Deck 14: Family Systems Therapy

Question 1

Which is(are)a key role (or roles)of most family therapists?

A)teacher
B)model
C)coach
D)consultant
E)all of these

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Which of the following techniques is a strategic family therapist least likely to use?

A)asking about attempted solutions to a problem
B)directives
C)family sculpting
D)reframing
E)paradoxical interventions

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Who was the person who refined Adler's concepts into a typology of mistaken goals and an organized approach to family therapy?

A)Virginia Satir
B)Jay Haley
C)Cloe Madanes
D)Carl Whitaker
E)Rudolf Dreikurs

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Which of the following is least associated with Satir's human validation process model?

A)family rules
B)functional versus dysfunctional communication patterns
C)family roles and triads
D)storied lives and narratives
E)defensive stances in coping with stress

Question 5

The systems perspective implies:

A)individuals are autonomous and independent of their families.
B)the external environment is the most powerful influence on an individual's development.
C)individuals are best understood through the context of their role in their family.
D)systematic intervention is required to deconstruct an unhealthy family interaction pattern.

Question 6

Alfred Adler was the first to notice that the development of children within family constellations was heavily influenced by:

A)the power structure within the family.
B)cultural context in which a family resides.
C)balance of leadership between parents.
D)jealousy and rivalry among the children.
E)birth order.

Question 7

Roger and his wife are experiencing tension in their relationship because he believes she is far too lenient with their children when they misbehave.This forces him to play the role of "bad cop" as a parent,which makes him angry.A family therapist working with Roger and his family might:

A)help to modify the family's transactional rules and develop more appropriate boundaries.
B)refer Roger to individual therapy since he clearly needs to work through his unresolved issues that are causing him to feel so angry.
C)take Roger's side and educate his wife about appropriate disciplinary practices.
D)focus on getting the children to stop misbehaving so that Roger and his wife won't experience this tension.

Question 8

The techniques of joining,accommodating,unbalancing,tracking,and boundary making are most likely to be part of which approach to family therapy?

A)Bowenian family therapy
B)Adlerian family therapy
C)structural family therapy
D)strategic family therapy
E)experiential/symbolic family therapy

Question 9

Which of the following roles and functions would be least interesting to a structural family therapist?

A)joining the family in a position of leadership
B)giving voice to the therapist's own impulses and fantasies
C)mapping the underlying structure of a family
D)intervening in ways designed to transform an ineffective structure of a family
E)being a stage director

Question 10

A major contribution of Whitaker's approach to family therapy is:

A)birth order as a determinant of personality.
B)differentiation of the self.
C)genogram work.
D)spontaneity,creativity,and play as therapeutic factors in family therapy.
E)the use of bibliotherapy as an adjunct to treatment.

Question 11

The concept of triangulation is most associated with:

A)Virginia Satir.
B)Murray Bowen.
C)Salvador Minuchin.
D)Carl Whitaker.
E)Rudolf Dreikurs.

Question 12

Which family therapist made use of innovative interventions such as metaphor,reframing,rules for interaction,parts party,family reconstructions,family sculpting,and family maps?

A)Bowen
B)Minuchin
C)Satir
D)Whitaker
E)Haley

Question 13

Postmodern thought has contributed to family therapy by:

A)minimizing the role of assessment.
B)promoting the therapist's view of clients as the experts on their own lives.
C)developing an individual therapy application of the family systems approach.
D)introducing the concept of triangulation.
E)promoting the therapist's role as being directive.

Question 14

A tool for collecting and organizing key relationships in a three-generational extended family is a:

A)lifestyle assessment.
B)family sketch.
C)genogram.
D)projective test.
E)power analysis.

Question 15

Who was the first person of the modern era to do family therapy?

A)Adler
B)Minuchin
C)Bowen
D)Satir
E)Haley

Question 16

The one central principle agreed upon by family therapy practitioners,regardless of their particular approach,is that

A)the client is connected to living systems.
B)family dysfunction is typically caused by the most dominant family member.
C)lack of differentiation is the primary cause of all family dysfunction.
D)the empty chair technique is the most effective technique.
E)none of these

Question 17

From the family systems perspective,symptoms are often viewed as:

A)an expression of a set of habits and patterns within a family.
B)evidence of psychopathology.
C)a sign of weakness.
D)a result of cognitive distortions.
E)blocked energy.

Question 18

What is the technique in family therapy that casts a new light on a problem and provides a different interpretation for a problematic situation?

A)reorganization
B)family mapping
C)restructuring
D)reframing
E)joining

Question 19

A major contribution of Bowen's theory is the notion of:

A)birth order as a determinant of personality.
B)differentiation of the self.
C)family rules and communication patterns.
D)spontaneity,creativity,and play as therapeutic factors in family therapy.

