Deck 14: Comparative Analysis

Question 1

The practice of family therapy has generally preceded ________; thereafter progress in the field typically proceeds in leapfrog fashion.

A) politics
B) theory
C) technique
D) science

Answer 1

theory

Question 2

While theories may serve a political purpose and bias observations, they also

A) prevent the artistic component of therapy from being expressed
B) hamper beginning therapists from mastering the proven techniques in the field
C) generally are developed before therapy can be practiced
D) provide conceptual categories to organize observations in therapy

Answer 2

provide conceptual categories to organize observations in therapy

Question 3

Cognitive-behavioral and strategic therapists tend to emphasize the technical role of the therapist, while ________ and ________ therapists stress the artistic side of the person.

A) structural; experiential
B) communications; Bowenian
C) Bowenian; structural
D) experiential; constructivist

Answer 3

experiential; constructivist

Question 4

Which school introduced the idea that families are systems--more than the sum of their parts?

A) communications
B) group
C) behavioral
D) structural

Question 5

Which school tends not to incorporate systems thinking into their practice?

A) Milan
B) Bowenian
C) behavioral
D) structural

Question 6

During the 1970s, most family therapists tended to overestimate the homeostatic forces in families and underestimate their flexibility and resourcefulness--except whom?

A) Salvador Minuchin
B) Virginia Satir
C) Mara Selvini Palazzoli
D) Don Jackson

Question 7

Though many schools of family therapy believe that the real problem in many families is some form of underlying family pathology, ________ family therapists deny that underlying dynamics are the cause of symptomatic behavior.

A) strategic
B) structural
C) Bowenian
D) all of these choices

Question 8

While intrapsychic conflict is an inferred psychological concept, ________ is an observed interactional concept.

A) mystification
B) developmental arrest
C) structural pathology
D) none of these choices

Question 9

The ________ model of mental disorder, which proposes that an individual develops a disorder when a genetic weakness is sufficiently stressed by an event in the environment, is supported by Bowen theorists and psychoeducational therapists.

A) diathesis-stress
B) general systems
C) object relations
D) none of these choices

Question 10

The concept of ________ describes how when two people are in conflict, the one who experiences the most anxiety will triangle in another person.

A) cross-generational coalitions
B) pathological need complementarity
C) pathological triangles
D) all of these choices

Question 11

Action and insight are the primary vehicles of change in family therapy. The ________ school emphasizes behavioral change and eschews insight as a medium for change.

A) behavioral
B) strategic
C) psychodynamic
D) experiential

Question 12

A primary goal of communications family therapy is to

A) interrupt dysfunctional feedback loops
B) promote individuation of family members
C) reinforce symptoms
D) foster insight

Question 13

These family therapists believe that supervised change during therapy sessions seems more effective for families than unsupervised change at home.

A) Bowenian
B) structural
C) strategic
D) A and B

Question 14

While most schools of family therapy believe that families are notoriously resistant to change, ________ therapists minimize the importance of resistance.

A) strategic
B) experiential
C) narrative
D) structural

Question 15

One variation of the patient-therapist relationship is exemplified by this model which instructs its therapists to empathize with a family's predicament while also empowering them to use their own strengths to find solutions, from a position of partnership.

A) solution focused
B) Milan
C) communications
D) A and B

Question 16

The use of ________ is designed to block or change dysfunctional behavior using indirect, seemingly illogical means.

A) therapeutic double-binds
B) paradox
C) directives
D) all of these choices

Question 17

Though most family therapists invite everyone living under the same roof to the first session, members of this school do not insist on seeing the entire family.

A) MRI
B) structural
C) behavioral
D) A and C

Question 18

Teams of observers positioned behind a one-way mirror are most commonly used by ________ family therapists.

A) experiential
B) behavioral
C) Bowenian
D) strategic

Question 19

Which family therapy model incorporates intrapsychic concepts into their description of behavior disorders?

A) structural
B) Bowenian
C) solution-focused
D) MRI strategic

Question 20

While the broad goals of many family therapy schools are to solve presenting problems and to reorganize families, the primary aim of ________ therapists is to reorganize families.

A) experiential
B) strategic
C) behaviorists
D) structural

Question 21

The only integrative approach to explore intrapsychic processes is the

A) externalization model
B) solution-focused model
C) integrative problem-centered metaframeworks therapy
D) narrative-constructive model

Question 22

Bowen's notion of triangles, Haley's focus on hierarchical control, and Minuchin's concept of boundaries represent examples of the metaframework,

A) sequences
B) internal processes
C) development
D) organization

Question 23

The clinical application of metaframeworks is centered around the practice of ________ rather than finding deficits.

A) externalizing the problem
B) detriangling
C) releasing constraints
D) shifting cognitive constructions

Question 24

Integrative problem-centered metaframework therapists

A) have conversations with families about potential constraints
B) collaborate with family members to form hypotheses
C) use a reflecting team to help re-story the family problem
D) B and C
E) A and B

Question 25

________ therapists take the position that the simplest and least expensive intervention should be tried before using more complex and expensive treatments.

A) integrative problem-centered metaframeworks therapy
B) narrative solutions therapy
C) integrative couple therapy
D) none of these choices

Question 26

The narrative solutions approach combines the insights of ________ with narrative techniques.

