Intervening with school problems: A family systems perspective

Abstract

Viewing children's behavior from a systems perspective allows the school-based consultant an expanded perception of the contextual function of the behavior. The two key systems in a child's life, home and school, often overlap, and what occurs in one system can affect the child's behavior in the other system. By considering the relationships of the child to both home and school, a more holistic view of the child is obtained, and greater opportunity for family involvement is provided. This article explains the differences between systemic and linear approaches to behavior, and provides examples of how the school-based consultant can intervene from a systems perspective, using interviews, short-term family counseling, and teacher consultation. Issues and cautions about using a systemic approach are presented, and the need for data-based research is explored.This paper proposes to examine the therapeutic intervention from a family systems perspective, highlighting a number of issues related to this approach with specific implications for school-based mental health consultants. The literature on children's school problems has recognized the importance of family variables. Indeed, there seems to have been an increase in parents being actively involved in intervention efforts with their children, likely in part because of the requirements of Public Law 94-142. But how parents can be involved productively is still a matter of some debate (Kaufman, 1980). SYSTEMIC vs. LINEAR THINKINGThe traditional models used by school-based professionals to understand the behavior of children have tended to be linear in nature. These models, most commonly psychodynamic, phenomenological, and behavioral, typically project "straight line" thinking regarding behavior even while considering a number of facets of the problem situation. For example, a child's aggressive acting-out might be viewed psychodynamically as a reflection of poor impulse control coupled with hostility toward women (i.e., the teacher). Or the child's behavior could be understood from a behavioral viewpoint as being caused and maintained by reinforcing consequent events. From a phenomenological position, we might think in terms of the child having a poor.selfconcept, perceiving others as threatening, and believing that an aggressive response is required for self-protection. Parents and families could certainly be involved in relation to these positions. From a behavioral perspective, we would look at home contingencies for "good" behavior and how consistently the parents apply those contingencies. Psychodynamically, we would look to underlying parent-child issues (for example, of an oedipal nature), or for some personality development problems. From a phenomenological or self-theory posture, we would be concerned with the building of self-esteem at home through positive success experiences.Each of these positions is valid, given the logic of the frame of reference; but from a systems viewpoint, each would miss understanding the child's behavior in the most potentially ...

A Systems Approach in Working with Learning Disabled Children

“…Family participation as a unit in the assessment process has been found to be effective both in terms of client satisfaction and in terms of following through on decisions (Freund, 1982). Fine andHolt (1983), Friedman (1978), and Selig and Berdie (1981) present various strategies and guidelines to map the family's transactional patterns and to assess the function that learning disability or other handicaps have in any given family.…”

“…School represents the second key system (Fine & Holt, 1983) in understanding the child's learning behavior or learning difficulties. A classroom observation is a necessary part of the assessment.…”

“…Anderson (1981) suggests that a child's problem "must be viewed in the context of mutually developed and maintained patterns of parent-child interaction." Fine and Holt (1983) see the school and family as two key systems which often overlap and are essential to understanding the child's behavior.…”

Controlling the urge to control: An ecosystemic approach to problem behaviour in schools

“…An appropriate ecosystemic intervention in the present situation (on the basis of the above analysis), would have to take account of the need for John and his mother to be involved in a collaborative relationship, with the mother providing support for John. In similar circumstances, reported in the literature, where school problems are seen in terms of the interaction between the family and the school system, the first stage in developing an intervention strategy is the family-school interview (Aponte 1976, Fine and Holt 1983, Power and Bartholomew 1985. This is usually organised by a consultant family therapist.…”

Parent training research: An analysis of the empirical literature 1975–1985

“…The school psychology literature increasingly has focused on the need to broaden the role of psychologists in the schools beyond that of traditional psychoeducational assessment. Some have suggested that one strategy school psychologists may employ in an attempt to accomplish role diversification is to increase the extent of their involvement with parents (Anderson, 1983;Fine & Holt, 1983). The importance of the family system in behavior change is evident (e.g., Anderson, 1983) and provides additional rationale for school psychologists and parents to work together.…”