Question 20

Which of the following statements about strategic family therapy is not true?

A)Therapy is brief,process-focused,and solution-oriented.
B)Change results when the family follows the therapist's directions and change transactions.
C)The focus is on solving problems in the present.
D)The therapist designs strategies for change.
E)Presenting problems are viewed as being symptomatic of a dysfunction within the system.

Question 21

The opposite of a differentiated self is experienced as:

A)emotional reactivity.
B)the integration of one's various parts.
C)movement toward self-actualization.
D)attunement with others.

Question 22

Which approach would be most interested in the appropriateness of hierarchical structure in the family?

A)Bowenian family therapy
B)human validation process model
C)structural family therapy
D)social constructionism

Question 23

Problem descriptions and goal identification,typical day,the child interview and goal disclosure are techniques used in:

A)multigenerational family therapy.
B)strategic family therapy.
C)social constructionist therapy.
D)Adlerian family therapy.
E)experiential family therapy.

Question 24

Jean-Pierre told the family therapist that his wife loses control of her temper with their children because of his demanding work schedule and his inability to be there to support her.Which communication stance has he adopted?

A)blaming
B)placating
C)super reasonable
D)irrelevant

Question 25

Which approach assumes that a family can best be understood when it is analyzed from at least a three-generational perspective?

A)Bowenian family therapy
B)human validation process model
C)social constructionism
D)strategic family therapy
E)experiential/symbolic family therapy

Question 26

To prevent his parents from leaving the house,Miguel throws temper tantrums.His parents have given in to his demands and never go out to dinner or to movies anymore.A structural/strategic therapist working with Miguel and his parents will most likely:

A)have them participate in an enactment during the therapy session.
B)explain with a genogram the origins of Miguel's temper tantrums.
C)help Miguel's parents to develop differentiated selves.
D)do a lifestyle assessment.

Question 27

Chun Hei is a Korean immigrant who has been separated from her family and friends for over a year since she came to the U.S.with her husband.She spends her days taking care of their two young children while he goes to work,and feels increasingly depressed without her support system.It is likely that a family therapist who meets Chun Hei:

A)would prescribe her antidepressant medication.
B)would be very interested in how her depression affects others in the family and how it influences family process.
C)would abandon using a systems approach,and treat her with cognitive behavioral methods.
D)would be directive and tell her to convince her husband to go back to Korea so she will once again have family support.

Question 28

Family atmosphere,family constellation,and mistaken goals are key concepts of:

A)Adlerian family therapy.
B)structural family therapy.
C)experiential family therapy.
D)strategic family therapy.
E)the multilayered approach.

Question 29

In working with a triangulated relationship,Bowen would be inclined to place primary emphasis on:

A)joining the family.
B)engaging in personal self-disclosure to build trust.
C)maintaining a stance of neutrality.
D)siding with one member involved in the triangle.
E)identifying behavioral goals to guide the therapy.

Question 30

____________________ views the counselor and therapist as an observer who is outside of the system,can assess what is going on,and can promote change-all without ever becoming part of the system.

A)First-order cybernetics
B)Second-order cybernetics
C)Third-order cybernetics
D)Fourth-order cybernetics

Question 31

Which approach asserts that emotional fusion to one's family must be addressed if one hopes to achieve a mature and unique personality?

A)Bowenian family therapy
B)Adlerian family therapy
C)social constructionism
D)strategic family therapy
E)solution-oriented therapy

Question 32

Yelina seems to ignore the major marital problems that she and her husband Carlos are having as a result of sharp differences in their viewpoints on political and social issues that are affecting their native country,Cuba.Whenever a friend points out the tension she observes,Yelina changes the subject and talks about the weather forecast.Yelina is adopting which of the following communication stances?

A)blaming
B)placating
C)super reasonable
D)irrelevant

Question 33

The therapy goals of promoting growth,self-esteem,and connection,and helping family members achieve congruent communication and interaction are most associated with which theory of family therapy?

A)Bowen's multigenerational family therapy
B)Satir's human validation process model
C)Whitaker's experiential/symbolic family therapy
D)Minuchin's structural family therapy
E)Haley's strategic family therapy

Question 34

Bowen's multigenerational approach stresses techniques more than it does theory.

Question 35

Structural family therapy includes all of the following goals except for bringing about structural change by:

A)modifying the family's transactional rules.
B)developing more appropriate boundaries.
C)creating an effective hierarchical structure.
D)reducing symptoms of dysfunction.
E)the therapist taking a not-knowing stance with a family.

Question 36

Adlerian family therapy strives to _____ as its goal.

