Family Distance Matters

Abstract

In child psychiatric work strategies for engaging the family in strengthening the child's coping should be included as part of the treatment plan. As family members experience the reality of the family differently, information from each family member provides a broader picture of the family. Clinicians can help the family achieve insights into relationships and roles by using a figure placement technique, the Kvebaek Family Sculpture Technique (KFST). We examined distances in KFST figure placements made by mothers, fathers and adolescents in order to explore closeness and distance, or family cohesion. We found that families often perceived changes in the perception of distance between family members following family therapy. Assessments by family members, as well as by clinicians, are needed to catch the complexity of family cohesion. A dialogue with the family about the various perspectives presented by family members contributes to a new understanding of family interaction.

Predicting parenting stress: children's behavioural problems and parents' coping

“…As suggested by other research findings, strategies for engaging the family in strengthening the child's coping skills can be included without much difficulty as a part of overall treatment plans (Nøvik & Solem, 2003). This research, together with the findings of work carried out by Hastings and Beck (2004), indicates that stress interventions should be included as a part of the treatment planning and hence refine the interventions that promote more adaptive coping and increase quality of life for both parents and children.…”

Variance Distribution in Sibling Relationships: Advantages of Multilevel Modeling Using Full Sibling Groups

“…Additionally, each family member tends to perceive family relationships differently from one another (Feldman, Wentzel, & Gehring, ; Kerig, ). For example, levels of family cohesion have low within‐family agreement (Cole & Jordan, ; Feldman et al., ; Kerig, ; Nøvik & Solem, ). Therefore, studying only one individual dyad per family does not provide a full picture of the many important features associated with the family system (Feldman et al., ).…”

A Norwegian validity study of parenting stress measured by the Nijmegen Child-Rearing Situation Questionnaire section one

“…The subscales represent different aspects of parenting stress such as strain, burden and problems. The questions are scored on a Likert type scale with five alternatives ranging from ‘agree completely’ to ‘disagree completely’ (1–5). Nineteen items were reversed before a mean score was computed; thus a higher score indicates higher levels of stress.…”

“…The development and validity and reliability testing of questionnaires such as the NCSQ is essential from a family perspective, because the major aim of all treatment is to increase survival and promote quality of life for all family members involved in the illness situation (2). To accomplish this aim, the valid measurement of the parents’ subjective realities is intrinsic to the focus of treatment, as parents’ realities will influence family interaction (3).…”