Family System Test Research Articles

Power, Cohesion, and Structure in Healthy Families and Families with Chronic Psychiatric Patients: A Comparative Study

Background: The hierarchy of power, dynamic of cohesion, and family structure might be affected in families with psychiatric patients. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the power, cohesion, and structure of healthy families and families with psychiatric patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Shiraz in 2018. Participants were 322 people from healthy families and families with schizophrenic, depressive, or bipolar disordered patients that were compared in terms of cohesion and hierarchy of power. Participants were selected by convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Family System Test, a clinically-derived figure placement technique. Data were analyzed using SPSS-19 with Chi-square and Kruskal Wallis tests at a significance level of less than 0.05. Results: There was no significant difference in terms of power between the families of healthy people and the families of patients with psychiatric disorders (P > 0.05). The family of patients with major depression had less cohesion (8.57 ± 2.2) than had the family of healthy ones (P =0.01). The structure of healthy families was more significantly balanced than that of other groups (P = 0.008). Conclusions: The results indicated that the power, cohesion, and structure of families can be affected by members with psychiatric disorders. Mental health care providers should take into account the mental health of families of psychiatric patients.

Automating system test case classification and prioritization for use case-driven testing in product lines

Product Line Engineering (PLE) is a crucial practice in many software development environments where software systems are complex and developed for multiple customers with varying needs. At the same time, many development processes are use case-driven and this strongly influences their requirements engineering and system testing practices. In this paper, we propose, apply, and assess an automated system test case classification and prioritization approach specifically targeting system testing in the context of use case-driven development of product families. Our approach provides: (i) automated support to classify, for a new product in a product family, relevant and valid system test cases associated with previous products, and (ii) automated prioritization of system test cases using multiple risk factors such as fault-proneness of requirements and requirements volatility in a product family. Our evaluation was performed in the context of an industrial product family in the automotive domain. Results provide empirical evidence that we propose a practical and beneficial way to classify and prioritize system test cases for industrial product lines.

FAST (Family System Test)にみられた摂食障害患者3例の家族関係の検討 : FASTによる日本人の家族関係についての予備的研究

FAST (Family System Test)にみられた摂食障害患者3例の家族関係の検討 : FASTによる日本人の家族関係についての予備的研究

Family cohesion: A study on caregiving daughters of parents with Alzheimer’s disease

In this regard, investigating these aspects might facilitate the evaluation of family relations and the development of interventions that create, keep, restore, or enhance the skills families need to better deal with the disease. Based on this information, the objective of this chapter is to present and discuss investigative research on family cohesion and hierarchy from the perspective of caregiver daughters of elderly with Alzheimer’s in four situations: before the disease, currently, in conflict, and ideally. 32 women caretakers and their respective parents (6 fathers and 26 mothers) diagnosed with possible or probable AD participated in the survey. The instruments used were the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in an Open Interview with a Semi-Structured Script, and the Family System Test (FAST). We observed that before onset of the disease, the caregivers generally perceived themselves to have more hierarchy than their siblings, χ2(2) = 4.92, p < .10. The current situation showed a greater number of caregivers in higher hierarchical positions than their siblings (72%), and a lesser number of siblings than expected in higher hierarchical positions than the caregivers, χ2(2) = 18.32, p < .001. The ideal representation showed that most caregivers did not want themselves or any of their siblings to have more power than the other (66.7%), χ2(2) = 14.89, p < .001. Comparing conflict representations to ideal representations showed that family members demonstrated lower cohesion in conflict situations than in ideal situations, z = -2.86, p < .01.

Comparing family members’ perceptions of the family

Family organization has arguably a determinative role in our healthy social-emotional and cognitive development, although we may have different perceptions of this system. Its background is in connection with the family members’ different experience, knowledge and beliefs about the world. Furthermore, we are also prone to imagine others’ mental representations that can help us to understand them better. Sometimes these meta-representations may be more accurate, while other times they may be incorrect. Although theories of mind tasks are well-known tools to explore (meta-) representations, the use of Gehring's (2010) Family System Test (FAST) in this way is less tested. The aim of this study was to compare the family members’ perceptions of the family with one another. Children's and parents’ family images were explored. In line with Smith, Myron-Wilson and Sutton's (2010) previous findings, my results confirmed the parents’ increased ability to assess the children's perceptions. Finally, growing theory of mind abilities may also be in the background of the results above (Happe, Winner and Bownell, 1998). Subsequent studies have to broaden the focus and involve more methods, age groups in the investigations to know more about human cognitive processes.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.

