Question 1

Boundary ambiguity helps families effectively manage stressful situations.

Accepted Answer

Boundary ambiguity, which refers to uncertainty in family roles and membership, often increases stress and complicates coping mechanisms in families facing stressful situations.

Question 2

Research has found that denial is helpful in coping with family stress situations.

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that denial can actually make family stress situations worse as it prevents individuals from effectively dealing with the situation and finding solutions. It is important to confront and acknowledge the stressor in order to move towards resolution and coping.

Question 3

According to research, Koo's roller-coaster pattern of family stress and crisis response is an accurate description of recovery for all families.

Accepted Answer

While Koo's roller-coaster pattern is a common experience for some families going through stress and crisis, it is not a universal experience and each family's recovery may look different.

Question 4

Differentiation increases a family's effectiveness at managing and coping following a stressor event.

Accepted Answer

Differentiation refers to the ability to separate one's emotions from those around them, leading to an increased capacity for managing stressful situations. Therefore, a more differentiated family is better equipped to handle stressors and rebound effectively.

Question 5

An individual's level of fusion is inversely related to a family's ability to respond effectively in a crisis situation.

Accepted Answer

This is because highly fused individuals may have difficulty separating their own emotions and beliefs from those of their family, leading to a lack of clear communication and decision-making during a crisis. On the other hand, families with higher levels of differentiation of self (i.e. the ability to maintain a strong sense of self while still being emotionally connected to others) are better able to work together and respond effectively in a crisis.

Question 6

When a family begins asking one another "Why aren't our old strategies working?" they are operating at a meta-level.

Accepted Answer

When a family is questioning why their old strategies aren't working, they are recognizing patterns and analyzing their actions at a higher level, which is indicative of meta-level thinking.

Question 7

A family may be able to recover more quickly from a crisis such as a stillbirth if:

Accepted Answer

Talking about the death with each other allows for open communication and sharing of emotions, which can help family members support each other and process their grief together. It can also prevent family members from feeling isolated in their grief and promote a sense of unity during a difficult time. Choosing not to burden one another with grief or disciplining oneself to grieve only in private may limit communication and emotional support within the family, while attempting to put the death behind them and move on may neglect the importance of grieving and processing emotions in a healthy way.

Question 8

A model of circular causality regarding alcohol abuse in families would suppose that the experience of stress:

Accepted Answer

A model of circular causality acknowledges that alcohol abuse and stress interact in a cyclical manner, each feeding into and exacerbating the other. Therefore, stress can act as both a cause and an effect of alcohol abuse in families.

Question 9

Jean's elderly mother recently experienced a stroke and needs additional care. An example of a cognitive coping strategy for her family would be:

Accepted Answer

Jean's statement to her kids shows a cognitive coping strategy of reframing the situation in a positive light and finding personal meaning in the caregiving role. It also involves positive self-talk to motivate oneself to take on the caregiving responsibilities.

Question 10

Which of the following is the healthiest management strategy for a family that has lost a major wage earner?

Accepted Answer

Option B suggests increasing participation in the informal economy, which can provide the family with resources such as food, clothing, and other goods, without additional financial stress. This strategy also helps to build community relationships and support networks. Options A, C, and D do not address the economic hardship and may actually worsen the situation.

Question 11

According to the Holmes and Rahe Social Readjustment Scale, which event is the most serious stressor event for most families?

Accepted Answer

The death of a spouse is considered the most serious stressor event on the Holmes and Rahe Social Readjustment Scale, with a score of 100. This is because it involves not only the loss of a loved one, but also significant changes in daily routines, emotional and financial support, and overall family dynamics. Getting fired at work is on the scale with a score of 47, divorce with a score of 73, and getting married with a score of 50.

Question 12

Koo's "roller coaster course of adjustment" includes all of the following except:

Accepted Answer

Koo's "roller coaster course of adjustment" does not include a sharp drop in coping ability; it involves a period of disorganization, an angle of recovery, and a new level of organization.

Question 13

The term stress pile-up refers to:

Accepted Answer

Stress pile-up refers to both the accumulation of several changes occurring simultaneously (option B) and several stressor events happening over a short duration (option C). Therefore, the best choice is D, which includes both options. Option A is not correct as it refers to a specific situation related to family bereavement.

Question 14

Over time families develop a repertoire of skills, rules and resources to enable them to manage a variety of developmental or stress related changes. The term for this is:

Accepted Answer

Requisite variety refers to the range of skills, rules, and resources a family develops over time to manage changes and stress effectively. It's based on the idea that a system needs a variety of responses to deal with the complexity of challenges it faces.

Question 15

The Mitchel's are having a difficult time getting their house repaired after the fire. First, the insurance company contested their coverage and refused to pay for the repairs. Then, they couldn't find a contractor that the insurance company would accept. When they finally did find a contractor the work took 3 months longer than bid. The last straw was when the pipes in the upstairs bath burst the week before they were to move back in and flooded out the entire home. The Michelle's may be experiencing:

Accepted Answer

The situation described is an example of stress pile-up, where multiple stressors have accumulated and compounded over time, making it difficult for the family to cope.

Question 16

Latisha's dad died last week. It was a shock for the family because he was only 49 and had no health problems and ran a marathon last year. Right now everyone in the family is just reeling from the shock. They are:

Accepted Answer

The sudden and unexpected death of a close family member is a major stressor that can cause an acute stress reaction. The family is likely experiencing a range of emotional and physical symptoms such as shock, disbelief, sadness, anger, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping. This is a normal response to a traumatic event and may take some time to resolve.

Question 17

Which of the following statements is the best characterization of the research findings about
Koo's roller-coaster pattern of family stress response:

Accepted Answer

Koo's roller-coaster pattern of family stress response describes one of the paths to crisis resolution for families, indicating that it is a model that captures a specific trajectory some families follow in responding to and resolving stress, rather than a universal experience.

Question 18

When they are confronted with a family change brought on by a stressor event families most often attempt to manage the stressor with:

Accepted Answer

Level I coping strategies are the most common initial response by families when confronted with a stressor event. These strategies involve using existing resources and usual ways of solving problems without making significant changes to the family structure or functioning.

Question 19

Caroline was driving her parent's new car to school on a winter day and she hit a patch of ice. The car spun out of control and went into the ditch. Her father arrived as the tow truck was pulling the car back onto the road. He took a long look at the crumpled bumper and door and said calmly, "Don't worry about the car. That is what insurance is for. We can replace the car but we couldn't replace you!" Her father was using:

Accepted Answer

Caroline's father is using a cognitive coping strategy to redefine the situation by emphasizing the importance of her safety rather than focusing on the damage to the car. He is prioritizing her well-being over material possessions, and this can help Caroline feel less guilty or distressed about the accident.

Question 20

Dorothy's daughter died at age 6 from a rare type of childhood leukemia. She says "It is the will of God." Dorothy is utilizing what type of coping strategy in dealing with her loss?

Accepted Answer

Dorothy is defining the situation by attributing her daughter's death to the will of God. This coping strategy involves making sense of a situation by trying to understand why it happened and finding a way to accept it, often through spiritual or religious beliefs.

Quiz 12: Coping With Turbulence, Gains, and Losses