Explain family rules and how they can be explored across two dimensions
What will be an ideal response?
Family rules, which underlie all aspects of family system structure, prescribe the rights, duties, and range of appropriate behaviors of members within a family. In general, family rules can be explored across two dimensions: explicit or implicit rules and flexible or rigid rules.
Explicit rules are those rules that family members readily recognize and can articulate. These include expectations for behavior that parents impose on children, both prescribed behavior (e.g., complete your chores) and proscribed behavior (e.g., don't hit your brother), as well as negotiated agreements among members of the executive subsystem (e.g., who manages money) and across subsystems (e.g., elders are expected to spoil their grandchildren).
Implicit rules are different. In general, implicit rules are hidden from family members' awareness, similar to the way in which elements of an individual's personality may be hidden in the subconscious. Being hidden, implicit rules can be difficult to detect without careful observation of behavior that tends to reveal their content. But once revealed, implicit rules showcase their importance.
The explicit and implicit rules found in a family system may be either flexible or rigid, depending on context and time. In tense conflicted situations, family members may monitor what they say and how they behave, such as "Be careful what you say around Mom." However, at other times, speaking freely is acceptable. Flexible rules enable the family system to respond to family stressors as well as to the developmental needs of individual members. Rules that permit the system to respond flexibly are usually optimal.
You might also like to view...
Excessive or unreasonable fear of animals or insects defines specific phobia, animal type
Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
During the maintenance stage, the client will:
a. examine their current behavior and potential for change. b. sustain the new behavior for an extended period of time. c. identifies their “sobriety date.” d. integrates a new behavior.
In explaining the "Macro Practice Conceptual Framework," the example used is
A. alcoholism with elderly retired males. B. child abuse among pregnant teenagers. C. displaced homemakers who are widows. D. lesbian families with child-school problems.
Which of the following is an accurate reflection of a symmetrical relationship?
A) Partners have an unequal relationship in the system. B) Partners have evenly distributed abilities and roles in the system. C) Partners have distinct, separate roles that balance the system. D) Partners have roles that result in a hierarchy for the system.