Representations of the Family System in Childhood and Adolescent

The development of identity on one case requires a new type thinking about the self, but on the other hand the individual also has to maintain its continuity over time. Adolescent identity crisis means a particular challenge for individuals. The role of the young person's social environment, the family members (primarily the parents) is increased in this process, because they can effectively support the reorganization of the identity. In this way, the teenager can reach the consolidation of his/her identity that gives the person the chance to form proper human relation(ship)s. The aim of my study was to explore the changes of the family representations from childhood to adolescent. I used Gehring's (2010) Family System Test to compare the family representations (in current and ideal situations) with one another. In accordance with the developmental theories the results confirmed more differences between the subsamples. The adolescents' family representations reflected the process of the social and emotional separation, as well as the need for increased autonomy could be also recognized. Consequently, an essential opportunity for future researches could be to extend the investigations and involve individuals from several age groups into the study. Finally, the exploration of the cultural differences linking to mental representations about the family organization could be also an interesting focus to examine.

The Psychosocial Background of Asthma and Panic Disorder

Asthma, the chronic disease, shows increased prevalence in the last decades. Genetic and environmental factors also influence its development. Panic disorder (PD) is one of the most frequent anxiety disorders in asthma. Their common symptom is the difficulty in breathing. In my study I aimed to compare the family representations of asthmatic and panic disorder young adults and their family members with healthy young people's and their family members’ representations to know more about the family structures and their mental processes. Gehring's (2010) Family System Test (FAST) was used by 3-3-3 families in my investigation testing all of the family members. There were four family members in all of the investigated families (parents and children). One of the children was concerned in asthma or panic disorder, while – in the control group – both of the children were healthy. I made both the quantitative- and qualitative analysis of the data to explore the differences between the subgroups. The results show that more pronounced differences are among the family members’ representations in the patients’ subsamples. The way we interpret the surrounding world has a powerful effect on our well-being and healthy status. The family has a particular influence on our development from birth to death. The organization and flexibility of this system and our place which is defined by the other family members’ personality and communicative style collectively form the members in the level of the (sub)system(s) and teach him/her how to live and cope. Although the results seem to be remarkable, further studies are needed to explore the importance of the family representations in our life better, and the role of the other factors and their interactions also need to be researched.

EPA-1194 – Comparative study of static and dynamic family representations in psychosomatic families. case study

A well-functioning family system is able to change over time, while a dysfunctional one rigidly insists on its behaviour patterns well accustomed to. Thus all the family members become essential parts of this unfavourable condition. The aim of our study was to explore the psychosomatic family members’ static and dynamic mental representations about their family. There were altogether three families in our study, one of them with an asthmatic person and the other one with a young adult with panic disorder. The members of the third family were healthy people. Gehring's (2010) Family System Test (FAST) - a figural technique - was used to explore the individuals’ family representations. Later the dynamic form of the test was also applied. The results showed more rigid family structure in the cases of the psychosomatic patients. While the family members’ static representations were more comparable in the typical and ideal situations in the family with an asthmatic young person, the panic patient's typical and conflict family representations demonstrated more similarity. In addition, this representation rather reflected the healthy family members’ mental representation in the family with a panic patient, while in the other case the joint representation of the family members was influenced by the asthmatic young man to a greater extent. The observed types of the family structure confirm the different static representations and cognitive processes by the family members, which raises the significance of the effect of the analysed psychosomatic disorders on the given family system.

Family System Testの評価基準に関する検討

The Family System Test (FAST) is a technique for assessing the family cognition of subjects by means of dolls which are used to imitate real family members. In previous studies in Japan, Nakami and Katsurada (2010) created a three-generation family痴 evaluation system for the first time. They succeeded in making new evaluation criteria; however, since the samples they tested were limited to university students only, it needs to be applied to more subjects with different generations to make their system more reliable. In this study, their system was examined to see if family cognition of younger generations can be applied to it. As a result, as far as the evaluation of family cohesion was concerned, it was appropriate to evaluate a three-generation family as one system, but as for evaluation of family hierarchy, the results obtained were different from Nakami and Katsurada. In the case of children, they evaluate a grandfather doll higher than a mother doll, which makes it clear that for the children, grandfather has more influence on them than mother has. Thus, the results in this study suggest that Nakami and Katsurada criterion requires re-examination for a new evaluation of family hierarchy.

