3.

AGUILERA AND MESSICK’S CRISIS INTERVENTION

Situational or Maturational Events

Balancing factors

Realistic ← Perception of events →Unrealistic Adequate ← Situational supports → Inadequate

Effective ← Coping mechanism → Ineffective
↓ ↓
Equilibrium Disequilibrium

Major concepts

Aguilera and Messick’s consider a stressful event or change in the individual’s life involving loss or
threat of loss, which disturbs the individual’s equilibrium.

Crises are categorized as maturational or situational.

Maturational crises – Are those events that occurs routinely, It include marriage, pregnancy, going away
to school and the death of a friend or spouse.

Situational crises – Are unexpected event such as failing an examination. Losing a job, receiving a
promotion and sustaining an injury.

Aguilera and messick’s also identified three balancing factors and these factors reduce the risk of crises
and help the individual to maintain equilibrium.

The factors are as follows:

1. Realistic perception of the event

2. Adequate situational support

3. Adequate coping mechanism

1. Realistic perception of the event

 The meaning of an individual attaches to an event influences the perception.

 Sometimes past experiences evoke feelings unrelated to the event.

 These feelings may disort the individuals perception and magnify the consequences of the event.

 When an individual attaches great significance to an event, a disorted perception is likely to

occur.
  The individual’s feelings and emotions may create an unrealistic picture of the present
and future, which hinders effective decision making and may lead to crisis.

 Those with a realistic perception of the event are able to view the situation in perspective,
which reduces the chance that their emotions will could decision making.

 A realistic perception of the event may avert a crisis.

2. Adequate situational supports:

 When faced with a loss or threat of loss, individuals share the meaning of the event with
significant others.

 Individuals rely on others to assist them in times of need.

 This sharing helps the individuals place the event in perspective.

 Situational supports are considered adequate when individuals feel they can share the
concern with and receive support from significant others.

 Sometimes an individual cannot share the concern with others for fear of losing respect
or esteem.

 When individuals lack others with whom to share the events or concerns, their situational
supports are inadequate. This may cause disequilibrium and lead to crisis.

3. Adequate coping mechanisms:

 From life experiences, individuals learn a repertoire of coping responses or pattern.

 These patterns assist individuals in reduce tension, adapting to daily stressful events and
maintaining equilibrium.

 Occasionally a stressful event occurs that overwhelms the individual.

 There may be a unfamiliar situation.

 When usual coping responses are ineffective, disequilibrium and crisis may occur.

 Aguilera and messick’s crisis intervention model describer, three balancing factors. Each
factor must be adequately present to maintain equilibrium and avoid crisis.
USES

This model is used for individuals or families experiencing situational or maturational

crises

1. Pregnancy & child bearing strains

2. Illness and Family ‘Care’ strains

3. Marital strains

4. Family legal violations

5. Intra family strains

6. Work family transitions and strains

7. Transitions ‘in’ & ‘out’

8. Losses

4. VON BERTALANFFY SYSTEM THEORY

Major concepts

System:

It consists of a set of interacting components within a boundary that filters the type and
rate of exchange with the environment. It composed of both structural and functional
components.

Structural component – refers to the arrangements of the parts at a given time.

Functional component – is the process of continuous change in the system as matter, energy and
information are exchange with the environment.

 Family systems are greater than different from the sum of their parts.

 There are hierarchies within family system and between subsystems (i.e Mother and
Child) and the family and community.

 There are boundaries in the family system and they can be open, closed, or random.

 Family systems increase in complexity over time, to allow greater adaptability, tolerance
to change, and growth by differentiation.
  Family systems change constantly in response to stresses and strains from within as well
as from outside environments.

 Change in one part of family systems affects the total system.

 Causality is modified by feedback. Therefore, causality never exists in the real world.

 Family systems are an organized whole, with individuals in the family being
interdependent and interactive.

 Family systems patters are circular rather than liner, therefore change must be directed
toward the cycle.

 Family systems have homeostasis features to maintain stable patterns, which can be
adaptive or maladaptive.

USES

This theory is used to educate the families relates to health problems For example:

 Prevention of diarrhoeal diseases among children.

 Prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.

 Prevention of nutritional anaemia, diabetes and hypertension.

 It also used to educate the community people regarding nutrition, personal hygiene and
immunization.

 This theory encourages nurses to see clients as participating members of the family.

 Community health nurse use this theory to assess the effects of illness.

 It emphasis on the whole rather than on individuals.