Running head: INTEGRATIVE PAPER

Personal Integration of a Multidimensional Theoretical Perspective Angela Chiasson CAAP 633 L01 Dr. Jo-Anne H. Willment April 3rd, 2010

INTEGRATIVE PAPER Personal Integration of a Multidimensional Theoretical Perspective Within the scope of psychotherapy, a theory is defined as a consistent perspective on human behaviour, psychopathology, and the mechanisms of therapeutic change (Prochaska & Norcross, 2003). While on this journey of discovering my personal theory of counselling, I am reminded that one fruitful way to learn about psychotherapy is to learn what the best minds have had to say about it and to compare what they say (Prochaska & Norcross, 2003, p. 5). As a school psychologist, with the intention of working with school-aged children, my underlying conception of pathology, health, reality, and the therapeutic process is relevant in guiding individual treatment interventions, thus, highlighting the importance of recognizing a theory to guide my practice. The present paper, discusses my current theoretical perspective and its implications and applications to my professional practice. Multidimensional Theories As I enter middle adulthood, while on my quest to becoming a future school

psychologist, I am continuously asking myself the following questions: How do children develop and change? What influences them the most? What drives my practice? After much consideration, I have come to accept that the personal counselling theory that resonates with my practice and beliefs, in regards to human development, is one that embraces complexity and is viewed as encompassing many layers of interacting causes for change, including, physical, biological, psychological, social and cultural factors (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). Accordingly, the theories that drive my practice are the systems, or multidimensional theories (also known as transactional, relational, bio-ecological, and epigenetic theories) (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). These theories are viewed by modern developmental theorists as holistic, embracing the many

INTEGRATIVE PAPER interconnected pathways of the child, with each pathway affecting another, known as bidirectionality (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). Broderick & Blewitt (2010) metaphorically describe multidimensional theory as a vine

growing through a thick forest, propelled by its inner processes, with its path being shaped by the forest it inhabits. This can be viewed as the child growing, due to inner biological and developmental processes, while being shaped by external factors, such as, the environment in which it lives. Furthermore, not only does the forest create the path for the vine, but the vine changes the layout and structure of the forest (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). This can be understood as the child not only being influenced by the environment, but the environment being influenced by the childs presence, in turn creating change and affecting other factors in the childs life. Consequently, the changes in environment, reciprocally influence the growth of the vine, thus implicating that the changes in the childs environment, which were an outcome of the childs presence, once again influence the growth of the child (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). For these reasons, multidimensional theories are based on the idea that individuals influence the people and surrounding ecology as much as they are influenced by them. Family systems theory is one of the many theories that fall within the framework of multidimensional theories, and will be discussed further in the next section. History and Integration of Family Systems Theory Family therapy roots reach back to the turn of the 20th century, beginning with Alfred Adlers parent groups and developing through various parent, family, and couple education groups within each decade until the 1950s, when family therapy originated (Thompson & Rudolf, 1996). The decades of the 1950s and 1960s were influential years for the development of systems theory (Prochaska & Norcross, 2003). Dr. Murray Bowen, an early theorist on family

INTEGRATIVE PAPER relationships, formulated the theory by integrating systems thinking, to integrate knowledge of the human species as a product of evolution and knowledge from family research (Thompson & Rudolf, 1996). Bowen operated under the premise that knowledge of how the emotional system

operates in family, work, and social systems reveals new and more effective options for problem solving in each of these areas. Family therapy is guided by theoretical concepts that relate to several different systems levels, such as psychoanalytic theory, humanistic theory, and learning theory, which help the counsellor to understand how the individual functions in the world (Freeman, 1992). Family systems theory suggests that the family functions as a unit, with certain rules, expectations, and emotions (Thompson & Rudolf, 1996). In thinking about family systems theory, consider the example of a mobile: when you move any piece of a mobile, all of the other pieces move too. They do not exist in isolation from one another, and movement in any one part of the system will affect all other parts of the system. The five theoretical assumptions of the family systems perspective fit well within my beliefs, and for this reason, drives my practice. The first assumption states that the family as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts (Freeman, 1992, p. 25). This assumption reveals the importance of the therapist meeting the entire family, because what the family produces as a group cannot be understood by understanding family members separately (Freeman, 1992). The second assumption proposes that, if you change one part of the family system you change the whole family (Freeman, 1992, p. 26). Hence, emphasizing that change in one part of a system affects the rest of the system. This suggests that members of the family are seen as interdependent, meaning that stress applied to one family member is felt throughout the system by all members of the family in varying degrees (Thompson & Rudolf, 1996). Thirdly, family systems become more complex and organized over time (Freeman, 1992, p. 27). With the