EPA-1377 – Lost hopes. how to cope with our child's developmental disorder and try to live a happy life?

It is a serious crisis in the life of the family when it comes to light that the child has some kind of developmental problem. The parents have to cope with the fact of the disorder and provide support for the child. The family system is often undergoing changes and previous relationships get strained. The parents may remain alone with their difficulties and become isolated from the social environment. The aim of my study was to explore the family representations of mothers with an autistic child and get more information about changes the family system went through in connection with the child's diagnosis. I used Gehring's Family System Test (FAST), with some changes, linking responses to (1) a typical situation from the present, (2) the event of the child's birth (3) and the time period after the child's diagnosis. Mothers’ representations showed that while the child's birth typically was a joyful event in the pair's life, the typical situation from the present and the time period of the diagnosis were considerable challenges for the parents. In several cases the family fell apart after the crisis or the parents did not undertake to have more children. Mothers with a typical developing child generally demonstrated a stronger relationship with their husband and were able to share pleasant emotions in varied situations, even during difficult life events.

EPA-0995 – Hidden conflicts or the phenomenon of triangulation in the family structure

Psychosomatic families can usually be characterized by the problem of conflict management, which is associated with the low level of communication among the family members. One of the characteristic properties of these dysfunctional families is the way they sweep the problems under the carpet and/or triangulation that always involves a pair of the family members and a third person in the conflict situation to divert the attention from the essential problem, which thus remains unresolved. The aim of my study was to explore the manifestation of the hidden conflicts in the family structure if there is at least one psychosomatic patient in the family, as well as to investigate his/her position in the family structure. There were 12 asthmatic and 18 healthy young adults in my study and I used Gehring's (2010) Family System Test (FAST) to learn more about the above-mentioned phenomenon. The applied method gave me the possibility to recognize the characteristic arrangement (triangulation), which is about the third person's involvement in the other two people's conflict. Participants with asthma – primarily in the conflict situation - represented triangulation on the board and located their schematic wooden figure between the parents in a triangular shape more often than it was found in the healthy control group. Thus in line with the previous studies the special position of the asthmatic patients in their family has been confirmed, and the significance of dyspnoea with its central, fire-fighting role was also found.

Adolescentes em conflito com a lei: percepções sobre a família

Este artigo apresenta três estudos de caso de adolescentes autores de ato infracional, enfocando suas percepções sobre a família. Os instrumentos utilizados foram uma entrevista semiestruturada, o genograma e o Family System Test (FAST). Os resultados do FAST revelaram estruturas familiares instáveis e desequilibradas, com coesão variando entre baixa e média e hierarquia de baixa a alta. A partir dos instrumentos utilizados foi observado que a mãe e as irmãs foram percebidas como figuras de apoio presentes ao longo do desenvolvimento, representando um importante fator de proteção. Destaca-se a importância da compreensão da forma de funcionamento dessas famílias, no concernente à hierarquia, coesão e práticas educativas, de forma a proposição de programas de prevenção e intervenção adequados.

A new representation of hierarchy in the Family System Test (FAST)

A new representation of hierarchy in the Family System Test (FAST)

Consommation du cannabis chez les adolescents : liens entre structure, cohésion, hiérarchie familiales et niveau de consommation

Nowadays, even when it is still classified as a narcotic, of which the detention implies judicial pursuits, marijuana is underestimated in all its consequences and all its effects. Approximately 50 % of 17-year-olds declared experimenting with marijuana starting at the average age of 15 (OFDT 2007). “Cohesion” and “Power”, two fundamental elements of the family structure that were not yet explored in this domain, were able to inform us on the link between them and adolescent's marijuana consumption. For this, knowing the difficulty of adolescents’ recruitment, we chose an adapted and attractive tool to evaluate, at this age, a reality as complex as the family universe, the Family System Test (FAST). The research was conducted at the Monceau Center for Family Therapy with adolescents ( n = 18) aged between 15 and 19. The results showed weak hierarchic relations with big “intergenerational coalitions” within the families. Furthermore, an absence or a bad relationship with the father would have a link with the highest levels of marijuana consumption. At last, the study showed that the non-equilibrated family structure (extreme levels of cohesion and power) could be more significantly correlated with marijuana consumption behaviour, on a larger sample.

