Implications For Family Therapy Research Articles

Linguistic Analysis of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Reddit Posts: Implications for Family Therapy

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a growing phenomenon, yet there is still a limited understanding of the behavior, intent behind the behavior and what individuals themselves say about their behavior. This study collected pro-NSSI public blog posts from Reddit and analyzed the content linguistically using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count software, to examine the use of NSSI specific words, linguistic and psychological linguistic properties. The results inform current mental health practices by dispelling myths and providing insight into the inner world of people who engage in NSSI. The linguistic properties found in the analysis reflected the predicted results; authors of pro-NSSI posts used first-person singular pronouns extensively, indicating high levels of mental health distress and isolation. This study demonstrates how understanding the language of self-harm can help inform mental health treatment using family therapy.

Brief report: caregivers' well-being in families with neurodevelopmental disorders members during COVID-19: implications for family therapy.

Neurodevelopmental disorders affect the lifespan of diagnosed individuals and their families. COVID-19 challenged these families with daily routine unpredictability requiring rapid adaptations. Moreover, associations and schools were closed, leaving these families without regular social support. Here, we investigate which individual and family factors can predict the caregiver's depressive state and overall burden. An online study took place between 2021 and 2022. A total of 32 caregivers (30 women; 48 ± 8.22 years old; range 26 to 63 years old) reported having a family member with a neurodevelopmental disorder, the majority diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Caregivers responded to a protocol to assess the burden, resilience, depressive, anxious, and stress symptomatology, as well as the behavior of the diagnosed individual. Hierarchical multiple regressions were performed to identify protective and risk factors for the caregivers' well-being. Caregivers' depressive state was explained by 29.3% of the variance of the family cohesion factor, indicating that high levels of balanced family cohesion represent a crucial protective factor for reducing the caregiver's depressive state. Additionally, overall caregiver burden was explained by 17.8% of the variance due to self-perception and 26.4% due to family cohesion, with the caregiver's self-perception playing an important protective role in the overall perception of burden. The proportion of male and female respondents seems to corroborate the significant role of women in caregiving. These results emphasize the importance of considering both individual and family factors of caregivers during interventions, which have implications for family therapy with families of members diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders, specifically with autism.

The 2016 United States presidential election's impact on families with transgender adolescents in New England.

During and after the 2016 United States (U.S.) presidential election, discriminatory policies and stigmatizing rhetoric have been increasingly directed toward the transgender community at state and national levels. Transgender and/or nonbinary (TNB) adolescents, already at elevated risk for poorer health relative to their cisgender (nontransgender) peers, may have been adversely impacted by the shifting sociopolitical climate. This secondary analysis used qualitative data from the Trans Teen and Family Narratives Project to investigate how perceived shifts in the sociopolitical climate following the 2016 election affected families with TNB adolescents in the New England region of the U.S. (states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont). Data included two waves of semistructured interviews conducted with TNB adolescents and their caregivers and siblings (N = 20 families, 60 family members). Two coders analyzed transcripts using a thematic analysis approach. Emergent themes included: contemporary life for trans people in America (e.g., being discriminated against and dehumanized), perceptions of the national sociopolitical climate (e.g., anger toward political figures), forms of resistance and advocacy (e.g., confronting misinformation), and factors amplifying or buffering effects of the sociopolitical climate (e.g., the formation of alliances or coalitions within the family). Findings indicate the 2016 election spurred the redefinition of communication boundaries within, and outside, the immediate family, particularly regarding online communication and social media. TNB adolescents and their families anxiously anticipated changes in the sociopolitical climate and their foreseen impact on TNB adolescents' rights and safety. Implications for family therapy, intervention design, and policy reform are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The Association between Differentiation of Self and Emotional Connectedness in a Sample of Panamanian Emerging Adults

Differentiation of self represents the integration of two life forces: autonomy and connection with others. The aims of this study were to test whether differentiation was associated with emotional connectedness in a sample of Panamanian emerging adults (n = 110) and to explore the psychometric properties of two instruments for use in the Panamanian cultural-context: the Spanish-Differentiation of Self Inventory (SDSI-R) and the Relational Health Indices – Spanish (RHI-S). Emotional cutoff showed a significant association with emotional connectedness while results showed no evidence of a relationship between emotional reactivity and emotional connectedness. Both questionnaires demonstrated reliability and validity. Implications for family therapy are discussed.

