Although psychological symptoms may appear maladaptive, they are often in fact adaptive within the family environment of the individual. Family therapists refer to this idea as ______.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The idea of psychological symptoms being adaptive within the family environment is referred to as functionalism in family therapy. Triangulation refers to the phenomenon where a third party is drawn into conflicts between two individuals in a family. The social microcosm is a term used to describe the family as a smaller version of society. Interpersonal learning refers to the process of learning from interactions with others. None of these concepts specifically relates to the idea of psychological symptoms being adaptive in the family environment.

Although Psychological Symptoms May Appear Maladaptive, They Are Often in Fact