Die Beziehung zum interdisziplinären Behandlungsteam aus Sicht nierentransplantierter Jugendlicher

Various studies have demonstrated that the experience of a supportive relationship improves adherence of chronically ill adolescents. Their experience of the professional relationship in the context of the interdisciplinary treatment setting is still rarely investigated. The aim of this descriptive cross-sectional study in adolescents with renal transplant was to explore how they experience the relationship to the exponents of the different professionals of the health care team. Twenty-seven adolescents, aged 12 to 18, years were investigated by the Family System Test (FAST). The analysis showed that to them, both the pediatric-nephrological specialized nurses and the doctors are attachment figures in a comparable manner. The emotional relationship to the nurses was stronger, whereas in their behavior decisions the influence of the doctors was more pronounced. The adolescents' wish is an equally friendly-professional, yet low hierarchical relationship. These results demonstrated that the patient group specialized primary nursing concept established at the Zurich University Children's Hospital is approved and that interdisciplinarity is important for the care of chronically ill adolescents.

Family structure, body mass index, and eating behavior

To explore associations between family structure, children's body mass index (BMI), and eating behaviors of children and their mothers. Fifty-seven mothers and their children took part in an experimental study. BMI of children was measured. Mothers were asked to provide self-report data on sociodemographic background, mental health, and eating behaviors about themselves and their children. Parent-child-dyads represented their family structure using the Family System Test. We found negative associations in typical family situations between family hierarchy and children's BMI, mothers' emotional eating and mothers' restrained eating. Family cohesion and restrained eating of the children were also negatively correlated. We obtained positive associations in typical and conflict family situations between family cohesion and external eating of the children. We found indications that family structure is associated with overweight and with eating behavior in children and their mothers.

Impact of family structure on long-term survivors of osteosarcoma

Long-term outcomes of osteosarcoma have dramatically improved with the use of modern combination therapies. Such aggressive treatments, however, entail chronic complications. In the present study, we assessed the functional, psychological, and familial status of long-term survivors of osteosarcoma treated at our institution. Fifteen long-term survivors of osteosarcoma were evaluated for functional and psychological sequelae. Functional assessment was based on a method described by Enneking et al. Psychological assessment was based on General Health Questionnaire 28, Inventory Scale for Traumatic Neurosis, and Family System Test. Ten patients showed mild functional impairments; only five patients were handicapped more seriously. Depressive symptoms were diagnosed in four patients. A total of six patients revealed unbalanced family structures, including three of the four patients with depressive symptoms, all four patients with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, and five of seven patients who showed poor emotional acceptance. Osteosarcoma survivors will generally recover good functional performance. Only a minority of them remain seriously impaired. One third of the patients present depressive symptoms and posttraumatic stress disorder. Poor coping is closely associated with unbalanced family structures. Therefore, the psychological and familial situation of patients with newly diagnosed osteosarcoma should be carefully assessed.

Review of FAST: The Family System Test

Review of FAST: The Family System Test

Les enveloppes psychiques de l’adolescent : un essai de modélisation par un test projectif dans le refus scolaire

The concept of ego-skin developed by Anzieu [1,2] is the origin of a particular functional approach of psychic functioning, in bond with the dynamics of the groups largely developed by the same author [7]. This approach makes it possible to locate “operationally” the dysfunctions of the bond between the subject and its environment, like their incidences on the individual, family and social economy. With the adolescent subject, this processual dynamics appears able to bring a clinical intelligibility to us, in particular in his relationship at the school. To this end, the use of a singular projective test such as the FAST (Family System Test) [16] brings an innovative lighting with prospects for psychodynamic application in the field of the school refusal and the schooling in general.

A mulher como a principal provedora do sustento econômico familiar

This study aims at understanding at how the family represents its structure when woman is the principal responsible for the economic home support. A Case Study (Stake, 2000) with three families was performed with families consisting of a couple with a minimum of one child. As for data collection, the FAST (Family System Test) and Family Design was applied. The results showed that women represent their families following a classical model, while men carry their figure in an idealized form. Family economic condition is essential for the well-being. The maintenance of subsistence seems to be more important in these cases than the determination of who provides the support.