Deck 10: Assessing Family Functioning in Diverse Family and Cultural Contexts

Question 1

Which of the following is a formal role that is socially sanctioned?

A)​Brother
B)​Caregiver
C)​Scapegoat
D)​Comedian

Answer 1

A

Question 2

An individual in a family holds power because of a chronic condition. This is an example of:

A)​task-loader power.
B)​societal power.
C)​executive power.
D)​covert power.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Culturally influenced beliefs about how individuals relate to the micro, mezzo, and macro dimensions of the social world, how individuals relate to the natural world, and individuals' understanding of spirituality are known as:

A)​societal mannerisms.
B)​client worldviews.
C)​local stressors.
D)​leaders' viewpoints.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

In the context of the family systems framework, a family assessment describes families according to their:

A)​actions.
B)​moods.
C)​rules.
D)​attitudes.

Question 5

People are speaking at a meta-communication level when they:

A)​explain the intent of their messages verbally.
B)​reinforce their messages through gestures.
C)​contradict their messages through facial expressions.
D)​justify the meaning of their messages through eye contact.

Question 6

In the context of self-awareness in family assessment, worldview differences between the family and the social worker:

A)​can lead to oppressive social work practices.
B)​can help maintain the status quo of the family.
C)​can generate a unique family therapy movement.
D)​can transform the family function roles within the family.

Question 7

The Whites family is referred to a social worker for counselling. The referral source summary described the family as a multi-problem family system. In the initial interview, the social worker asks the family members to talk about the activities that they enjoyed doing together before they started having issues with each other. The social worker's question is intended to assess the family:

A)​stressors.
B)​strengths.
C)​homeostasis.
D)​tolerance.

Question 8

In the context of family rules, which of the following statements is true of implicit rules?

A)​They are readily recognized and articulated by family members.
B)​They include expectations for behavior that parents impose on children.
C)​They are hidden from family members' awareness.
D)​They represent family efforts to meet important goals.

Question 9

Which of the following statements is true of family closeness in an enmeshed family system?

A)​Relationships do not require a major sacrifice of autonomy.
B)​Members are discouraged from developing their own identity.
C)​Everyone in the family thinks and feels differently.
D)​Independent explorations or behaviors prevail in the family.

Question 10

When a mother tells her older child not to interfere when she tries to discipline her younger child, the mother is defining the role of the:

A)​sibling co-system.
B)​parental subsystem.
C)​family orientation.
D)​societal role-player.

Question 11

Which of the following difficulties arises when an older relative comes to reside with a family?

A)​Inter-profile conflict
B)​Weakness identification
C)​Strength approval
D)​Role transition

Question 12

Which of the following is an example of congruent communication?

A)​A speaker emphasizing his or her point of view using expressive hand gestures consistent with his or her message
B)​A speaker elaborating on his or her message in order to clarify the nonverbal intent of the message to the receiver
C)​The intent of a speaker's message being inconsistent with the information received by the receiver
D)​The content of a speaker's message being disqualified by his or her facial expression and actual behavior

Question 13

The family function of providing secure attachment bonds can be achieved by:

A)​providing members with a sense of psychological safety.
B)​establishing boundaries that limit sexual relationships among its members.
C)​distributing resources that are instrumental for physical health.
D)​ensuring the evolutionary survival of the human species.

Question 14

In the context of homeostasis, _____ are cycles of interactions, or expected interactions, that are used to exert influence over families and family members.

A)​dominating embellishments
B)​feedback loops
C)​family boundaries
D)​hierarchical disengagements

Question 15

Which of the following create an environment in which primary attachments can flourish, but which, for some families, interfere with successful family functioning and serve to exacerbate presenting problems?

A)​Power arrangements
B)​Societal alignments
C)​Sibling subsystems
D)​Disengaged subsystems

Question 16

Procreation is a family function that means:

A)​obtaining resources that are instrumental for physical health.
B)​ensuring the evolutionary survival of the human species.
C)​providing members with affection and a sense of belonging.
D)​providing members with a sense of psychological safety.

Question 17

Which of the following is a difference between the assessment of individual clients and the assessment of families?

