ESSAY: Applying Bowenian and Structural Theories

Define Bowenian and Structural Theories.
Create a theory-based treatment plan, including short- and long-term goals for the couples and/or families.
Explain two theory-based interventions you would use and justify your selection.
Explain one anticipated outcome of each theory-based intervention.

ANSWER

Define Bowenian and Structural Theories.

The Bowen theory has its basis on the idea that individuals function as one emotional unit. Therefore, making it easier to understand them and their problems, especially in the context of their family relationships and personal ties (Titelman & Reed, 2018). A person’s emotional well-being is dependent on the negative or positive impact of their family members. This theory has eight fundamental principles, which include sibling position, family projection process, self-differentiation, multigenerational transmission process, triangles, emotional cut-off, societal emotional process and the nuclear family emotional process (Erdem & Safi, 201). The use of this theory in therapy allows individuals to discuss their problems openly while establishing a clear channel for effective communication between family members.

The structural theory is a sociological perspective that views society as a complex system, which requires every part to work together while promoting the virtues of stability and solidarity among the members (Colapinto & Lee). The society is split up into interrelated parts that are designed to meet the social and biological needs of the people that make up the society. The theory emphasizes that individuals are shaped by the social structures around them, which keep the individuals and the community at large functioning. The various parts of the society referred to in this theory include aspects such as the economy, healthcare, education, religion, government and family (McAdams et al., 2016). Additionally, while individuals make up society they need to follow the social facts for the community to function as expected. The social facts refer to the values, morals, customs, rituals and religious beliefs that help in governing and shaping social life.

A Theory-Based Treatment Plan

The family, in this case, is dealing with the difficulty of moving to a new house, environment, and society. The children are having a tough time making new friends in the school, while the parents are having the same issue in their place of work. As a result, there always seems to be tension in the house as all family members feel frustrated by the situation. The treatment plan that best applies to this family would be the Bowen theory (Thompson et al., 2019). The treatment plan that would best suit them is to attend family therapy once a week for six months. The short-term goal for this is to help the family in achieving clear and effective communication in their family setting. The long term goal is to give them the tools they need to handle and assimilate into their new society.

Theory-Based Interventions

One intervention that would help in the therapy session is the mirroring activity, which allows the family members to work together as well as relate to each other. This technique gives each individual a clear idea as to how the rest of the family views them while allowing them to discover what they could do differently to better their family relationships (Thompson et al., 2019). The second intervention technique is the use of the emotional ball which encourages the family members to express their feelings as they relate to their past and present experiences. The benefit of this method is that it allows even the most withdrawn members to speak their mind and hence feel like a valued member.

Anticipated Outcome The expected outcome for the first theory-based intervention is better family relationships between the members (Keller & Hall, 2020). The children are in a better position to understand their parents and the vice-versa is true as well. It also enables the parents to know what kind of parenting approaches would best apply to each individual child. The expected outcome for the second intervention is to enhance communication in the family despite their emotional state…