Discussion tasks as a measure of influence structure and reversal of role structure in normal families. Implications for the study of pathological families

Abstract

A RESEARCHER’S conception of the ‘normal’ structure of the family will determine what family structures are labeled ‘abnormal’. Since the 1950’s, there has been a considerable body of clinical and experimental research on normal and abnormal families. Many of the clinical ideas about the structural characteristics of abnormal families have not been formulated in operational research terms. Moreover, there have been conflicting reports about the actual structure of normal families elicited in an experimental small group setting. This paper reviews some of the ideas about the structure of normal and abnormal families. It then reports the results of a study in small sample of normal volunteer families in which one important methodological modification is made from previous small group family studies. The findings are used to clarify research approaches to the study of normal family structure and the type of structural abnormalities which should be looked for in pathological families.