Value Patterns and Content among Families of Soviet Immigrants: SYMLOG Analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study is to understand and compare two immigrant families whose children perceived their families to be well-functioning, and two families whose children perceived them to be poor-functioning. The method of analysis used for studying the values of the families is based on SYMLOG. Four families, who immigrated to Israel during the early seventies from the former USSR, and whose adolescents were born in Israel, were interviewed. The results show that in the two "well-functioning" families, there is a high degree of consensus on their values-those that they accept, as well as, those that they reject. The two "poor-functioning" families did not exhibit identical value patterns--neither in the values that they favor, nor in those that they reject. In terms of content, in the well-functioning families, there was a strong expression of two values: friendliness and the desirability of self-sacrifice in order to reach family goals. In contrast, in the poor-functioning families, the value of conservatism was salient. Finally, all four families expressed strong opposition to the values of strong individualism and nonconformity. Suggestions for family intervention are offered.

Family Perception of Interpersonal Behavior as a Predictor in Eating Disorders: A Prospective, Six‐Year Followup Study

“…Second, we examined which familial features accompanied a poor outcome and which did not, as compared to controls. We applied the SYMLOG inventory method (Bales & Cohen, 1979; Kröger, Drinkmann, Herzog, & Petzold, 1991; Kröger, Drinkmann, Wälte, et al, 1994), which is theoretically sound and clinically useful (Slonim‐Nevo et al, 1998) for describing family perception patterns of interpersonal behavior at the levels of self‐description, subsystems, and the entire family. We investigated the long‐term course of eating disorders using standard family research designs (Gurman, Kniskern, & Pinsof, 1986; Wynne, 1988), and standard methods for the study of family constellations in eating disorders (Strober & Humphrey, 1987; Vandereycken et al, 1988).…”

“…Each family member filled in the questionnaire as self‐rating about “how I perceive myself,” and also for each other member “how I perceive him/her.” This set of self‐ and other‐images within a family gives a complete and fine‐graded description of family interaction and can best be studied by drawing a so‐called field diagram. Due to its complexity, SYMLOG can also be used for qualitative single‐case studies (Slonim‐Nevo et al, 1998).…”

“…studied by drawing a so-called field diagram. Due to its complexity, SYMLOG can also be used for qualitative single-case studies (Slonim-Nevo et al, 1998).…”

“…In contrast to other methods of family diagnostics, the SYMLOG method enables the simultaneous assessment of different levels of the internal dynamics of individual personalities, the level of particular dyadic relationships, and the overall dynamic tendencies of the total family. Therefore, it has proven to be a valid method for family diagnostics (Kutner & Kirsch, 1985; Slonim‐Nevo, Chaitin, Sharaga, & Abdelgani, 1998), as well as for process analysis in family therapy (Kronmüller, Hartmann, Kröger, et al, 1999).…”

A Culturally Sensitive Approach to Therapy with Immigrant Families: The Case of Jewish Emigrants from the Former Soviet Union

“…Caught between their home culture and the one they encounter outside the family, they may develop a conflict of loyalties. In families whose members hold dissimilar values, are not supportive of each other, and where thinking is conservative, inner familial conflicts may be aroused and may make the immigration process difficult (Slonim‐Nevo, Chaitin, Sharaga, & Abdelgani, 1998).…”