A Study on the Integrated Applicability of Structural Family Therapy and Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy Through Common Factors, With Implications for Family Therapy

A Study on the Integrated Applicability of Structural Family Therapy and Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy Through Common Factors, With Implications for Family Therapy

Family Roles, Family Dysfunction, and Depressive Symptoms

This work focuses on different roles individuals might adopt in their family of origin: hero, scapegoat, lost child, mascot, caretaker, and mastermind. It was explored whether family dysfunction in the family of origin makes it more likely that individuals will take on certain roles, in particular those of “scapegoat” and “lost child.” Further, it was tested whether the problematic roles of scapegoat and lost child are linked to greater depressive symptoms later on during adulthood. Support for these predictions was found in two correlational survey studies of young and older adults retrospectively reporting the roles they assumed in their family of origin ( N = 176 and 366, respectively). Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for family therapy.

Family Therapy and the Pedagogy of the Oppressed: Therapeutic Use of Songs in Apartheid South Africa

A central issue for family therapy is the critical question of how to define its role in influencing social change. Family therapy has tended to focus on how to liberate and empower individual clients, not communities, from the travails of tradition. This article highlights social change mechanisms implemented by the oppressed majority in South Africa during the apartheid period. It draws inspiration from the pedagogy of the oppressed articulated by Steve Biko and other members of his generation. This enabled the Black majority in South Africa ‘to name their world by reflecting on their conditions, imagining a better world, and then taking action to create it’ (Freire, 1968, p. 253) through the use of revolutionary songs that resulted in the collapse of the cruel apartheid system. The implications for family therapy are discussed.

Predictive Associations Between Family System Characteristics and Emergent Protective Factors

The present study was implemented to identify predictive relationships between family processes and the emergence of protective factors among young adults. There were 198 participants (119 women, 60%; 79 men, 40%) with a mean age of 18.29 years ( SD = .46) with predominately Hispanic/Latino ( n = 88; 44%) and Caucasian ( n = 80; 40%) ethnic identities who were enrolled at a medium-sized 4-year university in the Central Southern region of the United States. Simultaneous multiple regression analyses revealed differential predictive weight for types of family processes and emergent protective factors. Specifically, use of strengths and adaptability predicted a sense of mattering and repeated exposure to crises predicted resilience. Implications for family therapy and recommendations for further research are identified.

ICTs and Family Functioning: A Study on Portuguese Families with Adolescents and Emerging Adults

Nowadays, information and communication technologies (ICTs) represent an integral part of contemporary family life, introducing changes in families’ functioning. Positive, negative, and mixed aspects of this influence were identified. The present study intends to understand the relationship between ICTs and family functioning among participants from two different family life cycle stages. A total of 157 Portuguese families (307 participants from 97 families with emerging adult children and 169 from 60 families with adolescents) completed measures about the use of ICTs (an adaptation of SEFT/ETEF©) and family functioning (SCORE-15). The number of ICTs and problems related to their use were higher in families with adolescent children. The use of a higher number of ICTs was related to a better level of family functioning in both family groups. However, according to the multiple regression model, the problematic situations related to ICTs use only seem to predict a worse level of family functioning in families with adolescent children. Also, parents and children of each group differed in the number of ICTs used. Some limitations, implications for family therapy, and future research directions are discussed.

Changing Attitudes Toward Older Adults Through a Simulated Aging Exercise: Implications for Family Therapy

Past research suggests that many young people hold negative attitudes toward the elderly. Simulated aging is one method to reduce aging that had been successfully applied with those individuals working in the helping professions. However, it has not yet been applied to ordinary young adults. The current study examined whether a simulated aging activity would cause more positive attitudes toward the aged, an increased desire to help, and higher satisfaction with life. Seventy-eight college students participated; half were randomly assigned to complete three tasks with sensory deficits designed to simulate aging (i.e., wearing non-magnified glasses covered with petroleum jelly, wearing foam earplugs, and wearing cloth gloves), and half served as the control. Three questionnaires were completed that measured attitudes toward older adults, prosocial desires, and satisfaction with life. Results showed that young adults who experienced simulated aging had more favorable attitudes toward older adults than did individuals in the control condition. These results suggest that simulated aging activities may be an effective method to reduce ageism. This has potential implications for multigenerational family therapy, such as to assist younger people to understand what their grandparents may be experiencing.

