Family Theories for MF642 Exam

Family Therapy Models

Behavioral & Cognitive

• Dysfunction: Maladaptive/symptomatic behaviors are learned involuntary responses.
• Change:
  • Modify specific patterns.
  • Reward appropriate adaptive behaviors.
  • Change social reinforcement contingencies.

Bowen

• Dysfunction: Lack of differentiation leading to marital conflict/symptoms in family members.
• Change:
  • Increase ability to distinguish between thoughts and feelings.
  • Solve problems while maintaining intimacy, avoiding emotional cut-off.

Emotional Focused (EFT)

• Dysfunction: Couples hide true emotions, displaying defensive or coerced emotions, leading to negative interactions.
• Change: Access true emotions, alter negative interactions, strengthen emotional bonds.

Experiential

• Dysfunction: Family scapegoat provides relief from anxiety; rigidity in roles and communication.
• Change:
  • Work emerges from desperation.
  • Use creativity and shared experiences for growth.

Feminist

• Dysfunction: Power inequalities in relationships.
• Change: Recognize power differentials; shift/rebalance power and responsibilities in relationships.

Narrative

• Dysfunction: Family members internalize the problem.
• Change: Acknowledge participation in problems, find alternative solutions.

Object Relations

• Dysfunction: Negative projections from repressed objects onto family.
• Change: Expression and resolution of repressed objects; promote individuation.

Solution Focused

• Dysfunction: Restrictions in meaning linked to behavior limit solution alternatives.
• Change:
  • Generate and expand creative solutions.
  • Learn from exceptions.

Strategic (Haley)

• Dysfunction: Family efforts to solve problems maintain symptoms.
• Change:
  • Increase flexibility and negotiating strategies, reassert hierarchy, resolve coalitions/triangles.

Structural

• Dysfunction: Rigid or diffuse family structures; enmeshment or disengagement.
• Change: Establish clear, flexible boundaries, reorganize structures.

Collaborative

• Dysfunction: Problems are maintained by language and meaning.
• Change: Create new meanings; take new actions to resolve problems.

Contextual

• Dysfunction: Absence of fairness, caring, and accountability leads to mistrust.
• Change: Restore capacity for fairness and trust; develop preventative plans.

Milan

• Dysfunction: Problems maintained by the family’s old epistemologies that don’t align with current behaviors.
• Change: Introduce new information to develop alternative meanings.

MRI

• Dysfunction: Problematic solutions perpetuate dysfunction in a cycle of misguided attempts.
• Change: Identify and alter the "vicious cycle" of behaviors.