Adlerian Theory
& Family Systems Theory
Meeting 4
© Cheung, M., & Leung, P. (2008). Multicultural practice and evaluation: A case
approach to evidence-based practice. Denver, CO: Love.
Instructors who adopt this book may use this PowerPoint to teach your course without
prior permission. Please address questions and comments to mcheung@uh.edu.
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© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
Adlerian Approach
as a Young Man (Before 1900)
as a Student (1885, age 15)
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Alfred Adler in his
60's
as a Soldier (1891, Age 21)
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
Adlerian Theory
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Assumes:
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Positive view of human nature
Social influence is significant (much more so than
biological)
People can create a distinctive lifestyle at an early
life
Consciousness is the center of personality
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
Goals of Adlerian Therapy
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Challenge clients’ mistaken notions and
faulty assumptions so that they can develop
the useful side of life
Provide encouragement to help develop
socially useful goals
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
Techniques
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Family Constellation Analysis
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Life Script Questionnaire
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Birth order
Family atmosphere
Parental relationship
Family values
Extended family and culture
Early recollections
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
Practice: Adlerian Techniques
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In pairs, practice with the script
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Issue #1: Personal Connections to Family Issues
(p. 120)
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
Practice: Family Constellation
Practice the questions on the top of p.134.
If your partner is a single child, practice from this list:
 What was your father’s/mother’s relationship with you?
 Which part of you was most like your father/mother? Name a
characteristic.
 What were you like as a child?
 How did your parents get along when you were about 10?
 How did your parents settle disagreements when you were
about 10?
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© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
Practice: Adlerian Techniques
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In pairs, practice with the script
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Issue #2: Sibling Relationships (p.121)
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
Practice: Lifestyle Assessment
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In pairs, take turns asking questions from the
assessment tool (starting with Three Wishes
on p.134).
Don’t attempt to provide answers for this
practice
Identify one question to which you would
provide an answer and share with your
partner
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
Family Systems Theory
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Intergenerational or
Transgenerational
Models of Practice
Murray Bowen’s Family
Therapy
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
Bowen’s 8 Interlocking Concepts
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Differentiation of self
Triangles
Nuclear family emotional system
Family projection process
Emotional cutoff
Multigenerational transmission process
Sibling position
Societal regression
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
1. Differentiation of Self
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Ability to
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Separate feelings from thinking
Distinguish between the intellectual process and the feeling
process
Experience the difference between intimacy and autonomy
Balance objectivity and subjectivity
Pull self from fused relationships when needing to see
things clearly away from their influence
Separate self from FOO in a healthy way
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
2. Triangles
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Pull relationship with help from a third person
Reach out and pull in the other person so that
emotions can flow into that person
Create emotional tensions because of the three-way
relationship
Act as a building block in a family’s relational system
Balance unhealthy relationship between 2 individuals
Maintain involvement and yet separate emotions
when using it well
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
3. Nuclear Family Emotional System
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People seek partners that likely have the same level
of differentiation as theirs
They repeat the patterns of relationship as
established in the FOO
They will continuously seek ways to reduce tension
through relationships
Intense fusion between partners will cause
instability in the nuclear family emotional system
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Physical or emotional dysfunction in a spouse
Overt, chronic, or unresolved marital conflict
Psychological impairment in a child
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
4. Family Projection Process
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Levels of undifferentiation can be passed
from one generation to the next
Parents transmit their values to the most
susceptible child
Intensity of projection is related to
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Degree of immaturity or undifferentiation of the
parents
Level of stress the family experiences
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
5. Emotional Cutoff
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A flight of extreme emotional distancing from FOO
A way to break emotional ties
An effort to deal with unresolved fusion with one or
both parents (or siblings)
A denial defense to a problem or unresolved conflict
A way to free self from unfinished business that may
effect current relationships
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
6. Multigenerational Transmission
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Values, conflicts, and unresolved anxiety
may be passed from one generation to the
next
Severe dysfunction may be the result of
chronic anxiety transmitted over several
generations
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
7. Sibling Position
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Birth order and personality has a connection
Birth order predicts certain roles and
functions an individual plays
Functional position is more important than
the actual birth order
Sibling position may affect the nuclear family
emotional system
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
8. Societal Regression
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Society’s emotional functioning is similar to
the family emotional system in that there are
always two opposing forces toward
undifferentiation and individuation
Consider the importance of society’s value
toward individuation and check its cultural
value toward an individual
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
Practice: Family Systems
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Issue #1: Family History (pp. 138–140)
In groups of three, role-play from the script
Discussion:
 Identify techniques that you may want to try
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© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
Daily Affirmation
 Genuine
beginnings begin
within us, even when they are
brought to our attention by
external opportunities.
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William Bridges
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
FOS—Family of Origin Scale
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Think of a specific age that has significant
meanings to the client
Fill out the FOS
Calculate the scores
Discuss and address questions about
childhood learning
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
Family of Origin Scale: Your Practice
Reference: Fischer, J., & Corcoran, K. (2007). Measures for clinical practice
and research. Oxford Press. (pp. 306–308)
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Step 1: Fill out the FOS in reference to you when you were 12.
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Step 2: Reverse score the following items so that 5=1, 4=2, 3
unchanged, 2=4, and 1=5 (e.g., if you score 1 in item #2, cross out 1
and write 5 next to it)
2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 13, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 33, 37, 39
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The reverse score is only a psychometric method to calculate your
FOS score. It is not to change your answer.
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Bring your FOS to class next week for further assessment procedures.
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung
References
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Cheung, M., & Leung, P. (2008). Multicultural practice and
evaluation: A case approach to evidence-based practice. Denver,
CO: Love.
Fischer, J., & Corcoran, K. (2007). Measures for clinical practice and
research. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Goldenberg, H., & Goldenberg, I. (2008). Family therapy: An overview.
Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole.
© Love Publishing: Monit Cheung
& Patrick Leung