WK 10 Ch 9 Structural Family Therapy – Flashcards
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Structural Family Theory was developed by
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Minuchin
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Focus of Structural Family Theory
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Structure
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Structure refers to
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the invisible and unspoken rules that organize how family members interact
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Family Emotional Theory vs Structural Family Theory interventions
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Family Emotional Theory is reflective and Structural Family Theory is demands action
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Family Emotional Theory vs Structural Family Theory focus
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Family Emotional Theory focuses on emotions and Structural Family Theory focuses on external archictecture
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Structure concepts
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authority, rules, boundaries
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When there are appropriate authority, rules, boundaries,
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emotional lives develop in satisfactory ways
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Structural Family Theory origins
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psychoanalytic practice, institutionalized boys, multi-problem families
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Minuchin was the first family theorist to...
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work with multi-problem families
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Minuchin influences:
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-Structural functionalism (Parsons) -Experiental intervention (Satir)
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structural functionalism
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Talcott Parsons -society as social systems -has structures (repetitive patterns/behaviors) that should be evaluated in terms of their contribution to the maintenance of the system -
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structural functionalism emphasis
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Shared norms and common actors in the system
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Structural functionalism system founders are
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motivated actors whose Bx are held in check by - role expectations -power of sanctions - their shared desire to uphold institutional values
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structural functionalism, a social institution (family) is...
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an established order comprising rule-bound behavioral patterns
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Virginia Satir
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Experential -Developed family communication interventions and sculpting techniques
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Family therapy has been expanded to include ideas from
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solution-focused therapy
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Solution focused therapy
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Miracle questions Uses group intervention methods Structural ecosystems therapy Focus on environment when working with substance abuser
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Main concepts of Structural Family Theory
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Executive authority Subsystems Boundaries Rules Roles Alliances Triangles Flexibility Communication Others
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Executive authority
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A person or people they position primary decision making power
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Adult members of families consisting of more than one generation should...
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-exercise primary authority Other members can share authority
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SWer executive authority assessment:
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-who has power -how it shifts depending on circumstances -how decisions are made -the extent to which the opinion and needs of all members are taken into account
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Subsystems
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patterns of interactions
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Any family for >2 members should have
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subsystems
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Serious conflict develops in subsystems when:
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-One family member inappropriately excludes others -including diminishing the power of another parent
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Boundaries
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mental and physical separateness
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Healthy boundaries
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Families must preserve some mental and physical separateness for each member for effective functioning
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Boundary types
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Internal and external
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Internal boundaries
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Barriers that regulates the expected amounts of contact family members are to have with one another
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Internal boundary types
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Rigid and fluid
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rigid boundaries
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isolation
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Fluid boundaries
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too close to one another
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external boundaries
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Separation of family unit from outside systems
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Rules
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Bx and responsibilities that are expected of each family member to adhere to -age appropriate norms
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Who makes up rules
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executive authorities
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Roles
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A member's function within the system
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SWr assessment of roles:
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-appropriate, -satisfied with the roles a member is -if a member experiences stress from "role overload" -how roles are defined
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Some members assume roles based one
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family circumstances
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Can roles change?
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Yes, over time and context
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Who has roles?
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each member
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Alliances
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Conditions in which 2 family members interact cooperatively
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Triangles
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An alliance in which 2 members turn their attention to a 3rd member for support when in conflict with 1 another
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Triangles become disruptive when
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negatively affecting other members
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Trangles: Fam. Struct. Theory VS Fam. Emo Theory
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Structural family theory focuses on the long-term threat to the family organization, whereas family emotional therapy focuses on emotional outcomes for the most vulnerable triangle member
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Negative Triangles
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develop outside of the party's awareness
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Triangles are a natural process of
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Stress relief
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Flexibility
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When families adjust structures to accommodate predictable/unpredictable changes and maintain effective functioning
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Types of changes
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Predictable: moving of a member to a new life stage Unpredictable: loss of job
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Communication
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Conveying messages
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Family Structural Theory focuses on what in communication?
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structure
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Types of communication
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Verbal and non-verbal
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SWer can assess and help family to...
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become aware of rules
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Communication rules
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Who is permitted to talk to whom, about what issues and in what tones of voice
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Other concepts
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Cultural considerations Family goals Family life-cycles stages Family myths External system influences
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Family goals
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Families do not always openly articulate a set of goals
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With family goals, the social worker should assess
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Family awareness Consensus levels Functionality
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Family life-cycles stages
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The complex relationship between people and their environmental systems during predictable and unpredictable life transitions
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Family myths
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Shared family beliefs that evolve into families effort to define itself set boundaries with the outside community and perhaps protect members from both internal and extra conflict they are cultural factors
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External system influences
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Families exist in the midst of other identifiable systems that contribute to conditions that influence the family structure and the quality of life of its members
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With external system influences, the social worker should assess
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effects of the families interactions with these other systems
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external system family activities assigned by the social worker can include
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-linkage referral -mediation -advocacy activities
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What map focuses on external system influences?
