Basic Concepts in Family Therapy: An Introductory Text, Second Edition

by Berg Cross; Linda

• ISBN13: 9780789006462
• ISBN10: 0789006464
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-04-05
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Basic Concepts in Family Therapy: An Introductory Text, Second Edition, presents twenty-two basic psychological concepts that therapists may use to understand clients and provide successful services to them. Each chapter focuses on a single concept using material from family therapy literature, basic psychological and clinical research studies, and cross-cultural research studies.The book builds on the strengths of the first edition, incorporating ideas and articles that have become worthy of investigating since 1990 into the original text. This new edition also introduces five new chapters on resiliency and poverty, adoption, chronic illness, spirituality and religion, and parenting strategies. The new chapters make the book far more relevant for students and clinicians trying to use family theory and technique in response to the problems they see in their communities.Basic Concepts in Family Therapy will assist you in offering clients better services by providing a deeper understanding ofthe contemporary family in its various forms, the psychological bonds that shape all families, and the developmental stages of the family life cycle. This exploration of how family demography, stages and life cycles affect family functions is a solid foundation from which all of the therapeutic concepts in this book can be explored.Some of the facets of family therapy you will explore in Basic Concepts in Family Therapy are: -- generational boundaries, closeness, and role behaviors-- managing a family's emotions-- defining problems and generating possible solutions-- teaching children specific attitudes, values, and social skills-- transracial adoptions and normativeprocesses and developmental issues of adoptive parents-- strategies for reducing conflict-- ... and much more!Basic Concepts in Family Therapy will help to broaden your understanding of the ways families function in ge

Author Biography

Linda Berg-Cross, PhD, ABPP, is Professor of Psychology and former Director of the Clinical Psychology Program at Howard University in Washington, DC

