Problem deconstruction

Escalated to police

Danger due to use of knife

Dad views it as a problem (son)

Son is both remorseful (in which area?) and blames father (father being aggressive towards mother,
reporting him to police, being biased to the sister)

View of problem by mother and sister (sense of safety)

Contextual factors

How did the incident evolve? History and how is it related to son’s blaming stance towards father

Sibling relationship

Parents are low-wage workers

 possible shift work -> less time with children, caregiving

 main income earner

Educational level of children (NA/Express) -> How society views educational tracks -> possible
preferential treatment by parents?

Beliefs and Explanations

Social discourses surrounding education

Social discourses surrounding wife being the higher income earner

Social discourses surrounding father-daughter/mother-son relationship

Aggressions is needed to respond to aggression to ensure protection

Gender roles of ‘protector’ (male protecting female)

Beliefs over power and control between husband-wife

Beliefs over equality of treatment between siblings

Beliefs to gain significance in the relationship by playing the role of protector

Problem maintaining patterns and feedback loops

Males resorting to aggression to respond to disagreements

How are the females ‘inaction’ adding into the interaction pattern

2 rigid sub-systems which seem to be in opposition?

Emotions and attachments

How parents typically respond to children’s emotions? (gender-differences)

How parents would perceive difference in reactions in children due to their educational differences?

Bowen

View of Problems

The problem is not the problem, it is a symptom of interaction

Problem manifestation is not seen as the individual pathology of the identified patient (IP), but as a
reflection of a dysfunctional family system.

The IP’S problem manifestation is seen as a symptom that reflects the underlying undesirable
interactional patterns that have been going on for some time and culminating in the present
behavior of IP.

Anxiety fueling interactional pattern – Due to too much closeness/separateness

Also possibility of growth, motivator of change

One party wanting closeness by pursuing, the other, distancing self due to anxiety he/she feels.

Transgenerational – levels of differentiation is passed down, and partners chosen are of similar
differentiation

Problem is not ah seng’s behavior, but the interactional patterns of the family. Vulnerability and
amount of differentiation that the person, most vulnerable person is e one who is e most lack of
differentiation

Ah Seng’s pursuing closeness from father, but not receiving, hence, possibly anxiety provoking,
hence, action of violence.

Poor differentiation between father and son

View of Change

Does not require the presence of the entire family but requires the awareness of the entire family
system and the part each pays in it. (look to the one that is the most influential/impactful within the
family)

Requires lowering of anxiety and increasing self-focus, to see and regulate one’s own role in
interpersonal processes is the primary mechanism of change.

Focuses on working with most motivated members

Differentiation!
Family to be better aware and better able to self-regulate, to reduce reaction.

Assessment and Treatment Goals

Reduction of anxiety

Increase each member’s level of differentiation of the self -> less blaming, decreased reactivity and
increased responsivity in the emotional system

Changing self

Being able to de-triangulate

Focus on change in client’s own family system

Mostly individual – self work

Parents + son triangling : couple conflict, anxiety flow to children,

Children as stabilizing factors to conflicts, taking sides, hence responses and behavior

Father and children triangling

Techniques

Coaching/ detriangling

Focuse on detriangling children from parental subsystem

“i-position”

Family diagram – explore patterns, themes, experiences, resilience, meaning etc

Visual support and recognition of what is happening in family with family

Process questions

Drive the understanding

Raise awareness of triangles

Role/Position of worker

Teacher, coach, neutral observer

Calm and neutral

Therapist working on own level of differentiation.