Respond to two colleagues whose assessments of family cohesion differ from yours. Resolve the differences or explain how each viewpoint is valid. (Please respond with 2 APA peer reviewed references, be detailed in response and ask a question to further the conversation)

Response to Rose

David Olson’s Circumplex Model involves three dimensions that helps to define family functioning. These three domains consist of flexibility, cohesion, and communication (Olson, 2000). Olson suggested that these domains were important for assessing family balance. For example, family cohesion is balanced when family members have appropriate boundaries inside and outside of the family system. In addition, a family will maintain flexibility when there is the understanding and ability to remain open to some level of change if change it is recommended for the best interest of the family. Communication can be paramount. The domain itself involves learning either how to be more assertive to express wants or needs, or help learning ways to communicate in a way that is constructive and not damaging to the relationships within the family.

To properly assess the Cortez family using the Circumplex Model a social work will examine the family with the Circumplex Model’s three domains. The family cohesion between Paula, her ex husband, and her son is unbalanced. This is because she had to give up custody of her son (Plummer et. al, 2013). Also, her marriage with her husband failed because of continued drug use by her ex husband. Therefore, the cohesion between Paula and ex husband and son has been impacted. After having her baby, Paula is able to start building on the cohesion between her and her son. The closeness between Paula and her son had increased drastically. He agreed to become guardian if anything happened to Paula and he is there to help her more. Assessing the cohesion between Paula and son is important for treatment planning. Treatment planning will allow the therapist to incorporate ways to help Miguel process the emotions or difficulties he may have struggled with when his mom was forced to give up her custodial rights. Once the Miguel and Paula are able work on their past, their cohesion will become more balanced. Eventually, Paula will be able to not feel guilty when asking him for support, which will decrease the isolation that she feels. In addition, Paula’s cohesion with her extended family portrays the cohesion with her immediate family. Once Paula can process her past relating to the emotional and physical abuse, she will be able to let go of the trauma and focus on her baby and son.

Flexibility will be assessed to by evaluating the adaptability for change within the family structure (Olson, 2000). In the case study, Paula is mostly on her own until her baby is born. During chaotic times when Paula is either ill physically or unstable emotionally she feels like she would be a burden to her son and disconnects from him (Plummer et. al, 2013). As a result, this creates chaos within the family relationship. A treatment goal that would help Paula and her son during chaos in the future, would require Paula and her son to be willing to improve these circumstances by utilizing problem solving techniques and decision-making skills (Olson, 2000). These goals require a certain amount of change and openness that prevents inflexibility.

The communication styles between Paula and her son will need to be evaluated. Perhaps Paula is conveying to her son, unintentionally, that she wants nothing to do with him when she is going through difficult times with her medication conditions or mental disorder. He may take this the wrong way and see that he is not competent or needed by her. Either way, the communication between Paula and her son can be strengthened by either increasing ways to communicate, or just by sitting down and talking about what one another needs or wants in a positive constructive way (Olson, 2000). Communication skills can be taught and apart of the treatment plan after assessing the communication styles between Paula and her son.

Olson, D. H. (2000). Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems. Journal of Family Therapy, 22(2), 144–167. Chapter 9, “Assessment of Families” (pp. 237–264)

Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. (Eds.). (2013). Sessions case histories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing.

• “The Cortez Family” (pp. 23–25)

********************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The circumplex model was created in attempt to unify research and practice in the field of social work. The model is specifically useful when working with families because it incorporates three important family functions into its system. These three functions include flexibility of the family members both individually and as a whole, the cohesion of the family system, and the type of communication that goes on between each member (Olson, 2000). When assessing family systems, understanding the cohesion of the family can provide information that will heavily aid in the intervention process. According to Olson (2000), there are multiple levels on which Cohesion can occur; separated, enmeshed, connected, and disengaged. A family that is enmeshed has little independence from one another whereas disengaged families have little unity and are often very distant. For social workers, the cohesion of the family can inform the social worker on the families likeliness to participate as a whole in treatment and how the family reflects off one another. The next function of family flexibility is also beneficial when assessing family systems because it can inform the social worker the stability of the family. According to Olson (2000), a functional family is able to make changes and adapt when needed where as a dysfunctional family is more likely to experience crises or conflict in event of a change. When families are too flexible or too rigid, it can also lead to difficulties because stable relationships are more challenging to form and stressors arise (Olson, 2000). Lastly, social workers must pay attention to the communication structure of families during the assessment process. For example, is there one family member that is doing most of the talking? and is the family empathetic or more hostile? Understanding the communication among the family can inform the social worker on whether the family is balanced and caring, or if there is underlying conflict (Olson, 2000).

Apply this framework in assessing the Cortez family. Use the three dimensions (cohesion, flexibility, and communication) of this model to assess and analyze. Describe how assessing these dimensions assists the social worker in treatment planning:

When applying the Circumplex model to the Cortex family, there are some red flags that arise in terms of cohesion, flexibility, and communication among the family. To begin, there is minimal-to-no cohesion among the Cortez family including Paula, her parents, her ex-husband, and her son. Paula's childhood was traumatic which resulted in Paula pushing herself away from her parents. Paula remains in contact with both her mother and father, however the contact is very limited. Paula also relinquished her parental rights for her son and therefore has minimal contact with him as well. The Cortez family is very disengaged from one another and as a result each member is very independent. The flexibility of the family is also very chaotic as each member plays a different role. According to Olson (2000), families that experience chaotic flexibility are often quick to make decisions that are "impulsive and not well thought out" (Olson, 2000, p. 149). Paula is very impulsive which can be seen in her behaviors and the unexpected pregnancy that occurred. Additionally, Paula's ex-husband is impulsive as well which can be seen through his consistent drug usage. Additionally, the relationships between each family member are very unstructured which is known to cause problems in the family system. However, although the cohesion and flexibility of the Cortez family appears to be strained, communication among the family appears to remain fairly consistent. Paula openly shares her struggles and communicates with others about suggested skills to alleviate her problems.

The dimensions of the Circumplex model are not only beneficial for assessments, but for treatment planning as well. When a family is cohesive and flexible, they understand that behaviors must change in order for progress to be made. Because the Cortez family is so disengaged from one another, a treatment plan must be created that addresses all individual aspects of the family system. Additionally, the lack of unity among the Cortez family may also influence the available access to resources. For example, Paula and her son Miguel do not live in the same home and Paula's parents live in Columbia. The resources in columbia vastly differ compared to the resources available in America and the resources available for Miguel may also differ compared to the resources available for Paula. During the treatment process, it may be more beneficial for a social worker to focus one dimension at a time in order to improve family functioning. Because the Cortez family is not very unified, I would begin by having the Cortez family come together to discuss how each member feels they can contribute to the treatment process and what they feel needs to change in order for the treatment to be successful. By breaking the treatment process into individual pieces, the treatment is more manageable and less intimidating for the family.

Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. (Eds.). (2013). Sessions case histories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing.