Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Key Features of Structural Family Therapy, References: Gladding, S. (2019)…
Key Features of Structural Family Therapy
Theory Concepts
Boundaries
Clear Boundaries: rules and habits that allow fmailies to enhance their communication and relationships with each other
Rigid Boundaries: inflexible and characterized by power struggles
Diffuse boundaries: not enough separation between family members; fused
Rules
May be followed regardless of changes that occur in the family
Provide the family with structure
Subsystems: smaller units of the system
Spousal Subsystem: work best when their functions are complementary
Parental Subsystem: those responsible for the children
Sibling Subsystem: those members who are of the same generation
Power
The ability to get something done
Related to both authority and responsibility
Family Structure
An invisible set of functional demands that organizes the ways in which family members interact
Coalition: an alliance between some family members against another member
Stable Coalition: fixed and inflexible
Detouring Coalition: the pair holds the third member responsible for their difficulties with one another
Cross-generational Coalition: alliance between two generations, such as mother and son
Roles: the positions under which family members are operating
Treatment Techniques
Punctuation
The selective description of a transaction in accordance with a therapist's goals
Unbalancing
The therapist supports an individual or subsystem against the rest of the family
Reframing
Changing a perception by explaining a situation from a different context
Enactment
The family shows their problematic behavioral sequences to the therapist in a demonstrative transaction
Joining
The process of coupling that occurs between therapist and family
Therapist adjusts to communication style and perceptions of the family members
Four Ways
Tracking: therapist follows content/facts of the family
Mimesis: therapist becomes like the family
Confirmation: therapist reflects an expressed or unexpressed feeling of a family member
Accommodation: therapist makes personal adjustments to achieve therapeutic alliance
Boundary Making
Setting invisible lines that separate people or subsystems from each other psychologically
Intensity
Changing maladaptive transactions through strong affect, repeated intervention, or prolonged exposure
Tone, volume, pacing, and choice of words used by therapist are important
Shaping Competence
Help family members become more functional by highlighting positive behaviors
Diagnosis
Describe the systemic interrelationships of all family members
Helps therapists become proactive, instead of reactive, in promoting structural interventions
Allows therapists to see what needs to be modified or changed so the family can improve
Role of Therapist
Both an observer and an expert
Changes over the course of therapy
First, joins the family and takes a leadership position
Second, mentally maps out the family's underlying structure
Finally, helps transform family structure
Uses techniques to accomplish change
It is assumed that the therapist has a correct interpretation of what is happening within the family
Sometimes acts dramatically, such as acting as a critic, sometimes acts low key such as noticing repetitive interactions
Works to change the family structure at crucial times without becoming a part of it
References: Gladding, S. (2019). The Family, History, Theory, and Practice. Pearson Education.