1. Assessment of Families A Resiliency-Based Approach
Importance of identifying sources of strength and resiliency to address demoralization, problem saturated family stories

2. Family Assessment
Identify sources of protection within the family context
Identify areas of family functioning that need to be strengthening
Identify potential risks within the family context
Assessment helps guide the selection of the treatment modality

3. Keystone risk factors
Causal factors that are important and can be changed through an intervention
Helpful in identifying where to begin
Can create positive change that encourages the family, helps produce further positive change
Mastering the possible—help create self-efficacy

4. Assessment questions What are sources of distress (risk factors)
How do family members view these issues (appraisal)
What aspects of the family, their extended world contribute to these sources of distress (risk factors)
Are there additional factors that contribute to this distress (additive factors)

5. Assessment questions con’t
What are the resources for coping and support possessed by family members, family organization, external world (protective factors)
How can family members use these resources (access)
How can these resources be enhanced (strengthening resources)

6. Family Getaway time

7. Assessment Questions con’t
What barriers are preventing people from accessing resources (barriers)
How can these barriers be reduced
(strengthen access to resources)

8. Assessment issues
Obtain information from other family members—different perspectives
Importance of therapist being open to new information
Assessment an ongoing process as the family learns to trust the therapist

9. Important skills and principles in assessing from a resiliency perspective
Assess risk and protective factors
Demonstrate respect for the family—listen for survival skills
Help clients recognize their strength
Identify the risk and protective factors that can be changed
Engage the family in the selection of the intervention
Be knowledgeable about interventions

10. Assessment Tools Measurement Instruments
Examples
The Self Report Inventory
The Multi-problem Screening inventory
The McMaster Family Assessment Device

11. Visual Devices
Eco Map—identifies the family’s transaction with important aspects of environment
emphasis on those that contribute to resources or stress for family members
Text example Kastor family

12. Eco map of Kastor family

13. Visual Assessment Tools (con’t)
Genogram
Visual map of the family over time
Includes information about members and their relationships and context
Preferably include at least 3 generations
Loden family in text

14. Genogram of Loden family

15. Family Interview Search for risk and protective factors
Use of key questions and observation of family interaction patterns
Verbal and nonverbal communication
Clarification of non verbal messages
for example, everyone is silent after someone has described an event, “does this mean that all of you agree with what x said?”

16. Family Interview themes
Content—details of events
–the family’s argument over who was supposed to help with the dishes last night or between teenagers and parents over the curfew
Process—interaction patterns –repetitive patterns present when people describe content
-The teenager argues her/his case in such a way that the parents begin disagreeing with how to handle the situation and blaming the other person

17. Family Interview Themes
Linear cause and effect A_________B Bob causes all the problems with Jan Circular cause and effect Jan 8 teases Bob Bob 9 hits back Parents— tired from work, catch Bob, punish Bob and console Jan as the “victim”

18. Information from other family members
Differences influenced by
Life cycle issues (age, generation)
Family communication patterns
Family alliances

19. Family Interview con’t
Social worker’s reaction --can begin to experience and replicate the family “dance”
eg ignore the family isolate,

20. Family Interview con’t
Nature of the stressor –what brought you here Onset of the stressor (acute or long term) Impact on the family –How has this affected you and your family
Possible questions What brought you here, what type of help are you looking for, what changes do you wish to occur
Impact on the family—possible questions—How has this affected you, what have been your concerns, how has this changed your family, what do you think might help, how has this affected your relationship with others outside your family

21. Family Interview con’t
Nature of additive factors-
Related to life cycle, circumstances,
Unresolved issues activated, contextual issues
Have you had your hands full with any other problems, difficulties, Has anything else happened that has made this worse, Are there other worries
Mr. Warren family situation

22. Family Interview con’t
Family appraisal of the situation
Appraisals of the nature and cause of the problem,
What did you make of, What do you think helped make this happen, What have you told yourself about …
Appraisals of how to address the problem

23. Family Interview con’t
Identifying appropriate resources
Repertoire of coping strategies
Families need a range of coping skills
depending on the situation they are facing
Belief systems
Self efficacy, mastery, hope
Identify information from past/present to
promote these beliefs

24. Family Interview con’t
Family trust, loyalty and affection
Patterns of spirituality or faith
Organizational patterns
Family cohesion –ability to band together
Family leadership (various situations, times)
Family communication
Flexibility of family roles
Humor
Family life cycle (issue of changes)

25. Family life cycle
A long story throughout life

26. Looking forward to a future together

27. Embarking on their new life

28. Weddings can expand the family circle

29. The family story

30. Now mom and dad

31. And don’t forget the grandparents

32. Life changes at many ages

33. Assessment
Cultural and community context Issues in family transition Levels of Family Functioning Level 1—family foundation at risk Level 2-basic needs met, issues in leadership Level 3 Basic needs and leadership met-problems in family organization and relationships Level met, issues of intimacy