Exam Practice Questions and Answers for Family Therapy Chapter 6 Already Passed
Nonsummativity - Answers The property of a system that the whole is not the sum of its parts, but may
be greater or lesser than the sum
Boundaries - Answers define borders that separate family system from other systems
Circular Causality - Answers the idea that actions are related through a series of recursive loops or
repeating cycles
Negentropy - Answers The tendency of a system to remain flexible and open to new input, necessary for
change and survival of the system.
Entropy - Answers A system's tendency toward disorder
Equifinality - Answers fundamental concept of systems perspective; holds that there are multiple causes
for any behavior/event AND multiple effects flowing from any behavior/event.
Coupling - Answers early stage of family life cycle that begins when two people establish a common
household. Task: move from individual independence to couple interdependence
Becoming Three - Answers early stage of family life cycle marked by arrival of first child. Task:
interdependence to incorporation of dependence
Entrances - Answers middle stage of family life cycle; signaled by the exit of the first child from the
family to the larger world. Task: dependence to partial independence
Expansion - Answers middle stage of family life cycle; marked by entrance of last child into larger world.
Task: support of continuing separations
Exits - Answers refers to first complete exit of a dependent member of the family via establishment of
independent household. Task: partial separations to first complete independence
Becoming Smaller/Extended - Answers one of last stages of family life cycle; exist of last child from the
family. Task: continuing expansion of independence
Endings - Answers final years of family life cycle that begin with the death of one spouse and continue to
death of other partner. Task: facilitation of family mourning; working through final separations
Object relations theory - Answers the combination of the study of individuals and their basic motives
(psychoanalysis) and the study of social relationships (family therapy); "One looks for the dynamic and
personal historical reasons for problems in current relationships."
Splitting - Answers the separation of contradictory or conflicting thoughts so they can be handled
separately, since the person cannot consider them together (e.g., children separating their internal and
external worlds into good and bad aspects)
, Differentiation - Answers occurs when children develop to the point that they can explore aspects of
mother and others (1st phase of development in object relations theory)
Practicing - Answers stage in which children explore the world (2nd phase of development in object
relations theory)
rapprochement - Answers children have an increased awareness of their vulnerability and separateness,
and repeatedly return to mother for reassurance (3rd phase of object relations theory development)
Object relations constancy - Answers achieved as child realizes her separation but relatedness to her
parents (4th phase of development in object relations theory)
internal objects - Answers mental images of the self and others built from experience and expectation
Introjection - Answers when a person internalizes the ideas or voices of other people (often external
authorities); is an organized memory trace that includes images of object, self interacting with object,
and associated affect (good/bad).
identification - Answers the internalization of a role (e.g., a child taking on certain roles and behaving as
his father did)
ego identity - Answers a synthesis of identifications and introjections; provides sense of coherence and
continuity (of self)
holding environment - Answers A psychoanalytic concept referring to a therapeutic space analogous to
the mother-infant environment that allows the patient to safely explore feelings and thoughts often
with a sense of play
transitional object - Answers neither self nor object, yet are treated as if they were the beloved parent
and self (in children, often something like a blanket or teddy bear)
Virginia Satir - Answers Experiential Family Therapy
-Looked at roles (of "the rescuer" or "the placator") that function to constrain relationships and
interactions in families.
-Uses awareness & communication of feelings to increase intimacy in the family and to improve self
esteem of family members.
-Emphasis placed on changing verbal & non-verbal communication patterns that lower self-esteem.
congruent communication - Answers direct, clear communication at the verbal and nonverbal levels;
feelings and experience are matched by words
noncongruent communication - Answers involves distorted, incomplete messages; it is ambiguous and
typically involves double binds
Nonsummativity - Answers The property of a system that the whole is not the sum of its parts, but may
be greater or lesser than the sum
Boundaries - Answers define borders that separate family system from other systems
Circular Causality - Answers the idea that actions are related through a series of recursive loops or
repeating cycles
Negentropy - Answers The tendency of a system to remain flexible and open to new input, necessary for
change and survival of the system.
Entropy - Answers A system's tendency toward disorder
Equifinality - Answers fundamental concept of systems perspective; holds that there are multiple causes
for any behavior/event AND multiple effects flowing from any behavior/event.
Coupling - Answers early stage of family life cycle that begins when two people establish a common
household. Task: move from individual independence to couple interdependence
Becoming Three - Answers early stage of family life cycle marked by arrival of first child. Task:
interdependence to incorporation of dependence
Entrances - Answers middle stage of family life cycle; signaled by the exit of the first child from the
family to the larger world. Task: dependence to partial independence
Expansion - Answers middle stage of family life cycle; marked by entrance of last child into larger world.
Task: support of continuing separations
Exits - Answers refers to first complete exit of a dependent member of the family via establishment of
independent household. Task: partial separations to first complete independence
Becoming Smaller/Extended - Answers one of last stages of family life cycle; exist of last child from the
family. Task: continuing expansion of independence
Endings - Answers final years of family life cycle that begin with the death of one spouse and continue to
death of other partner. Task: facilitation of family mourning; working through final separations
Object relations theory - Answers the combination of the study of individuals and their basic motives
(psychoanalysis) and the study of social relationships (family therapy); "One looks for the dynamic and
personal historical reasons for problems in current relationships."
Splitting - Answers the separation of contradictory or conflicting thoughts so they can be handled
separately, since the person cannot consider them together (e.g., children separating their internal and
external worlds into good and bad aspects)
, Differentiation - Answers occurs when children develop to the point that they can explore aspects of
mother and others (1st phase of development in object relations theory)
Practicing - Answers stage in which children explore the world (2nd phase of development in object
relations theory)
rapprochement - Answers children have an increased awareness of their vulnerability and separateness,
and repeatedly return to mother for reassurance (3rd phase of object relations theory development)
Object relations constancy - Answers achieved as child realizes her separation but relatedness to her
parents (4th phase of development in object relations theory)
internal objects - Answers mental images of the self and others built from experience and expectation
Introjection - Answers when a person internalizes the ideas or voices of other people (often external
authorities); is an organized memory trace that includes images of object, self interacting with object,
and associated affect (good/bad).
identification - Answers the internalization of a role (e.g., a child taking on certain roles and behaving as
his father did)
ego identity - Answers a synthesis of identifications and introjections; provides sense of coherence and
continuity (of self)
holding environment - Answers A psychoanalytic concept referring to a therapeutic space analogous to
the mother-infant environment that allows the patient to safely explore feelings and thoughts often
with a sense of play
transitional object - Answers neither self nor object, yet are treated as if they were the beloved parent
and self (in children, often something like a blanket or teddy bear)
Virginia Satir - Answers Experiential Family Therapy
-Looked at roles (of "the rescuer" or "the placator") that function to constrain relationships and
interactions in families.
-Uses awareness & communication of feelings to increase intimacy in the family and to improve self
esteem of family members.
-Emphasis placed on changing verbal & non-verbal communication patterns that lower self-esteem.
congruent communication - Answers direct, clear communication at the verbal and nonverbal levels;
feelings and experience are matched by words
noncongruent communication - Answers involves distorted, incomplete messages; it is ambiguous and
typically involves double binds