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eco-map
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The nature of problems
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Power imbalances Subsystem boundaries that are too rigid or diffused disengaged family members Enmeshed members Pervasive conflict or tension related to avoidance Failure of the system to realign Member resistance to formal family change process
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Power imbalances
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a situation in which the wrong members have the most power in the family
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Subsystem boundaries that are too rigid or diffused
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produce situations in which the numbers are either emotionally or physically isolated from each other or two involved in each others lives
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disengaged family members
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do not interact with other members or with the family system in general
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Enmeshed members
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rely too much on one another for support and assistance instead of developing their own life skills
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Pervasive conflict or tension related to avoidance
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related to avoidance when members of the family lack good communication skills
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Failure of the system to realign
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Family problems may derive from this after a stressful event such as birth or death of a family member
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Member resistance to formal family change process
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elated to the "failure to realign," but indicates a lack of flexibility in the family system to accommodate any changes
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Change motto
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Action precedes understanding
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The clt-SWer relationship
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The social worker must take charge, be the expert and lead -Minuchin
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Assessment
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-Warm-ups (ice breakers) -short, informal info gathering -each member describes the issue that brought them to the agency and background -observe to get info (not ask) -asked to enact -noticies positive and negative
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Observations for assessing
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What are the patterns of interacting How does the family present itself structurally Where does the power lie What systems appear to be prominent Does the presenting problem function for the family What are the patterns of managing stress How sensitive are family members to each other's feelings and needs What do members expect from each other Do the members accommodate each other's needs Is the family involved with external systems
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Interventions
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Repetition Relabeling Problem tracking Teaching stress management skills Discussion and mutual decision making Manipulating space Communication skills training Role plays Assign tasks
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Repetition
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necessary for structural changes to become internalize in the family system
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Supporting system strengths
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the social worker providing compliments about aspects of family function that are going well
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Supporting system strengths develops rapport by...
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Being empathetic and non-judgmental
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Relabeling
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normalizing a problem helps family members develop a new perspective about themselves that is more constructive
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When relabeling the SWer shouldn't...
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excuse behavior but places it into a context that produces defensiveness and the stigmatization of any family member as the problem
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Problem tracking
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encourages the family to track its target behaviors between sessions so that members can more clearly identify the structural patterns and get accustomed to working actively on a problem resolution
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Teaching stress management skills
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can enhance the self-control of members prior to initiating any anxiety provoking interactions
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Discussion and mutual decision making
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modifies family rules
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Manipulating space
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assigning family members to stand or sit in certain configurations can highlight important structural characteristics
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Communication skills training
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The social worker instructs families in methods of clear speaking and listening to communicate their needs ideas and feelings
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Role plays
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is a means of adjusting family interaction (to have empathy)
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Assign tasks
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A major practice strategy of structural family theory that members are to complete between sessions
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A major practice strategy is...
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Assign tasks
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Ending interventions is determined by:
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Family assessment device (FAD) Time measures Quality of role play Monitoring external interactions
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Family assessment device (FAD)
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an instrument that includes six subscales four of which (problem-solving and communication roles and behavior control) are consistent with the focus of structural intervention
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Time measures
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The social worker can use time measures to see how alliances change among family members
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Quality of role play
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As a family is functioning improves the social worker can use role play more flexibly to help members anticipate possible future challenges
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Monitoring external interactions
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the social worker and family will be sharing impressions of how well they are managing in the natural environment -When there is consensus among the participants that they have mastered these behaviors the intervention can in unless the family says additional goals
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SPIRITUALITY
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not as rich as family emotional systems theory with regard to incorporating member spiritual issues because it is focused on organization rather than emotional life - cognitive theory is consistent with structural theory in spirituality
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Which SW Value does this Structural Family Theory uphold?
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social justice
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Two-tiered approach
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12-16 weeks 1. family reconstructing 2. once, successful put in a community group with other successful families to work together on community issues
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Effectiveness of Structural Family Theory
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Effective with multiple cultures, minorities, LGBT, addiction, anorexia, ADHD, diabetes and more
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Structural Family Theory criticisms
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-deemphasizes a family's emotional life -practitioners mistakenly hold biases about appropriate family structure -must be careful not to begin with specific assumptions about family structure prior to assessing them -Takes a patriarchal approach in a now egalitarian home (feminists, same-sex)