INTEGRATIVE PAPER increase of information, resources, and additional members, the family has to adjust, grow, and adapt (Freeman, 1992). The next assumption reveals that the family is open, changing, goal directive and adaptive (Freeman, 1992, p. 28). In order to cope with internal and external

stresses, a goal in therapy is to work with families to identify helpful resources within the family (Freeman, 1992). The final assumption highlights that individual dysfunction is a reflection of an active emotional system, meaning that the response to a family member undergoing difficulty sets in motion certain family behavioural patterns which are part of the reciprocal processes between family members (Freeman, 1992). These assumptions create a theoretical framework to help the therapist formulate questions and strategies for intervening in a family system in a logical, consistent manner (Freeman, 1992). As a teacher, currently working with Aboriginal school-aged children, I can see how the relationships within the family system can have negative and positive affects for the psychopathology of children, depending on the family systems. For example, just the other day, my 5-year old student was caught stealing and lying about it during the lunch hour. This student is one that has an extremely difficult time making correct choices and can be physically and verbally aggressive to her friends. When I proceeded to call home, I was informed that her mother was a severe crack addict currently going through a difficult time. This can be viewed under assumption five, where individual dysfunction is a reflection of an active emotional system. Systemic theories would agree that decreases in psychopathology in one family member (in this case, the mom), are often accompanied by increases in symptoms in another family member (in this case, the 5-year old girl) (Prochaska & Norcross, 2003). As Wisdom, Bruce, Saedi, Weiss, and Green (2008) explain, individuals with a mental illness need to be understood through their environment and not just by their symptoms. On the other hand, I have a student

INTEGRATIVE PAPER who more often than not (he is still 5!), makes the right choices and is well adjusted. This

student comes from an intact family, with many supports at home and is always talking about the fun activities he did over the weekend. These two situations demonstrate opposite ends of the spectrum when looking at support within the family system. I hold a strong belief that stable family interactions yield positive self-efficacy, and contrarily, a break down in the family dynamics can lead to a breakdown within the family organization. Thus, there is an importance of working with families on creating stable, healthy relationships within the family system. Major Issues in Development Multidimensional theories are contemporary theories that integrate features of many of the earlier theories of development, and best describes human development as an amalgamation of the extremes (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). These theories incorporate all perspectives, including nature and nurture, critical period and plasticity, continuity and discontinuity, and universality and specificity (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). A multidimensional theoretical approach enables the fusion of all perspectives to help describe human development, creating positive conversations between the therapist and client. The following section gives examples of how these issues in development can be solved using a multidimensional theoretical approach. Critical Periods and Plasticity Multidimensional theories takes into account both the critical period and plasticity perspective in human development of attachment security with regards to early infantile, and later in life relationships. As proposed by John Bowlby and Erik Erikson, a childs ability to form secure attachments is largely determined by the quality of their infantile relationship with their primary caregivers, emphasizing the early infantile critical period in attachment (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). Whereas, from the view of plasticity, which suggests that the brain remains

INTEGRATIVE PAPER

open to continuing influences from the environments throughout life, researchers can believe that positive experiences, and developing secure, trusting relationships past the first year of life, can provide new opportunities for growth in attachment (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). The family systems theory takes into account the importance of the bi-directionality of early infantile relationships, while emphasizing that families should understand that although neural systems mediating socio-emotional pathways have already been formed, providing children with security, patience, routine, sensitivity, and love may model appropriate behaviour while redirecting aberrant behaviour (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). Nature and Nurture Family systems theory takes into account both the nature and nurture perspectives in human development of attachment security with regards to temperament. From the nature viewpoint, every baby is born with a unique temperament, which are described as being emotional and behavioral characteristics (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010, p. 128). Like most aspects of development, the question of whether a childs temperament influences parents care giving is complex, with many interconnected factors (M. Z. Naber, electronic personal communication, January 26, 2010). From the nurture perspective, Broderick and Blewitt (2010) summarize that there is a bi-directional approach with a childs temperament, affecting parent care giving, and that positive parenting can alter temperament characteristics. If parents were upset or irritated with the childs temperament, consequently parenting skills were influenced, which can cause parents to be less sensitive and responsive (M. Z. Naber; electronic personal communication, January 26, 2012). Therefore, attachment security can be enhanced through a family systems perspective, especially if the baby is considered to have a difficult temperament by the parents (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). Training parents and other family members on how

