MFT Final Exam with 100% Correct
Answers
Family therapy - ANSWER-first created to treat schizophrenia.
A way of thinking in systemic relational terms.
A set of strategies for intervening with individuals, couples, families, and other systems.
Widely used since 1950's
Not defined by a number
Systems approach forges collaborative relationships
Psychotherapeutic approach focuses on interactions
Heart of the approach is systems theory
Systems theory - ANSWER-Comes out of mid 20th century biology, physics, chemistry,
and cybernetics.
Transcends the reductionist bias by breaking them down to their smallest parts
Therapists can be family psychologists, counselors, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses,
clinical social workers, and MFT's.
Reductionist bias - ANSWER-That psychological problems can be explained by how an
individual functions psychologically or biologically without regard to their environment.
Family therapy background - ANSWER-Born in the 1950's but also a culmination of
influences from the 20's and 30's
Created to treat the enmeshed, smothered families
First homegrown American form of psychotherapy
First generation - ANSWER-Radical founders of family therapy.
Palo Alto team. Murray Bowen, Salvador Munichin, Strategic family therapy,
Experiential family therapy, Behavioral family therapy
Palo Alto Team - ANSWER-Bateson's schismogenesis- symmetrical and
complementary
Circular interaction processes
Analogical and Digital communication
Double bind analyses paper marked the birth of family systems theory
Family homeostasis
Division into theoretical and clinical towards the end
Schismogenesis - ANSWER-Process of differentiation in the norms of individual
behavior resulting from cumulative interaction between individuals.
The reaction of individuals to the reactions of other individuals.
,Can be complementary or symmetrical
Complementary Schismogenesis - ANSWER-When two individuals or groups behavior
each invites the opposite response from the other (dominance and submission). This
pattern can escalate progressively unless other factors are present to restrain the
excesses of the two behavioral tendencies.
Symmetrical Schismogenesis - ANSWER-The same kind of response is elicited from
the two individuals or groups. The pattern can become progressive and damaging if not
restrained by dynamics internal to the relationship.
Circular Interaction Processes - ANSWER-The cornerstone of family therapy theory.
People develop mechanisms to get out of the circle they are in together so the
relationship does not explode or implode.
Analogical Communication - ANSWER-Nonverbal Communication.
Provides context for the digital-Classifies the verbal message by telling us how to
interpret it.
Digital Communication - ANSWER-Verbal Communication
Family Homeostasis - ANSWER-Tendency of all families to maintain habitual patterns
of behavior
Murray Bowen - ANSWER-Leading theoretician providing an alternative to the Palo Alto
group.
First to develop a comprehensive theory of family functioning
Son of a funeral director, attracted to biology
Founded a family therapy training program at Georgetown medical school in 1959
Published paper on the Differentiation of Self about his own family
Said that Family processes foster or diminish the individuals differentiation of self to
achieve a balance between intellectual and emotional functioning and a balance of
autonomy and togetherness in social relationships
He viewed individuals as struggling with an evolutionary past from biology that
accentuates lower brain functioning and stimulates fight or flight anxiety.
Anxiety leads to a low differentiation of self or the inability to separate the emotional
and rational domains of the mind.
Anxiety and low differentiation of self are fostered in a nuclear family emotional system
characterized by emotional fusion without autonomy, emotional cutoff out of fear of
fusion, and conflict through third parties rather then directly (triangulation)
He de-emphasized technique and thought the heart of healing was the therapists own
differentiation of self and consequent ability to stay out of triangles and maintain a non-
anxious objectivity in the face of the family's emotional field.
The goal is to promote differentiation of family members so they can be distinct selves
while maintaining emotional connection
, Focus is on the spouses and controlling the interchanges to diminish reactivity and help
them touch on areas of emotional importance in a calm way. Therapists non-reactivity is
crucial.
Salvador Munichin - ANSWER-Greatest influence on the development of family therapy
as an intervention.
Structural Therapy Model
Emphasized the family as a system operating through subsystems that require
adequate boundary clarity and permeability
Proposed that families have functions, particularly socialization of children and mutual
support of married couples, that are carried out through well bounded subsystems
Families experience trouble when their boundaries are too porous (enmeshed) or too
rigid (disengage).
Psychosomatic family-enmeshed parent-child boundaries, overprotection, rigidity, poor
conflict resolution or conflict avoidance, triangulation, and detouring
Families can become dysfunctional in response to a hostile environment that
overwhelms their adaptability.
Adaptability - ANSWER-Families ability to access and execute alternative interactional
patterns.
The ability of the family to shift its beliefs and interactional styles in the face of
developmental changes and environmental challenges
Enmeshment - ANSWER-Prevents children from autonomy
Disengaged - ANSWER-Prevents children from receiving support
Structural Family Therapy Model - ANSWER-Developed from work with under
organized poor families by focusing on immediacy, problem-solving, and environmental
conflict. Later extended to over-organized families of the middle class whose children
developed disorders related to anorexia nervosa.
Emphasized family as a system operating through subsystems that require adequate
boundary clarity and permeability. Families experience problems when their boundaries
are enmeshed or disengaged.
Emphasizes family's adaptability.
Strategic Family Therapy - ANSWER-Hybrid of structural and Eriksonian
Haley, Minuchin, and Madanes
Direct and brief-aiming for rapid change
Paradoxical interventions-restraining change
Avoids diagnostic labels
Symptoms are communicative metaphorical acts
Experential Family Therapy - ANSWER-Strong encounter between therapist and family
Escalates tension to produce breakthroughs
Whitaker and Satir
Answers
Family therapy - ANSWER-first created to treat schizophrenia.