Exploration of Coping Strategies of Youth Accessing Residential and Day Treatment Programs

Youth with emotional and behavioral disorders are often dealing with many challenges such as strained relationships, academic difficulties and family conflict in addition to their clinical symptoms. Youth can access intervention for these challenges in day and residential treatment centers. However, little is known about how these adolescents cope with stress or the strategies they use. The purpose for this study was to explore the ways youth report coping with stress, and in particular the active, passive/depressive and risky strategies they report using in response to stress. A second purpose was to explore the relationships between active, passive/depressive and risky strategies and their self-reported psychological difficulties. Using a crosssectional design, 30 adolescents (12–18 years of age, 79 % female) completed standardized measures of psychological difficulties and coping with stress. Youth reported using a variety of strategies to cope, and endorsed learning to live with it, and doing an activity alone as the two most commonly used. There were robust relationships between active (negative association) and risky behaviors (positive association) with psychological difficulties. Implications for family therapy are discussed.

Family dynamics and self-injury behaviors: a correlation analysis.

This study tested the relationship between family dynamics and self-injury. A total of 189 participants responded to a web-based survey collecting information related to previous self-injury behaviors and family dynamics. Participants were over 18years old who had used self-injury (intentionally harming themselves physically to relieve painful emotions without suicidal intent), but who had not used self-injury for over a year. Results indicated that healthy family dynamics were negatively correlated and associated with higher scores of self-injury behaviors. This study offers some evidence that family dynamics influence self-injury behaviors. The implications for family therapy are discussed.

Universal Screening for Intimate Partner Violence: A Systematic Review

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is known to be prevalent among therapy-seeking populations. Yet, despite a growing understanding of the dynamics of IPV and of the acceptability of screening, universal screening practices have not been systematically adopted in family therapy settings. A rapidly growing body of research data-almost entirely conducted in medical settings-has investigated attitudes and practices regarding universal screening for IPV. This article is a systematic review of the IPV universal screening research literature. The review summarizes literature related to IPV screening rates and practices, factors associated with provider screening practice, the role of training and institutional support on screening practice, impact of screening on disclosure rates, client beliefs and preferences for screening, and key safety considerations and screening competencies. Implications for family therapy and recommendations for further inquiry and screening model development are provided.

Evaluating the Parentification Questionnaire: Psychometric Properties and Psychopathology Correlates

The Parentification questionniare (PQ; Jurkovic and Thirkield in Parentification questionnaire, University Plaza, Atlanta, GA, 1998), developed to assess various levels of parentification retrospectively, is one of the most widely used instruments in the clinical and research literature base. Yet, despite its frequent use, no studies of which we are aware have examined the psychometric properties of this instrument. Thus, this study fills a gap in the literature by examining the psychometric properties of the PQ with a sample of 143 racially diverse college students. The data were subjected to exploratory analysis using principal component analysis. Varimax orthogonal rotations were applied to the analyses. The final results supported a three-component solution (although with fewer items), consistent with Jurkovic’s three-factor multidimensional clinical framework for understanding parentification. We also examined the relations between the resultant scores of the PQ and scores from the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI; Derogatis in Derogatis Brief symptom inventory: Administration, scoring, and procedures manual, National Computer Systems, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, 1993), which captures mental health symptomatology. These results reflected significant correlations in theoretically expected directions. However, taken together, the three PQ factors significantly accounted for the variance in psychopathology scores in only two of the four regression models. The preliminary results from this study support the reliability and multidimensional nature of the PQ scores. Implications for family therapy and suggestions for future family systems research are discussed.

