Chapter Review

Chapter Review

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Chapter Review

In the chapter, “Principles of Family Therapy in Infancy,” the authors provide a structured approach aimed at the evaluation of family functioning with the intention of guiding the intervention. The authors first start by reviewing studies on relations within the family as the setting of development for the child. In addition to this, they briefly introduce evidence-oriented practice within the context of family therapy. For the sole aim of continuing the discourse, the respective chapter refers to the imperative position that the infant possesses in relation to its specific context. Accordingly, once the infant is conceived, he or she becomes part of a convoluted set of relations that integrate in order to ensure positive development. Following this, the focus on the infant is a transition from the dependence on the mother-infant dyad as the only form of treatment in the context of family therapy.

In order to inculcate the ideal family therapy intervention, the chapter shifts towards concentration on family relations as network organized systems as well as subsystems. Using a structuralist viewpoint, the framework of relations within the family can be assessed in respect to the dyadic and triadic systems (Favez et al., 2009). In both systems, the child maintains a consistent position. However, for the system to occur in the first place, a marital bond needs to be established between the couples. The conception of the infant complicates the structure of the systems significantly. For instance, the triad, which is comprised of the father, mother, and child may comprise a familial structure that divides into two distinct parent-child frameworks, a marital substructure, and a framework particular to the connection between the parents in relation to the child. The emphasis on these complexities provides the platform required to assess and implement proper and effective family intervention strategies.

The assessment of proper intervention strategies requires an understanding of the different systems or relationships that the child possesses with members of the family unit. The authors assert this significance by focusing on associations such as marital relationships, parent-child (dyadic) relationships, and co-parental relationships (Favez et al., 2009). Apparently, each relationship possesses a strength that can be exploited in order to deliver the best possible results in respect to solving issues within a respective family. For instance, regarding the parent/mother-to-child relationship, the emphasis on the proper intervention to use has always depended on facts such as the parents’ mental state, his or her parenting capabilities, and the development of the child. Even though these factors are analyzed singularly, they are shown to possess intricate connections. Hence, understanding each aspect offers a clear answer on the overall state of the family relation from the perspective of the child. The same notion is also evident in respect to the evaluation of the marital relationship and the co-parental association.

Based on the intricacy of the child’s position within the family, particularly in the form of parent-child, marital, and co-parental relationships, the authors suggest a number of strategies or interventions that can be implemented positively in respect to family therapy. Since the analysis of the respective relationships illustrates the status from the perspective of the child, then it is possible to inculcate appropriate measures that are dedicated to the resolution of problems within the family. Aside from the assessment of these relationships, the evaluation of the child despite the intricacy of the family relationships can also aid in the implementation of proper intervention approaches. For example, approaches such as the Lausanne Trilogue Play (LTP) model can be used positively within the family setting for the sole aim of effective family therapy (Favez et al., 2009). In this respect, it is impossible to ignore the implications that play imposes on effective family therapy. Encouraging such an activity between the child and the respective parent or co-parent creates a platform for engagement to occur among parents and thus, establish an onset towards recovery.

Reference

Favez, N., Frascarolo, F., Keren, M., & Fivaz-Depeursinge, E. (2009). In Zeanah Jr., C. H (Ed), Handbook of infant mental health (pp. 468-484). New York, NY, US: Guilford Press.