A)​Unlike assessments of individuals, family assessment uses words that focus on each family member's ideas and goals.
B)​Unlike assessments of individuals, family assessment describes family members by their moods and actions.
C)​Unlike assessments of individuals, family assessment focuses social work attention on the family as a unit.
D)​Unlike assessments of individuals, family assessment uses language that emphasizes individuals of a family.

Question 18

Which of the following has the right and obligation to provide overall direction to a family, to allocate resources, to manage boundaries, to protect the integrity of the family system in its external relations, and to assign roles to individual members?

A)​The societal subsystem
B)​The neighborhood role-model
C)​The executive subsystem
D)​The local role-player

Question 19

In the context of family roles, which of the following statements is true of a perceived role?

A)​It is a static role that helps maintain the status quo in the family.
B)​It depends on the rules set by an executive subsystem.
C)​It involves the expectations of self relative to one's social position.
D)​It is influenced by the expectations that others hold with regard to a social position.

Question 20

Homeostasis is a systems concept that describes the tendency of a system to maintain or preserve:

A)​equilibrium or balance.
B)​limitations or rules.
C)​guidelines or boundaries.
D)​strengths or weaknesses.

Question 21

In the context of family structure, briefly explain the various ways by which family membership is achieved.

Question 22

_____ refers to the extent to which a family can achieve its functioning goals, given the demands of family and social life.

A)​Cumulative assessment
B)​Adaptive capacity
C)​Power resilience
D)​Boundary flexibility

Question 23

In the context of homeostasis, when faced with a disruption, a system tends to try to regulate and maintain:​

A)​system disparity.
B)​system incoherence.
C)​system disjuncture.
D)​system cohesion.

Question 24

A set of broad social sectors that catalog the various ways that all families engage with the outside world is referred to as the:​

A)​social environment.
B)​executive subsystem.
C)​localized structure.
D)​cumulative stress.

Question 25

In the context of the family systems framework, which of the following statements is true of rigid, inflexible boundaries?​

A)​Strict regulations limit the family's transactions with its external environment.
B)​Family members' access to social support is increased.
C)​The family cannot be protected from undesired intrusions.
D)​Territoriality preservation is hindered along with a failure to defend privacy.

Question 26

Explain family rules and how they can be explored across two dimensions.

Question 27

Discuss family roles and the conflicts associated with them.

Question 28

Describe the steps that should be taken by a social worker when there are worldview differences between the social worker and the family he or she is working with.

Question 29

Which of the following power is held by family members who enter into coalitions to challenge or circumvent executive power or task-specific power?​

A)​Candid power
B)​Covert power
C)​Perceived power
D)​Professed power

Question 30

Which of the following is a necessary dimension of a family systems framework assessment without which a family is likely to suffer from entropy?​

A)Social environment​
B)​Family rules
C)​Dwelling relationships
D)​Family adaptive capacity

Question 31

Explain the concept of homeostasis as a dimension of a family systems framework assessment.

Question 32

In an exchange in which one member continues to attack or accuse another member, and the other member tends to continue to defend his or her position, a(n) _____ is manifested.​

A)​passive-active pattern of communication
B)​inappropriate interruption during communication
C)​fault-defend pattern of communication
D)​sarcastic demonstration during communication

Question 33

In the context of family adaptive capacity, describe family strengths and resilience.

Question 34

In the context of boundaries in a family system, describe internal boundaries.

Question 35

When parents have a rule that prohibits playing certain types of music in their home, the rule is in place to:​

A)bond the family together.​
B)​limit social interaction.
C)​maintain expected behavior.
D)​match up to the societal norms.

Question 36

Identify and discuss how the depth and nature of a family's involvement in the social environment is a key dimension of a family system structure.

Question 37

In the context of family stressors, which of the following statements is true of acute stressors?​

A)​They are usually single occurrence events.
B)​They have an ending but are repeated periodically.
C)​They usually persist over a long period of time.
D)​They have a continuous effect in a subconscious manner.

Question 38

Describe the usage of genogram.

Question 39

Discuss how congruence and clarity can be achieved in the communication styles of family members.

Question 40

Generally understood patterns of behavior that are accepted by family members as part of their individual identities are referred to as:​

A)​boundaries.
B)​power.
C)​orientation.
D)​roles.