Patterns of Interaction in Families with Low Adjusted, High Adjusted, and Mentally Retarded Members

Family interactions were compared in three groups: families with a low adjusted child prior to formal clinic contact (LA), with a high adjusted child (HA), and with a retarded child (RM). Nine measures were utilized, described as: adaptation, stability, productivity, specificity, overt power, conflict, cohesion, and emotionality. Data suggested a failure of cohesion in the LA group, but many clinic-family stereotypes were supported. HA families showed high cohesion, but also high conflict. RM families showed cohesion, but many "auxiliary" control features, such as assigning "youngest sib" role to the handicapped child.     

Two Families: The Origins of a Therapeutic Crisis

The treatment by individual and family therapy of a hospitalized young woman is presented as it reflects the historical and current family dynamics of the patient and her individual psychotherapist. The contribution of these factors to a therapeutic crisis is discussed.     

The Conjoint Family Drawing

A new technique, the Conjoint Family Drawing, is described as a means of assessing family functioning. The method is projective as well as interactive, reflecting individual feelings and group interaction. Fourteen randomly chosen families, whose children had been referred to a Child Psychiatry Clinic, were studied. They were observed in a structured, performance-task-oriented session where they collaborated on drawing a picture of their family, which was discussed with them on its completion. Analyzing the data on all of the family portraits, six relevant dimensions were identified: 1) organizing role, 2) sequence, 3) size, 4) choice of person, 5) isolation, and 6) content. Clinical material is presented to demonstrate the value of the Conjoint Family Drawing as a potential research instrument, a diagnostic tool and a therapeutic device.