INTEGRATIVE PAPER to be sensitive to their baby, with all temperaments, increases the chance that positive and sensitive care giving will occur, which will improve the attachment quality between baby and caregiver. Continuity and Discontinuity Multidimensional theorists do not view developmental change as either strictly continuous or discontinuous; for, they take into account the integration of the two. Broderick & Blewitt (2010) propose the following questions: Do traits, such as shyness, emerge early in life an persist throughout life? Or, can trait characteristics, change over time? From the multidimensional theoretical viewpoint, traits can exhibit both continuity and discontinuity, depending on the multiple, interacting forces in play (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). Family systems theory suggests that if trait persistence does exist, it could be the outcome of dynamic, bi-directional interactions between family members, implying continuity (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). It is possible for the therapist to teach parents how to discontinue an unwanted trait,

through positive family interactions. For example, I have a student in my class who is extremely shy, and if family members, were to make excuses for her to not participate in social interactions by saying, shes too shy to play the game, then the trait will most likely continue throughout her lifetime. On the other hand, if she were encouraged to engage in risk taking, then it is possible that the shyness trait would demonstrate discontinuity over time (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). Active and Passive Broderick & Blewitt (2010) point out that there has been concern from theorizing developmentalists whether or not human development is intrinsically an active or passive process. A passive view of human development suggests that, the course of a persons

INTEGRATIVE PAPER development is primarily shaped by external forces over which the individual has limited control (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010, p. 22). Whereas, an active view of human development describes individuals as being masters of their own fate, defining, selecting, and shaping life outcomes (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). While working with families, it is important for the clinician to be aware of how the family systems view each others role within the family, and within human development. Looking at differing roles in the family system can help the

counsellor understand the effects of bi-directionality between the organism and the environment. Thus, by taking on a multidimensional approach, the counsellor views both the organism and the environment as playing active parts in an individuals development (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010, pp. 23). Implications for Professional Practice One of the advantages of a systems perspective is that it opens up many possibilities of intervention (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). Consequently, a disadvantage may be that the complexity of interacting factors is so great, that creating a starting point for intervention may be a difficult task (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). Positively embracing and utilizing the previously mentioned major issues in development, gives the systems theory therapist an advantage over theorists who have tunnel vision in their defining human development and appropriate interventions. For instance, in adopting the critical periods perspective only for attachment, this may relinquish hope for individuals who did not form healthy early infantile attachments. This kind of conversation could be detrimental for families thinking of adoption, knowing that the child had an unhealthy early infantile attachments. In relation, years ago, if I had of seen a counsellor who viewed the critical period as being the most important, they probably would have predicted my future relationships as unhealthy, stemming from the lack secure base (Broderick &

INTEGRATIVE PAPER

10

Blewitt, 2010). I beat the odds and have many happy, healthy relationships. Unfortunately, this is not true for my brother, who suffers from drug addiction, mental health issues, and relationship problems. Fortunately, the multidimensional approach takes into account critical periods and plasticity in these kinds of situation (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). In my opinion, another advantage to systems therapy is the emphasis on the therapeutic relationship between the counsellor and families. Overall, a healthy counseling relationship should utilize messages of hope, strength, encouragement, and create a positive emotional climate. I feel that I am extremely personable and can build rapport in differing situations, thus, ensuring empathy, positive regard, and genuineness with others. Using these strengths to build functional communication with clients from a multidimensional viewpoint is a natural quality that I bestow. According to Wisdom et al. (2008), in order to support the client in creating strength-based and hopeful self-narratives, the therapist must provide messages of hope, strength and encouragement (M. Kerslake, electronic personal communication, Thursday, February 2nd, 2012). Furthermore, Broderick & Blewitt (2010) state that the therapist should create a positive emotional climate in the counseling setting for individuals that have had poor quality care-giving situations (M. Kerslake, electronic personal communication, Thursday, February 2nd, 2012). A challenge in taking the family systems perspective is that all member of the family need to be on board to ensure success. This can be difficult in situations when the child does not have a family willing to participate, or a family at all. This has become evident in the past two weeks for me. I met a young 17-year old boy (I will call him Josh, for ethical reasons), who, three months ago was expelled from high school for saying a gay remark to another student who, at the time, was coming out of the closet (Josh, personal communication, Thursday, March 22, 2012) . You could imagine my concern, as an educator, while knowing dropout statistics and

INTEGRATIVE PAPER that the time between 17 and 21 years old is viewed as a critical period for education and cognitive growth (Broderick & Blewitt). I looked at Josh, as he was washing the dishes at the restaurant where I occasionally waitress, and said, I know you are smart and do not want to wash dishes for the rest of your life, please dont be a statistic by dropping out of school and

