Faiza Hajiomar
Kelsey Broich
Nasra Jimale
Nathan Amos
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Definitions
Scope of the problem
Population likely to be effected
What is the course of the disease
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The characteristics
Symptoms
Manifestations
Culture variations
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Treatment of the illness
Treatment options
 Problem solving techniques available
 The effectiveness and outcomes
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Role of the professional
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Recognition
Assessment
Interventions
referral
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We experience interpersonal relationship with
family, friends, classmates, co-workers and
some times even strangers.
There are no creature that can escape
interpersonal relationships
Strong factors that determine our relationships
with others are our emotions, outside factors,
and even the order of the individuals birth
Its hard to grasp the scope of the problem since
peoples experiences and circumstance are
different .
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An interpersonal relationship is a relatively longterm association between two or more people. This
association may be based on emotions like love
and liking, regular business interactions, or some
other type of social commitment. Interpersonal
relationships take place in a great variety of
contexts, such as family, friends, marriage,
acquaintances, work, clubs, neighborhoods, and
churches. They may be regulated by law, custom,
or mutual agreement, and are the basis of social
groups and society as a whole. Although humans
are fundamentally social creatures, interpersonal
relationships are not always healthy
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Children learn through Healthy relationships that
people are trustworthy, therefore they become
healthy adults and mature at a healthy rate.
Children who experience persistent abusive of
interpersonal nature in early life have no
opportunity to formulate a sense of self
independence of the perpetrator-they have a
difficult time taking themselves out of the
situation.
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Their relationships are often, cruel, violent and
unpredictable. They often can not be intimate with
anyone because they fear closeness.
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Characteristics of people likely to have harmful
or unhealthy relationships:
Those abused/neglected as a child
 People with low self-esteem
 People suffering from depression
 People who are shy
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 Clingy
 Distrustful
 Fearful of others
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Russell is a 15 year old boy who was raised by his
alcoholic mother. His mother was mentally and
physically abusive to him throughout his childhoodwhich went undocumented. One night when Russell
came from school, his mother was highly intoxicated
and beat Russell badly. Russell was placed in a Foster
home and at first shied away from his foster family and
his staff working with him. Russell became difficult to
talk to and would not open up to anyone. Therapists,
and counselor's Russell saw regularly; but did not help.
Months went by and Russell’s shy personality soon
progressed into anger, and rage. He fought with his
foster family, teachers and staff. Police were called
time and time again. After a short period of this
behavior Russell was moved to another foster home.
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Symptoms of people likely to have harmful or
unhealthy relationships:
Depression
 Attachment
 Socially withdrawn
 Difficulty keeping intimate relations
 Lower rates of material involvement
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Physical signs or warnings:
Withdrawn
 Depression
 Anxiety
 Socially Isolated
 MORE HERE
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Conversely, individualistic cultures are more
likely to consider this being drive or motivation
and it being a more acceptable trait.
Individualistic cultures would consider
tendencies to be overly dependant or overly
combative as having interpersonal relationship
issues.
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The goal of treatment plans addressing child
maltreatment, is not only to correct issues
influenced by the maltreatment, but also to
establish effective coping strategies while
avoiding possible re-victimization of the
patient
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The first step of any of these actual treatments
is to identify concrete, realistic and attainable
goals.
After this is done, a variety of different
approaches can be taken to help resolve a
client’s interpersonal relationship issues
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Psychotherapy is an umbrella term under which
many other therapies fall.
It is these types of therapies that have proven most
effective in combating interpersonal relationship
issues
Psychotherapy can be done with either a group or
individual setting
Often in cases of interpersonal relationship issues,
spouses, family and friends may be invited for
family interviews and therapy sessions
The following treatments fall under the
psychotherapy heading
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Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of
psychotherapy that teaches ways to modify
thoughts and behaviors that contribute to
interpersonal relationship issues
Can be used both with groups or individuals
the objective is typically to identify and monitor
thoughts, assumptions, beliefs and behaviors that
are related to debilitating negative emotions or
actions and to identify those which are
dysfunctional, inaccurate, or simply unhelpful.
The goal is to eventually replace or transcend them
with more realistic and useful thoughts and
actions
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CBT is typically a short term therapy lasting
from 6 to 12 weeks
CBT is an effective tool for overcoming
interpersonal relationship problems with
comparatively high success rates
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Supportive-Expressive therapy (SET) is a
short-term psychodynamic treatment that has
been used to reduce the variety of disorders,
depression, generalized anxiety disorder,
opiate drug dependence, and cocaine abuse.
The main aim of this therapy is to help the
patients in order to make the relationship in
strong and supportive manners.
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The therapy has two main components: Supportive techniques help
patients to feel comfortable in discussing their personal experiences,
Expressive techniques to help patients identify and work through
interpersonal relationship issues.
Therapy mainly focuses on more specific relational problems and
behavior, be it lack of trust or over attachment, and then find the
solutions to resolve them.
The therapists of this treatment process at first listen the problems of the
clients and identify the patterns of thinking, feeling and interacting that
may be contributing to the patient's current struggles. Consequently, the
person becomes more aware of his or her thoughts and feelings.
The therapy facilitates the client in feeling free to discuss and share every
problem in a safe environment. The process of treatment is issue and
problem oriented, meaning specific to identified problem behaviors and
thoughts, which aims at fast recovery.
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When using therapy with children it is
necessary to take into account developmental
milestones and the environment the child has
been raised in
Often with young children play therapy is used
to help illustrate the interpersonal problems a
child might be having
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Compared to not seeking treatment, all of these
treatments prove to show major success in
combating the lingering thoughts and behaviors
that one with interpersonal relationship issues
have, and beginning to replace them with more
productive and positive ones
Of course, success is somewhat effected by the
nature of the relationship issue, for example, those
who tend to become over attached or overly
distant have some more success in re-establishing
healthy relationships more easily than do chronic
liars.
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Professionals involved:
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CPS agency worker
Alternate Caregivers (for children placed out of
home)
Legal System (Lawyers, Law Enforcement)
Medical Community (Doctors, Nurses, Therapists,
Psychiatrists, Psychologists)
School Systems (Principals, Teachers)
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Recognition can be a direct link to and basis for service
planning and decision making by direct observation of
symptoms.
Assessment
 Helps the professional explain his/her decision making to others.
 Creates rapport between professional and family through better
understanding of the family and their circumstances.
 Allows the family to make and achieve goals.
 Provides an opportunity to utilize strengths in a service plan to offset,
control, or reduce risks.
 Provides important information to the professional.
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Intervention
“Professional Relationship” can be a tool for intervention.
“Casework Relationship” demonstrates ability to relate to another
person in a non threatening, non judgmental manner
 Professionals role is to provide:
 Support, understanding, and encouragement to families in
crisis.
 Allow the family an opportunity to talk.
 Provide opportunities for the family to learn alternative ways
to solve problems and make decisions.
 Offer families with a reality-based perception.
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Referral
 Primary Service Coordinator= the person who will help the
family by developing a service plan and looking for resources
and supports.
 Helps parents, caregivers and children by developing a plan to
address their needs and connecting them with appropriate
resources .
 Assemble a team of service providers along with the family.
 Depending on the cultural background ; the team may
include extended family.
 Can help refer client to Psychologist, Psychiatrist or other
Medical Professionals.
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