Levels of Imperviousness in the Schizophrenic’s Family

Abstract

That the schizophrenic is "out of contact with reality," and hence impervious to it, has been recognized from the time that the term "schizophreniz" was coined. That the members of the schizophrenic's family are also "impervious" (Lidz et al., 1958), and hence also "out of contact with reality," has only comparatively recently been recognized (Bateson et al., 1956; Wynne et al., 1958; Laing and Esterson, 1964). Imperviousness is here defined as an individual's inability (or unwillingness) to consciously grasp. become aware of, register, and acknowledge another person's interpersonal perception despite the fact that this perception has been clearly stated or presented to him.-1 This paper will focus on the levels of imperviousness that are characteristically established within the parent-child sub-system in the schizophrenix's family. This is not meant to deny the presence of imperviousness in the other subsystems within the family - i.e., between husband and wife or between the children themselves - for they, too, exist and are significant. However, to simplify matters, only imperviousness in the parent-child sub-system will be focused on here.