11

living in poverty for the rest of your life. Upon reflection, these words seem harsh, but I felt it had to be said. By statistics, I am referring to Broderick & Blewitts (2010) 1996 employment percentages of out of school 16- to 20-year olds by race and education; these statistics state that only 29.5% of Black dropouts are employed, and this does not mean that they are not struggling to survive. As I listened more and more about Joshs personal story, I discovered that he lost his parents around the age of 14, has been jumping around from foster homes since, and has recently received his independent status, meaning that he could now live on his own and make all of his own decisions without needing consent, although he has a social and youth worker on his case (Josh, personal communication, Monday, April 2, 2012). I spent a little bit of time telling him about the box program at my school for students who have life circumstances that stand in the way of getting them to school every day, and convinced him to come give it a chance. In summation, all of the students work goes in a box, when Josh comes to school, he will work from his box and can take work home to engage in correspondence learning. Coincidentally, today was his first day, and it was successful! He is planning on coming back for two days a week until he finishes high school. The point of the previous story, was not just how proud I feel for Josh getting back to school, but that the family systems theory would not be the best approach for Josh, because he does not have a family support system to partake in this kind of therapy. Consequently, counsellors must keep in mind other theories that align with their beliefs to suit the needs of each

INTEGRATIVE PAPER client. In this case, an alternative systems theory, such as Bronfrenbrenners bio-ecological theory, which looks at other proximal and distal processes in the environment, such as peers,

12

services, work, culture, and now, school, could be a good fit (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). Here, I would like to highlight the importance of peers, because peers are a significant force in the lives of children, including Josh (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). It is critical for therapists to see the importance of non-family family that has a huge impact in many peoples lives (T. Mudry, electronic personal communication, Monday, January 30th, 2012). Another challenge is defining the family, and who should be available for therapy. Definitions of family range from extended, blended, common-law, single-parent, communal, serial, polygamous, and cohabitational (Thompson & Rudolf, 1996). Furthermore, families are defined by their organizational structure, characterized by degrees of interconnectedness, love, loyalty, purpose, values, interests, and activities (Thompson & Rudolf, 1996). Importantly, family roles, meaning, what is expected from each family member, and rules need to be understood for the implementation of successful family systems theory. Summary and Personal Reflections In answering the question, what has changed, solidified, and refined since the beginning of this course, I would say, a lot! I have taken Human Development as an elective for my school psychology program, with this being my first counselling course, and have no regrets. However, I have to be honest, this task was a difficult one for me. The present course has been a steep learning curve and I realize that I have much more to learn in regards of refining the theory that best fits my practice within a school psychology context. Before this course, I was uncertain of a specific theory driving my practice; for, this was not something that I had given enough thought to.

INTEGRATIVE PAPER The discussion postings have been an extremely helpful tool for my learning in this course, and I have very much appreciated reading and being a part of this process. They have aided me in integrating the major issues in development, and have given me a broader understanding of how each perspective can contribute to many theories. Furthermore, weekly

13

inclusion of how certain theories and issues fit within my own development was an enlightening task. I believe that this method helped authenticate and give a deeper understanding of the many complex issues presented in human development. The present course has helped me to understand that without an underlying theory to guide my practice, I would be vulnerable and directionless while bombarded with hundreds of impressions and pieces of information from different theorists. I have also come to the realization that good clinicians are not stuck in their theories, meaning that they are flexible, while good theories can be adapted for use in a variety of contexts. Furthermore, I have realized no single theory is comprehensive enough to account for all of the complexities of human behaviour; thus, the trained clinician can integrate therapeutic systems, depending on the goals for the client. I understand that after this school psychology degree, I will not be a trained counsellor, however, my theoretical perspective can help guide the way I interact with families and students, helping me make decisions and recommendations for counselling. This discovery has been a complex, thought provoking process, and, because of this, I now feel that I am on the right path to recognizing that multidimensional theories may be what is shaping the psychologist I aspire to be. That being said, please keep in mind that this course has fuelled the process of linking my own belief system to a theoretical system, but is still in its stages of infancy.

INTEGRATIVE PAPER References Broderick, P. C., & Blewitt, P. (2010). The Life Span: Human Development for Helping Professionals (3rd ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Freeman, D. S. (1992). Multigenerational Family Therapy. Birmingham, NY: The Hawthorn Press, Inc. Prochaska, J. O. & Norcross, J. C. (2003). Systemic Therapies. Systems of Psychotherapy: A Transtheoretical Analysis, 5th ed. (pp. 374-416). Pacific Grove, CA: Thomson Learning, Inc.

14

Sattler, J. M. (2008). Assessment of Children: Cognitive Foundations (5th ed). Jerome M. Sattler, Publisher, Inc. Thompson, C. L. & Rudolph, L. B. (1996). Counselling Children (4th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Cole Publishing Company. Wisdom, J. P., Bruce, K., Saedi, G. A., Weis, T., & Green C. A. (2008). Stealing me from myself: Identity and recovery in personal accounts of mental illness. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 42(6), 489-495. doi: 10.1080/00048670802050579