Table of Contents

About the Author	xiii
Contributors	xiv
Preface	xv
Acknowledgments	xvii
Introduction	1	(2)
UNIT I: GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH THE FAMILY	3	(38)
Exploring the Family Structure	5	(36)
What Is a Family?	5	(4)
The Family Life Cycles	9	(5)
Techniques for Focusing on the Family	14	(24)
Self-Exploration: Discovering Your Family Life Space	38	(2)
Self-Exploration: Using the Jack	40	(1)
UNIT II: FAMILY CONCEPTS---A SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE	41	(170)
Individuation	43	(30)
Parents' Socioemotional Investment in Children: Precursors to Successful Individuation and Separation	43	(2)
Theories of Individuation	45	(7)
Generational Boundaries, Closeness, and Role Behaviors	52	(15)
Individuation As a Lifelong Process	67	(3)
Self-Exploration: Individuation	70	(3)
Separation	73	(24)
Infancy and Early Childhood	74	(3)
Middle Childhood and Early Adolescence	77	(3)
Late Adolescence and Leaving Home	80	(8)
Divorce and Joint Custody	88	(5)
Parental Death and a Child's Grief	93	(2)
Self-Exploration: Separations	95	(2)
Cutoffs	97	(22)
The Concept of Cutting Off	97	(5)
The Painful Process of Cutting Off	102	(2)
Reconstructing the Relationship	104	(1)
Developmental Timing	105	(8)
When Are Cutoffs Beneficial?	113	(1)
Self-Exploration: Family Cutoffs	114	(5)
Triangles	119	(16)
Vulnerability and Self-Protection	119	(2)
The Universal Triangle: Father/Mother/Child	121	(1)
Dysfunctional Triangles	122	(8)
Triangles and Family Types	130	(3)
Recent Research on Triangular Effects	133	(1)
Self-Exploration: Family Triangles	134	(1)
Rituals	135	(20)
Types of Rituals	136	(1)
Positive Aspects of the Ritual	137	(3)
How Family Rituals Evolve and Develop	140	(6)
Altering Rituals and Establishing New Ones	146	(2)
Rituals and the Family Life Cycle	148	(5)
Self-Exploration: Family Rituals	153	(2)
Secrets	155	(16)
Kinds of Family Secrets	155	(10)
Adaptive versus Maladaptive Secrets	165	(5)
Self-Exploration: Family Secrets	170	(1)
Multigenerational Effects	171	(18)
Patterns of Multigenerational Transmission	171	(8)
The Family Legacy	179	(3)
Family Myths	182	(1)
Appreciating One's Multigenerational Heritage	183	(5)
Self-Exploration: Multigenerational Effects	188	(1)
Networks and Ecosystems	189	(22)
Networks and In-Laws	190	(1)
Networks and Childhood Resiliency	191	(3)
Zones of Intimacy	194	(2)
The Importance of Networks	196	(2)
Networks and Elderly People	198	(4)
Networks and Black Americans	202	(2)
Using---and Not Using---Networks	204	(6)
Self-Exploration: Networking	210	(1)
UNIT III: FAMILY CONCEPTS---ECOLOGICAL STRESSORS	211	(88)
Family Resiliency and Poverty	213	(30)
Carla Williams
Poverty-Associated Risks	213	(4)
The Resilience Model	217	(19)
Multifamily Groups	236	(3)
Professional Consultation and Training	239	(2)
Self-Exploration: Family Resiliency and Poverty	241	(2)
Chronic Illness in Children: Stressors and Family Coping Strategies	243	(32)
M. Seren Cohen
Prevalence and Nature of Psychological Disorders	243	(2)
The Bad News About Prevalence	245	(1)
The Good News About Prevalence	246	(1)
A Family Systems Framework for Understanding Chronic Illness	246	(1)
Illness Demands	247	(1)
Family System Resources and Family System Dynamics	248	(3)
Clinical Assessment of Family Meanings: The Meaning of Illness Evolves	251	(5)
A Treatment Model for Medical Family Therapy: Strategies for Chronic Illness	256	(10)
A Medical Family Therapy Toolbox	266	(7)
Self-Exploration: Chronic Illness	273	(2)
Adoption and Infertility	275	(24)
Sherry Molock
Types of Adoption	275	(1)
Normative Processes and Developmental Issues of Adoptive Families	276	(17)
Transracial Adoptions	293	(3)
Conclusion	296	(1)
Self-Exploration: Are We Ready to Adopt a Child?	297	(2)
UNIT IV: FAMILY CONCEPTS---A COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVE	299	(88)
Communication Styles	301	(24)
Individual Communication Styles	302	(6)
Spousal Communication	308	(1)
Communicating Intimately	308	(5)
Parental Communication	313	(5)
The ``Ka'' Solution: New Terms for Stepfamilies and the New Times	318	(3)
Self-Exploration: Family Types	321	(1)
Self-Exploration: Parenting Style	321	(1)
Self-Exploration: Intimacy	321	(4)
Problem Solving	325	(32)
Strategies for Reducing Conflict	328	(6)
Hostility and Intimacy	334	(1)
Using Fights to Advantage	335	(3)
Problem Solving and Problem Behaviors in Children	338	(7)
Power and Problem Solving	345	(9)
Self-Exploration: Problem Solving	354	(3)
Family Productivity	357	(30)
Provider Needs	358	(3)
Child Care and Child Socialization	361	(3)
Housework	364	(4)
Kinskeeping	368	(1)
Therapeutic Needs	369	(6)
Recreational Needs	375	(5)
Sexual Needs	380	(4)
Summary	384	(2)
Self-Exploration: Productivity	386	(1)
UNIT V: FAMILY CONCEPTS---A SIBLING PERSPECTIVE	387	(38)
Birth Order	389	(16)
Apparent Effects of Birth Order	389	(6)
Problems in Identifying Birth Order Effects	395	(6)
The Large Family	401	(2)
Birth Order and Marriage Partners	403	(1)
Self-Exploration: Birth Order	404	(1)
Sibling Relationships	405	(20)
Sibling Solidarity	405	(4)
Fervent Sibling Loyalty	409	(3)
Sibling Rivalry and Tensions	412	(2)
Deidentification	414	(4)
Identification	418	(3)
Self-Exploration: Sibling Relationships	421	(4)
UNIT VI: FAMILY CONCEPTS---A SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE	425	(108)
Attribution	427	(24)
Patterns of Attribution	427	(4)
Factors Affecting Internal versus External Attributions	431	(5)
Factors Affecting Attribution Style	436	(6)
Complex Attributions and Narrative Therapy	442	(6)
Self-Exploration: Attribution	448	(3)
Equity Theory	451	(20)
The Theory of Family Equity	451	(2)
Equity and Family Roles	453	(6)
Developing an Equity Pattern	459	(6)
Distribution of Power Between Marital Partners	465	(1)
Power Allocation Between Parents and Children	466	(2)
Self-Exploration: Equity	468	(3)
Reactance	471	(16)
Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary	471	(2)
Reactance versus Compliance	473	(3)
A Matter of Proportion	476	(1)
Role Boundaries and Coping Styles	477	(2)
Intergenerational Issues	479	(2)
Individual Differences and Psychological Reactance	481	(1)
Reactance and Paradoxical Interventions	481	(1)
Resistance and Reactance in Family Therapy	482	(1)
Helping Others and Accepting Favors	482	(3)
Self-Exploration: Reactance	485	(2)
Cultural Influences on the Family	487	(24)
Amy Boscov
The Changing Emphasis of Parenting: From Discipline Skills to Social Activism	487	(6)
Marketing and Materialism	493	(13)
Technology and Family Life Education	506	(1)
Conclusion	507	(1)
Self-Exploration: Effects of American Culture on the Family	508	(3)
Spirituality	511	(22)
Dominicus So
The Importance of Spirituality and Religion in Family Therapy and Child-Centered Presenting Problems	512	(6)
Assessment	518	(3)
Treatment and Prevention	521	(5)
Ethical and Professional Dilemmas and Guidelines	526	(4)
Conclusion	530	(1)
Self-Exploration: Draw a Spiritual Flower	531	(2)
Resources	533	(58)
Author Index	591	(16)
Subject Index	607