A)establish a hierarchy of power
B)establish and support parents as effective leaders of the family
C)replace automatic (unconscious)negative interactions with a conscious understanding of family process
D)reduce triangulation

Question 37

A potential limitation of the family systems model is:

A)a particular family member's needs may be overshadowed by the needs of the system.
B)the systemic perspective can be overwhelming for the therapist.
C)family therapy is not well-suited to working with diverse clients.
D)an emphasis on family systems precludes a focus on emotions.

Question 38

Family systems therapy represents a paradigm shift that is sometimes called "the fourth force."

Question 39

Which of the following individuals is not associated with family therapy?

A)Alfred Adler
B)Cloe Madanes
C)Albert Ellis
D)Salvador Minuchin
E)Carl Whitaker

Question 40

Which of the following theorists emphasized the development of a nurturing triad?

A)Minuchin
B)Haley
C)Satir
D)Whitaker
E)Bowen

Question 41

Carl Whitaker's style focuses on his own spontaneous reactions and craziness as a way to tap material that a family keeps secret.

Question 42

Strategic therapists do not rely on therapy techniques to bring about change but instead give more stress to the therapist's relationship with a family.

Question 43

Minuchin's approach to therapy is geared more toward insight,rather than taking action.

Question 44

The focus of strategic family therapy is on growth and resolving historical conflicts in a family rather than on dealing with present problems of a family.

Question 45

Strategic family therapy has its foundation in communications theory.

Question 46

The focus of Bowen's multigenerational approach is on dealing with family of origin issues and detriangulating relationships.

Question 47

Feminist,multicultural,and postmodern therapists are extremely aware of the power they have entering into already established systems,and they work to promote understanding through curiosity and interest rather than through formal assessments.

Question 48

Strategic family therapists do not generally deal with the presenting problem; rather,they focus on the underlying symptom of a dysfunctional system.

Question 49

Minuchin's structural therapy is based on the notion that an individual's symptoms are best understood from the vantage point of interactional patterns within a family,and that structural changes must occur in a family before an individual's symptoms can be resolved.

Question 50

Because Bowen's multigenerational approach looks at families from a three-generational perspective,the therapist is mainly interested in past happenings and does not pay much attention to present issues.

Question 51

Minuchin and other structural family therapists initiated their work with wealthy suburban clients.

Question 52

Strategic family therapy stresses some of the same basic concepts as the structural approach to family therapy.

Question 53

The role of the strategic therapist involves being in charge of the session.

Question 54

The cornerstone of Bowen's theory is differentiation of self.

Question 55

Satir's human validation model focuses on functional versus dysfunctional communication in families.

Question 56

The goal of structural family therapy is to break down any hierarchical structure and replace it with equal relationships among all family members.

Question 57

Structural family therapy deals with boundaries.

Question 58

Many of the most prominent structural family therapists have dedicated their efforts to working predominantly with African American and Hispanic families.

Question 59

Structural family therapists limit their interventions to families alone.

Question 60

Whitaker's experiential/symbolic approach is based on a well-developed theory of how a family changes.

Question 61

In Whitaker's experiential therapy,there is a greater focus on exploring past experiences than on here-and-now interaction between the family and the therapist.

Question 62

Bowenian therapists function in ways to bring about change through action-oriented directives and paradoxical interventions.

Question 63

The main focus of family therapy is on past interactions and past conflicts as the best way to understand the dynamics of the family system.

Question 64

Family therapists are wise to consider Western models of family functioning universal.

Question 65

Understanding family process is almost always facilitated by "how" questions.

Question 66

Assessment is not considered useful in the family systems perspective.

Question 67

Family systems therapy can be used when working with individual clients.

Question 68

From a family systems perspective,an individual's dysfunctional behavior grows out of the interactional unit of the family as well as the larger community and societal systems.

Question 69

Given the complexity of the multilayered approach to family therapy,the therapist must adopt the role of "expert."

Question 70

In experiential therapy,techniques are secondary to the relationship that the therapist is able to establish with the family.

Question 71

Within the field of family therapy,Virginia Satir has been the most influential leader in the development of both gender and cultural perspectives and frameworks in family practice.

Question 72

There is a trend in the field of family therapy toward rejecting an integrative model of practice.

Question 73

Because an individual is connected to a living system,change in one part of that system will result in change in the other parts.

Question 74

Families are multilayered systems that both affect and are affected by the larger systems in which they are embedded.

Question 75

Strategic therapists emphasize the value of therapist interpretation,exploring unresolved issues from the past,and insight.

Question 76

Cloé Madanes developed conjoint family therapy.

Question 77

According to Haley,who the therapist is as a person is far more important than specific intervention techniques.

Question 78

Joining,accommodation,and boundary making are techniques likely to be used by structural family therapists.