Pyc4808 Ecosystemic Psychology Assignment 6.

Pyc4808 Ecosystemic Psychology Assignment 6. 1. QUESTION 1 KEY Female Strong Connection Male Strong, conflict creating connection Marriage ----------- Weak Connection Offspring Energy Flow Mental Health Strained Relationship DESCRIPTION RELATIONSHIP DESCRIPTION 4 2. QUESTION 2 2.1 Family life cycle According to the case study, Paul and Mary have been married for 10 years and have one child, Simon, who is 9 years old and in school. This would place the family in the school-age child stage of the Family Life Cycle (Becvar & Becvar, 2014). During this stage it is important for the child to develop relationships outside the immediate family. Parents should encourage their child to make friends and be comfortable in social settings. This could prove to be challenging as their child would be out of their comfort zine and the parents would have to deal with the strain of organising such social setting as well as balance responsibilities such as school work and family time. CONFLICT Paul blames Mary for Simon’s behavior HOBBIES Paul spends weekends away cycling Anxiety Depression (PPD also) Mary 35 yrs Paul 37 yrs THERAPIST Family decides to see a psychologist ----------------- --- Doing well in school academically and in sports EXTENDED FAMILY Simon refuses to sleep out at extended family Simon 9 yrs --------------------------- -------------------- ------------- ------- Anxiety Emotionally needy SCHOOL Simon refuses to attend school outings because cannot be away from parents for more than a day FRIENDS Simon refuses to sleep at friends 5 2.2 Stages of Marriage According to Becvar and Becvar’s (2014) stages of marriage, the family falls under stage 3, the Middle Marriage Period (10-25 years). Paul and Mary have been married for 10 years and so fall under stage 3. During this stage, couples are adjusting to midlife changes, negotiate relationships and renew marriage commitment (Becvar & Becvar, 2014). Paul and Mary have had a strained relationship with Mary having to cope with postpartum depression as well as anxiety and Paul spending weekends away from home cycling. In addition, they have had to deal with challenges regarding their son. Mary and Paul also discussed separation but have since then mended their relationship and are in a good place. 2.3 Developmental Theory “Erikson has described 8 stages which each individual progresses through during the course of their life. In each of these stages, the individual is challenged by developmental issues which offers potential for either progress or regression.” (Becvar & Becvar, 2014). According to these 8 stages, both Paul (37 years) and Mary (35 years) are in stage 6 of the Developmental Stages, Intimacy vs Isolation. (Becvar & Becvar, 2014). They have developed a sense of self during adolescence and are ready to share their life with someone else. Simon (9 years) falls under stage 4, Industry vs Inferiority. During this stage children begin to compare themselves with their peers and they either develop a sense of pride and accomplishment in their activities and family life, or they feel inferior and inadequate because they feel as if they don’t measure up (Becvar & Becvar, 2014). 3. QUESTION 3 3.1 First Order Cybernetics In First Order Cybernetics, each system present has a degree of openness and closedness to information from other systems (Becvar & Becvar, 2014). Reality is seen as finite, separate from us and exists outside our minds (Becvar & Becvar, 6 2014). Mary is the patient in this scenario and is suffering from depression and anxiety, however, her symptoms are an “expression of the family’s dysfunction” (Baron, 2007). 3.2 Role of the Therapist In First Order Cybernetics, the therapist is outside the system as an observer and not part of the observed therefore giving the therapist an objective opinion (Becvar & Becvar, 2014). The therapist is not seen as an agent of change but psychologically assesses and attempt to change behaviour by formulating solutions to enable this change (Becvar & Becvar, 2014). Reality is also seen as external to the therapist (Becvar & Becvar, 2014). 3.3 FOC Principles 3.3.1 Recursion Recursion is also known as Reciprocal Causality in which A influences B and in turn B influences A (Becvar & Becvar, 2014). Recursion entails “seeing people and events in the context of mutual interaction and influence” (Becvar & Becvar, 2014). This can be seen in the context of this family, Paul spends weekends away from home which causes Mary to feel alone and depressed, and Mary’s depression in turn causes Paul to spend more weekends away from home. 3.3.2 Rules and Boundaries Rules form the boundaries of a system which are hierarchical and belong to a system. The rules of a system describe its values and make it unique from other systems. (Becvar & Becvar, 2014). The rules and boundaries of a system regulate the flow of information into and out of it. Rules and boundaries may be seen in the case of this family in that Paul believes it is unacceptable for boys to cry. 3.3.3 Openness and Closedness “The extent to which a system screens or permits the input of new information is referred to as the openness or closedness of that system” (Becvar & Becvar, 2014). All systems are open to a certain extent therefore openness and closedness are a 7 matter of degree. Too much of either could lead towards chaos and dysfunction. In the case of this family, Paul and Mary see a psychologist therefore indicating that the system is open to change.