A) experiential therapy
B) structural therapy
C) Bowenian theory
D) MRI's model

Question 27

The narrative solutions approach revolves around the concept of ________, which assumes that people have strong preferences for how they would like to see themselves, and be seen by others.

A) externalizing the problem
B) preferred views
C) emotional reactivity
D) Self leadership

Question 28

Jacobson and Christensen's integrative couples therapy adds what element to traditional behavioral couples therapy?

A) a functional analysis of behavior
B) narrative reconstruction
C) acceptance
D) communications training

Question 29

In contrast to traditional behavioral therapy, integrative behavioral couple therapy emphasizes

A) insight
B) emotional experiencing
C) accountability
D) support and empathy

Question 30

How does the therapist's role differ in narrative versus structural therapy?

Question 31

Choose a client with whom you have worked individually whose family history and situation you know fairly well. Briefly describe the presenting concern(s), your original case conceptualization, and the general therapeutic approach you took with this person. Then, discuss in some detail how you could conceptualize the client's problem and situation from a family systems perspective. Include your assessment of life-cycle stage and of important family dynamics. Finally, describe the family systems approach that you could have taken with this client, how your role, strategy, and techniques would have differed, and what differences in outcome could be expected.

Question 32

Imagine that the following information has been provided to you about the "Sanders" family, whom you will be seeing for the first time today.
Sue, 36, and Tom, 39, present for an initial consultation along with their two children-- Alice, 15, and Ted, 7. Sue does most of the talking, while Alice sits slumped in her chair with a sullen look on her face. Ted looks anxious and stays close to his mother. They have come because Sue is concerned about her children. Alice's school performance has been deteriorating over the past year; she has gone from a "B" student to a "C" student. She also stays out late many school nights and fights constantly with her parents. Ted has refused to attend school for the past two weeks because, according to Sue, he is afraid of the other children. Tom is not very involved in the raising of the children. He travels frequently on business, and when he's home, he goes out at night by himself.
A. How might the Sanders' problems be conceptualized from a family life cycle perspective (i.e., Carter & McGoldrick, 1999)? Feel free to speculate about the possible causes of the problems presented by the family. (1/3 of total points)
B. Take any one of the theoretical perspectives discussed in the text and describe, from that orientation, how you would work with members of the Sanders family and why. Include expected goals and time frame for treatment, and the strategy and techniques you would employ in treating them. Be specific about how your plan could be suited to the needs of this family. Use only one theoretical approach (even though, of course, many are possible), and support your approach as the treatment of choice. (2/3 points)

Question 33

Some would argue that there is a radical divergence between the family systems therapies and the more traditional individual psychotherapy approaches. Others would challenge this view, arguing that there are many points of similarity and that the differences are exaggerated. Take one position or the other and defend your stand.

Question 34

Compare and contrast the strategic and structural approaches. Consider theoretical elegance; specificity of constructs, strategy, and technique; role of the therapist; and types of client problems best suited for each approach.

Question 35

Compare and contrast the Bowenian and experiential approaches. Consider theoretical adequacy; specificity of constructs, strategy, and technique; role of the therapist; and types of client problems best suited for each approach.

Question 36

A 37-year old woman who is unhappy with her marriage of 5 years is considering divorce and seeks consultation with you. She has lost 3 pregnancies in the past 3 years. Her 45-year-old husband avoids sex, even though he states he is "not unwilling" to have a child. He is not interested in psychotherapy but might be willing to come in once or twice to see what it's like.
Discuss how you would approach this case from a systems framework. Be specific about your rationale, the theoretical constructs you would employ, and the recommendation you would give her. Recommend only one approach (even though of course many are possible), and support your approach as the treatment of choice.

Question 37

Which schools of family therapy rely most heavily on paradox. Describe two types of paradoxical techniques. What type of families and family problems might best be treated with these techniques? Discuss the problems associated with the use of paradoxical techniques in treating families.

Question 38

Explain the goals for an initial telephone contact with a family member, from a family therapy perspective. How might a family therapist attempt to convert a request for individual therapy into a family case?

Question 39

Why and how should a family's ethnic culture be considered in assessment and treatment? (Pick at least one ethnic minority culture discussed in class and use the Sanders case--3 above--on which to base your answers.) Be specific and thorough in your answer.

Question 40

Give three examples of presenting problems that should be viewed (i.e., conceptualized) differently if expressed by a middle-income heterosexual couple and their family versus a middle-income gay or lesbian couple and their family. Explain your reasoning. Be specific and provide examples to support your answer.

Question 41

Choose one family therapy approach studied this quarter and critique it from a feminist perspective. Discuss theoretical constructs, strategies and techniques, and role of the therapist.

Question 42

List and give an example of at least four of Eron and Lund's guidelines for managing helpful conversations within their narrative solutions approach.

Question 43

What's new about Jacobson and Christensen's integrative couple therapy? How does the approach differ from traditional behavioral couples therapy?

Question 44

Discuss at least three similarities between integrative couple therapy and Bowen family systems therapy.

Question 45

Describe and give examples of how communication training is used in integrative couple therapy.