A way of thinking in systemic relational terms.
A set of strategies for intervening with individuals, couples, families, and other systems.
Widely used since 1950's
Not defined by a number
Systems approach forges collaborative relationships
Psychotherapeutic approach focuses on interactions
Heart of the approach is systems theory
Systems theory - ANSWER-Comes out of mid 20th century biology, physics, chemistry,
and cybernetics.
Transcends the reductionist bias by breaking them down to their smallest parts
Therapists can be family psychologists, counselors, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses,
clinical social workers, and MFT's.
Reductionist bias - ANSWER-That psychological problems can be explained by how an
individual functions psychologically or biologically without regard to their environment.
Family therapy background - ANSWER-Born in the 1950's but also a culmination of
influences from the 20's and 30's
Created to treat the enmeshed, smothered families
First homegrown American form of psychotherapy
First generation - ANSWER-Radical founders of family therapy.
Palo Alto team. Murray Bowen, Salvador Munichin, Strategic family therapy,
Experiential family therapy, Behavioral family therapy
Palo Alto Team - ANSWER-Bateson's schismogenesis- symmetrical and
complementary
Circular interaction processes
Analogical and Digital communication
Double bind analyses paper marked the birth of family systems theory
Family homeostasis
Division into theoretical and clinical towards the end
Schismogenesis - ANSWER-Process of differentiation in the norms of individual
behavior resulting from cumulative interaction between individuals.
The reaction of individuals to the reactions of other individuals.
,Can be complementary or symmetrical
Complementary Schismogenesis - ANSWER-When two individuals or groups behavior
each invites the opposite response from the other (dominance and submission). This
pattern can escalate progressively unless other factors are present to restrain the
excesses of the two behavioral tendencies.
Symmetrical Schismogenesis - ANSWER-The same kind of response is elicited from
the two individuals or groups. The pattern can become progressive and damaging if not
restrained by dynamics internal to the relationship.
Circular Interaction Processes - ANSWER-The cornerstone of family therapy theory.
People develop mechanisms to get out of the circle they are in together so the
relationship does not explode or implode.
Analogical Communication - ANSWER-Nonverbal Communication.
Provides context for the digital-Classifies the verbal message by telling us how to
interpret it.
Digital Communication - ANSWER-Verbal Communication
Family Homeostasis - ANSWER-Tendency of all families to maintain habitual patterns
of behavior
Murray Bowen - ANSWER-Leading theoretician providing an alternative to the Palo Alto
group.
First to develop a comprehensive theory of family functioning
Son of a funeral director, attracted to biology
Founded a family therapy training program at Georgetown medical school in 1959
Published paper on the Differentiation of Self about his own family
Said that Family processes foster or diminish the individuals differentiation of self to
achieve a balance between intellectual and emotional functioning and a balance of
autonomy and togetherness in social relationships
He viewed individuals as struggling with an evolutionary past from biology that
accentuates lower brain functioning and stimulates fight or flight anxiety.
Anxiety leads to a low differentiation of self or the inability to separate the emotional
and rational domains of the mind.
Anxiety and low differentiation of self are fostered in a nuclear family emotional system
characterized by emotional fusion without autonomy, emotional cutoff out of fear of
fusion, and conflict through third parties rather then directly (triangulation)
He de-emphasized technique and thought the heart of healing was the therapists own
differentiation of self and consequent ability to stay out of triangles and maintain a non-
anxious objectivity in the face of the family's emotional field.
The goal is to promote differentiation of family members so they can be distinct selves
while maintaining emotional connection
, Focus is on the spouses and controlling the interchanges to diminish reactivity and help
them touch on areas of emotional importance in a calm way. Therapists non-reactivity is
crucial.
Salvador Munichin - ANSWER-Greatest influence on the development of family therapy
as an intervention.
Structural Therapy Model
Emphasized the family as a system operating through subsystems that require
adequate boundary clarity and permeability
Proposed that families have functions, particularly socialization of children and mutual
support of married couples, that are carried out through well bounded subsystems
Families experience trouble when their boundaries are too porous (enmeshed) or too
rigid (disengage).
Psychosomatic family-enmeshed parent-child boundaries, overprotection, rigidity, poor
conflict resolution or conflict avoidance, triangulation, and detouring
Families can become dysfunctional in response to a hostile environment that
overwhelms their adaptability.
Adaptability - ANSWER-Families ability to access and execute alternative interactional
patterns.
The ability of the family to shift its beliefs and interactional styles in the face of
developmental changes and environmental challenges
Enmeshment - ANSWER-Prevents children from autonomy
Disengaged - ANSWER-Prevents children from receiving support
Structural Family Therapy Model - ANSWER-Developed from work with under
organized poor families by focusing on immediacy, problem-solving, and environmental
conflict. Later extended to over-organized families of the middle class whose children
developed disorders related to anorexia nervosa.
Emphasized family as a system operating through subsystems that require adequate
boundary clarity and permeability. Families experience problems when their boundaries
are enmeshed or disengaged.
Emphasizes family's adaptability.
Strategic Family Therapy - ANSWER-Hybrid of structural and Eriksonian
Haley, Minuchin, and Madanes
Direct and brief-aiming for rapid change
Paradoxical interventions-restraining change
Avoids diagnostic labels
Symptoms are communicative metaphorical acts
Experential Family Therapy - ANSWER-Strong encounter between therapist and family
Escalates tension to produce breakthroughs
Whitaker and Satir
