives, leading to a lack of autonomy.

Parentified Child

A child who is forced to take on adult responsibilities, often leading to role reversal and dysfunction.

Structural Map

A visual representation of family dynamics, including subsystems and boundaries used by therapists.

Inflexible Family Structures

Families that cannot adapt to changes or challenges, leading to dysfunction.

Rigid Boundaries

Prevent healthy interactions, leading to isolation among family members.

Diffuse Boundaries

Overlapping roles and responsibilities that blur individual identities, often resulting in enmeshment.

Reorganization of Family Structure

The primary goal of therapy to restructure dysfunctional family dynamics.

Establishing Parental Subsystems

Strengthening the parental alliance for effective family functioning.

Joining with the Family

The therapist takes a leadership role to guide the family through the therapeutic process.

Active Involvement

The therapist takes an active role in guiding the family through therapy.

Boundary Making

Establishing clear boundaries to help family members understand their roles.

Unbalancing

Temporarily shifting the dynamics to highlight issues and promote change.

Reframing

Changing the perspective on a problem to facilitate understanding and resolution.

Subsystems

Smaller groups within the family that have their own dynamics.

Triangles

A three-person relationship dynamic that can create tension and conflict.

Dysfunctional Structures

Family structures that lead to psychological issues among members.

Structural Family Therapy

A therapeutic approach focusing on family structure and dynamics to facilitate change.

Assessment and Diagnosis

Evaluating family organization and observing interactions to assess flexibility.

Stages of Therapy

Processes include initial interviews, mapping structure, intervention strategies, and brief therapy.

Historical Context of Dysfunction

The evolution of family therapy highlighting the importance of structure in family dynamics.

Cultural Influences

Different cultures may have varying definitions of healthy boundaries and roles within the family.

What are the major concepts in Structural Family Therapy?

Alliances, boundaries, coalitions, disengagement, detouring, enmeshment, parentified child, restructuring, structure, structural map, subsystems, and triangles.

Who are the key theorists associated with Structural Family Therapy?

Minuchin, Montalvo, Fishman, and Aponte.

What is the theory of dysfunction in Structural Family Therapy?

Inflexible family structures that do not adequately adjust to maturational or situational challenges, characterized by rigid or diffuse boundaries between subsystems.

What does the theory of change in Structural Family Therapy involve?

Reorganization of family structure, establishing a strong parental subsystem, creating clear but flexible boundaries between subsystems, and enabling more functional adaptive patterns toward change.

What are the stages of therapy in Structural Family Therapy?

The entire family is present for initial and subsequent interviews, the therapist joins with the family in a leadership position, maps underlying structure, intervenes to transform the structure, and therapy tends to be brief.

What stance does the therapist take in Structural Family Therapy?

The therapist is active, involved, and takes a position of leadership.

What are some methods and techniques used in Structural Family Therapy?

Diagnosing, highlighting and modifying interactions, boundary making, unbalancing, challenging, in-session enactments, reframing, behavioral tasks, and therapeutic paradox.

How is diagnosis and assessment conducted in Structural Family Therapy?

By considering family structures, observing the system's flexibility and capacity for elaboration and restructuring, assessing the family's resonance and sensitivity to individual actions, and evaluating the range of enmeshment or disengagement.

What factors are considered in the assessment of a family in Structural Family Therapy?

The family's life context, sources of support and stress, developmental stage, and performance of tasks appropriate for that stage.

What is the significance of enmeshment and disengagement in family structures?

Enmeshed families exhibit diffuse boundaries, while disengaged families have rigid boundaries, impacting family dynamics.

What role does the therapist play in observing family interactions?

The therapist observes interactions to assess flexibility, resonance, and the impact of individual members' actions.

What is the role of in-session enactments in therapy?

To observe and modify family interactions in real-time to facilitate change.

How does the therapist use tone, volume, and pacing during therapy?

To regulate the intensity of interactions and influence family dynamics.

What is mimesis in the context of Structural Family Therapy?

The therapist mirrors family behavior to create understanding and facilitate change.

What is the importance of active participation in therapy sessions?

Active participation from family members enhances engagement and effectiveness of therapeutic interventions.

What does the term 'therapeutic paradox' refer to in therapy?

A technique where the therapist encourages a behavior to create awareness and facilitate change.

How does the therapist assess the family's developmental stage?

By evaluating their performance of tasks appropriate for that stage.

What is the impact of the therapist's interventions on family dynamics?

The therapist's interventions can shift family structures, promote flexibility, and enhance adaptive patterns.

What is the expected outcome of successful Structural Family Therapy?

Improved family functioning through restructured interactions and clearer boundaries.