What did strategic family therapy grow out of? - Answers The communication theory developed by
Bateson's schizophrenia project
What does strategic family therapy emphasize? - Answers directive or task-oriented interventions over
understanding the meaning of symptoms
What are the three distinct models? - Answers 1. MRI brief therapy
2. Haley and Madanes Strategic Family Therapy
3. Milan Strategic Therapy
Where were all three models developed? - Answers At the Mental Research Institute in Paulo Alto
What and who influenced a lot of the strategic models? - Answers Influenced by hypnotic principles and
Milton Erickson
What are the pragmatic strategies of problem solving and change? - Answers 1. Brief
2. Efficient
3. Non-Pathological
What were the major contributions - Answers 1. Problems can result from family interaction sequences
2. Families often unintentionally perpetuating their problems
3. Sudden change is possible
What was the result of the development of these models specifically the brief approach? - Answers The
brief approach focused on interrupting cycles in which attempts to solve problems make the problems
worse
Who developed Axioms? - Answers Watzlawick, Beavin, and Jackson
What are Axioms? - Answers Basic truths about communication
What are the four main basic truths of communication? - Answers 1. people are always communicating
2. Communication defines the relationship between sender and receiver
3. Punctuation of communication sequences impacts the relationship
4. communication is either symmetrical or complementary
, What does it mean that people are always communicating? - Answers - All behavior is communicative
and so one cannot not communicate
What are a report function? - Answers The content of a message that conveys information
What is a command function? - Answers A command function dictates the relationship between sender
and receiver, it is a statement that defines the relationship
What is symmetrical communication? - Answers when individuals communicate in similar ways (going to
escalate)
What is complementary communication? - Answers when individuals have different communication
systems defined by distance
What are the four main types of pathologic communication? - Answers 1. Denying that one is
communicating
2. Sending paradoxical messages
3. Discrepant punctuation of communication sequences
4. Symmetrical escalation
What is sending paradoxical messages? - Answers Messages the contradict themselves (telling them to
do something that is inconsistent)
How is sending paradoxical messages best resolved? - Answers Through metacommunication
What is metacommunication? - Answers It is talking about the way they are communicating with one
another
What do normal families have? - Answers 1. They maintain integrity in the face of environmental
challenges through negative feedback
2. Are able to communicate and are flexible
What are the three strategic vies of problem formation? - Answers 1. cybernetic
2. structural
3. functional
What is cybernetic problem formation? - Answers - Attempted solutions perpetuate problems (positive
feedback escalation)
- Families want to maintain homeostasis
What is structural problem formation? - Answers Family rules or hierarchy promote problems