Problem Families and the Circumplex Model: Observational Assessment Using the Clinical Rating Scale (Crs)

Abstract

The validity, reliability, and curvilinearity of the Clinical Rating Scale (CRS) from the Circumplex Model were evaluated and the ability of the scale to discriminate between proble/clinical families and nonclinical families was tested on family cohesion, family adaptability, and family communication. Two groups of problem families were compared with two control groups. The study tested the main curvilinear hypothesis of the Circumplex Model that nonclinical families will have more Balanced system types than problem/clinical families. Conversely, problem/clinical families will have more Extreme system types than nonclinical families. Using the CRS, this hypothesis was strongly supported. Family satisfaction was used as a measure to investigate group differences further. As hypothesized, the two control groups had high levels of satisfaction, and the two problem family groups had significantly lower levels of family satisfaction. Overall, the CRS discriminated well between problem families who had more Extreme types on cohesion and adaptability and lower on communication and satisfaction than control families. Investigating different family structures (single‐parent, blended, and traditional two‐parent families) confirmed these findings. The study provided strong support for the curvilinear hypothesis that problem families are more frequently Extreme on both ends of the family cohesion and adaptability dimensions. It also revealed that the CRS has excellent validity and reliability.

The buffering effect of family functioning on the psychological consequences of headache

“…(Epstein, Bishop, & Levin, 1978). Functional families are able to provide support to their members, whereas dysfunctional families are less well equipped to do so (Thomas & Olson, 1993). Furthermore, functional families make adjustments to the family system to meet the demands of ill family members (Segrin & Flora, 2011), such as increasing problem-solving behaviours and showing more affective responses (Segrin & Flora, 2011;Wamboldt & Wamboldt, 2000).…”

Adoptive Couples: Communication and Changes Made in Openness Levels

“…When compared to nonclinical families in other studies employing the CRS (see Thomas & Olson, 1993), both groups in this study communicated relatively well. However, couples who had increased their level of adoption openness tended to demonstrate higher communication skills than those who were not making changes.…”

“…All three CRS dimensions have demonstrated excellent ability to discriminate between nonproblem and problem families. For a complete discussion of the reliability and validity of each dimension, see Thomas and Olson (1993). CRS ratings of couples' communication facility were derived from coders' listening to audiotapes of couples' interviews while following a printed verbatim copy.…”

“…For example, Olson, Russell, and Sprenkle (1989) maintain that communication is one of the three major dimensions of the Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems. Communication is considered to be the facilitating dimension of movement on the curvilinear dimensions of adaptability and cohesion (Olson, 1990, Thomas & Olson, 1993). Hill's (1949Hill's ( /1971Hill's ( , 1958) ABC-X model of family stress purports that families address stressful events and strains across the life cycle with the resources (part B of the model) that they possess.…”

Psychometric Evaluation of the Shared Care Instrument in a Sample of Home Health Care Family Dyads

“…For example, family researchers conceptualized communication and decision making as integral to family functioning (Thomas & Olson, 1993). Other researchers found that communication Sebern 3 (Pruchno, Burant, & Peters, 1997a) and decision making (Deimling, Smerglia, & Schaefer, 2001) affected caregiver outcomes such as mood, depression, and well-being.…”