African American Single Mothers Raising Sons: Implications for Family Therapy

Being raised by a single mother is one factor that has been suggested as contributing to the plight of African American males. Yet few studies have focused specifically on African American single mothers' experiences with raising sons. This qualitative study explored the following questions: (1) What are the experiences of African American single mothers in the raising of their sons? (2) What coping strategies do African American single mothers use in the raising of their sons? Two rounds of unstructured open-ended interviews were conducted with 11 African American single mothers of at least one son. Implications for family therapy based on the interviews are presented.

The Long-Term Aftermath of Child Abduction: Two Case Studies and Implications for Family Therapy

When children are abducted for lengthy periods of time, reunifying with family members is a difficult process. Drawing on qualitative interviews with adults who were kidnapped while children for between 18 months and 14 years, two case examples are presented that highlight the issues that are faced. Implications for family therapists are included.

Distinguishing Maltreating versus Nonmaltreating At-Risk Families: Implications for Foster Care and Early Childhood Education Interventions

Discriminant function (DF) analysis was used to distinguish 92 ethnically and socioeconomically diverse maltreating versus nonmaltreating families on indicators of socioeconomic status (SES) and parenting stress. Families included those with substantiated reports of child maltreatment ( n = 23), plus Head Start families ( n = 36), and child care families ( n = 33) without reports of maltreatment. The significant SES distinguishers were poverty and parental education and employment. The significant parenting stress distinguishers were parental self-reports of a dysfunctional parent–child relationship and difficult child temperament. Maltreating and Head Start families were similar in terms of poverty, but only the maltreating families had clinical levels of parenting stress. Implications for family therapy and early childhood education interventions are discussed.

Portuguese Immigrant Families: The Impact of Acculturation

Portuguese immigrants to North America represent a large ethnic group with unique family therapy needs. The present study investigates acculturation and the family lives of Portuguese (Azorean) immigrants in Canada. Methods of analytic induction and constant comparison from grounded theory were used to examine transcripts of interviews with 21 Azorean immigrant women and 28 Azorean immigrant men. A model emerged wherein (a) immigration and acculturation act as stressors on the family unit, as described by the categories Process of Change and Family Relationships; (b) family members adopt generation- and gender-specific acculturative strategies, as illustrated by the categories Duas Culturas (Two Cultures) and Falando Portuges (Speaking Portuguese); and (c) as family members acculturate, discords arise and are resolved according to the cultural traits different members have adopted. The categories Discord Resolution and Preocupação (Preoccupations) illustrate this last dynamic. Implications for family therapy with immigrant families include an indication for community-level interventions, emphasis on confidentiality, awareness of acculturation stress and different acculturative strategies within the family, and aiding the family in the negotiation and integration of a new bicultural reality.

Family illness narratives of inherited cancer risk: Continuity and transformation.

Family narratives of genetic disease address multigenerational legacies of illness, guide expectations about future diagnoses and anticipated losses, and promote continuity and coherence. Yet contemporary families with histories of genetic disease face the challenge of integrating long-standing family illness narratives with technological advances in the detection and treatment of the identified disease. The authors recommend the use of narrative methods to (a) integrate multiple or competing perspectives into a comprehensive story of the illness experience, (b) accommodate historically based illness narratives to modern technological advances that enable novel trajectories, and (c) identify pathways to sustained physical and mental health through enhanced medical decision making. A case example illustrates the use of a medical genogram to track patterns of illness expression and narrative construction over multiple generations, and implications for family therapy and research are discussed.

The significance of children fulfilling parental roles: implications for family therapy

This article describes how family therapists can routinely address the important, but often overlooked, issue of how some children may play parental roles in families. In some situations such as inadequate or absent parenting, a child is drawn into the parental subsystem and becomes identified as a ‘little parent’ in a process known as parentification. As well as gaining competence in caring, this experience may also become destructive to children in a number of ways. This includes loss of childhood and, as children are unable to fulfil the parental role adequately, low self‐esteem, depression and other symptoms. The concept of family attachment scripts is used to understand the implications of a child crossing adult/child boundaries which can lead to looking after parents and siblings. Family therapy techniques help to redress the role reversal and enable the parents to take appropriate responsibility in the family. Work also focuses on how to prevent transmission of parentification down the generations. Therapists have often been parental children. How this can influence their work is illustrated by a specific case.