The family therapy approach to adolescent disturbances: A review of the literature

Breunlin, Cynthia; Breunlin, Douglas C.

doi:10.1016/s0140-1971(79)80026-3

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…In a review of the literature on family therapy with adolescents, Breunlin, Breunlin, Kearns, and Russell (1988) point out the dramatic increase in the number of articles focusing exclusively on family therapy with adolescents as compared with an earlier review (Breunlin & Breunlin, 1979). They also note the development of a body of research evidence indicating the effectiveness of family therapy approaches in adolescent treatment and its application to an increased variety of symptoms, diagnoses, behavior problems, and contexts.…”

Section: Family Therapy Applications In Adolescent Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The literature since 1987 supports the continuing development of family therapy as an effective and widely used model of treatment with adolescents. In addition to the models cited by the Breunlin et al 1988 review, recent articles focus on the incorporation of cognitive-behavioral techniques (Cole & Kelly, 1991 ;Mullins, Olson, & Chaney, 1992) and psychoeducational approaches (Daley, Bowler, & Cahalane, 1992;Matorin & Greenberg, 1992;Obermeier & Henry,1988-89;Serna, Shumaker, Sherman, & Sheldon, 1991).…”

Section: Family Therapy Applications In Adolescent Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nurturance: A Neglected Dimension in Family Therapy With Adolescents*

Mackey

1996

J Marital Family Therapy

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This paper offers a model for integrating a nurturance framework into family therapy approaches with adolescents. This approach is seen as adding an important but neglected dimension to commonly used approaches, thus increasing both flexibility in treatment and the likelihood of a positive outcome. Steps to an effective treatment approach are outlined and guidelines offered for both in-session work and out-of-session tasks.Family therapy has become increasingly accepted as an important modality of treatment for adolescents. Family theory and research suggest that parental connection and its overt expression in the form of parental nurturance are positively correlated with health in both the adolescent and the family. However, the literature that addresses family therapy applications to adolescent treatment tends to neglect this dimension in favor of focus on issues of power/control and separatiodautonomy.This article will first. briefly review research supporting the importance of parental connection and nurturance in effective parenting of adolescents. Second, a review of the applications of family therapy to the treatment of adolescents will be organized into three prevalent frameworks: (a) the family life cycle/developmental task of individuatiodseparation; (b) the use of organizational concepts; and (c) behavioral focuses on conflict, power, and control issues. A discussion follows that suggests how parental connectiodnurturance can be incorporated into these frameworks. The article then addresses specifically how therapists can help parents develop greater connectedness with their adolescents within the context of therapy. Finally, the article offers guidelines for out-of-session tasks designed to increase parental nurturance. Therapists incorporating this framework and corresponding in-session and out-of-session tasks will enhance their flexibility in therapy with adolescents and their families and increase the overall effectiveness of treatment.I define nurturance as a subset of behavior within the more general category of interconnectedness or attachment behavior. Nurturant acts are behaviors directed toward another individual with the intent of providing physical or psychological nourishment. Like Wood (1989, I believe that an important dimension of a successful nurturant act is that the nurturer accurately assesses and responds to the emotions and needs of the other individual.This idea is also supported by attachment therapy, which suggests that secure attachment is characterized not only by the amount of contact between parent and child but also by how well the contact fits both the personal rhythms of the child and the child's developmental stage (Bowlby, 1982). This means that the parent needs to discriminate between the parent's own needs and emotions and those of the adolescent. Thus, an example of a successful nurturant act with an adolescent might be a parent who pats hisher adolescent on the arm instead of hugging himher in front of the adolescent's peers.

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Section: Family Therapy Applications In Adolescent Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Family Therapy Applications In Adolescent Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nurturance: A Neglected Dimension in Family Therapy With Adolescents*

Mackey

1996

J Marital Family Therapy

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“…Breunlin and 'Can I leave?' 121 Breunlin (1979) review the literature on a family therapy approach to treating adolescent disturbances, and conclude :…”

Section: Treatment Choicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This should not be confused with differences in style or technique (Madanes and Haley, 1977;Cooklin, 1979). The therapeutic framework is based on an understanding of communication (Watzlawick et al, 1967 ;Watzlawick, 1978) ; on the therapeutic use of resistance (Haley, 1963 ;Erickson and Rossi, 1975) ; on the importance of understanding the context within which the problem is maintained (Watzlawick et al, 1974); and on a cybernetic understanding of behaviour patterns (Bateson, 1973;Palazzoli et al, 1978). The main operational base is to identify family structure (Minuchin, 1974;Minuchin et al, 1978;Kaufman and Kaufmann, 1979), and to pay particular attention to violations in hierarchy as a manifestation of system distress (Haley, 1967(Haley, , 1976(Haley, , 1980Madanes, 1980).…”

Section: Treatment Choicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

'Can I (let you let me) leave?’ Therapy with the adolescent and his family

Jenkins¹

1981

Journal of Family Therapy

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A number of dimensions are reviewed in relation to adolescence. The focus is primarily on adolescence in the context of the family, but it is acknowledged that this is an arbitrary and restricted view of wider social and cultural contexts. It is briefly suggested why this area of work may have been under‐represented in professional work in the past. An outline is given of varying ways of defining adolescence, and the impact of this developmental stage in the family life cycle for the adolescent and his family. Within this context, choices must be made over approaches to treatment, and a structural hierarchical framework is proposed. Some of these dilemmas are discussed in relation to therapy with a family where the presenting problem was drug addiction in the younger son. This case was chosen for the many difficulties it raised for the therapist and the other professionals directly involved. The subsequent discussion looks at the implications of some of the mistakes made in therapeutic strategy.

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“…The disturbed adolescent is often the signal of a dysfunctional family system, frequently with disturbed family generational boundaries (Minuchin, 1974). In these situations, for the adolescent's behaviour to change the family needs to change (Breunlin, 1979).…”

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confidence: 99%

The Life Cycle: Adolescence

Robertson

1985

ANZ J of Family Therapy

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The family therapy approach to adolescent disturbances: A review of the literature

Cited by 8 publications

References 42 publications

Nurturance: A Neglected Dimension in Family Therapy With Adolescents*

Nurturance: A Neglected Dimension in Family Therapy With Adolescents*

'Can I (let you let me) leave?’ Therapy with the adolescent and his family

The Life Cycle: Adolescence

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