DIAGNOSING RELATIONSHIPS WITH SPATIAL DISTANCE: AN EMPIRICAL TEST OF A CLINICAL PRINCIPLE*

Abstract

Several ‘family systems therapists have discussed the value of observing families’ spatial relationships as an aid in diagnosing family structure and processes. For example, Haley (1976) notes that: “When the family members seat themselves, sometimes the organization of the family is clarified” (p. 18). Minuchin (1974) also discusses the same idea when he writes: “When the family sits down, the family therapist should pay attention to how they position themselves. Often their placement can give him some hunches about family affiliations” (p. 207). The general idea behind this concept is that families often reveal a good deal about themselves in the way they arrange themselves spatially with one another. This idea of spatial arrangements is strikingly similar to the notion of “personal space.” Personal space has been defined as “the area individual humans actively maintain around themselves into which others cannot intrude without arousing discomfort” (Hayduk, 1978, p. 118). Personal space has been extensively researched and has been found to be smallest among close friends, greater among acquaintances and greatest among strangers (Edwards, 1972). One could anticipate, therefore, that relationships would vary in spatial arrangement based on friendship or liking between the persons involved. Indeed, such an idea seems central to the diagnostic value of spatial relationships in families. That is, family members who like each other should arrange themselves closer spatially than family members who do not. The purpose of this study was to investigate the idea of spatial arrangement as it applies to one component of families-married couples. Couples were chosen as a first step in the study of the diagnostic value of spatial relationships in family therapy.