Students will conduct a family assessment on their family-of-origin using a generalist lens. The family assessment provides information about family dynamics, family structure and communication patterns, how they experience problems, past problem-solving behaviors, life-stage development, and relationships. The assessment should integrate and synthesize data about the family, utilizing a generalist lens.
In addition to gaining new insights about your family-of-origin, this assignment will help you to develop writing/documentation skills, family assessment skills, and critical thinking skills.
(Note: In this assignment, I would like you to reflect on your own family-of-origin—the reason being that you likely know a lot about your own upbringing. For this paper, you do not actually need to sit down and have a formal assessment meeting. Rather, it is assumed you should know enough about your family to be able to complete the assessment. For the presenting problem, you might think of something your family struggled with and might have liked to improve upon. If there are pieces of the assessment you are unsure of, however, you are welcome to talk to your family members to glean additional information.)
Full Answer Section
How the Family Experiences Problems
When my family experiences problems, we tend to withdraw into ourselves. We don't always communicate effectively with each other, and we may bottle up our emotions. This can lead to resentment and conflict.
Past Problem-Solving Behaviors
In the past, my family has struggled to solve problems effectively. We have often resorted to yelling and arguing, which has only made the problems worse. However, we have learned from our mistakes and we are now better at communicating and working together to solve problems.
Life-Stage Development
All of the members of my family are in different stages of their lives. My parents are retired, my siblings are both married with children, and I am still single. This can sometimes lead to challenges, as we have different needs and priorities. However, we are all supportive of each other and we try to be understanding.
Relationships
The relationships within my family are generally strong. We are all close and we care about each other deeply. However, there have been times when our relationships have been strained by conflict. For example, my siblings and I have argued about things like our parents' divorce and our own relationships. However, we have always been able to work through our differences and maintain our relationships.
Presenting Problem
One of the presenting problems in my family is that we can be quite argumentative. We don't always agree on things, and we can be quite blunt with each other. This can lead to conflict and resentment.
Generalist Lens
A generalist lens is a way of looking at families that takes into account the many different factors that can influence a family's functioning. These factors include the family's structure, dynamics, communication patterns, and problem-solving behaviors.
When I look at my family through a generalist lens, I can see how all of these factors contribute to our presenting problem. For example, our tendency to withdraw into ourselves when we experience problems can make it difficult to resolve conflict effectively. Additionally, our blunt communication style can sometimes hurt each other's feelings and make it difficult to have productive conversations.
Recommendations
Based on my assessment, I would recommend the following for my family:
- Improve communication skills. We need to learn to communicate more effectively with each other, especially when we are in conflict. This means being able to listen to each other's perspectives, express our own feelings in a healthy way, and find common ground.
- Develop better problem-solving skills. We need to learn to work together to solve problems in a constructive way. This means being able to identify the problem, brainstorm solutions, and choose a solution that works for everyone.
- Seek professional help. If we are unable to resolve our problems on our own, we may want to seek professional help from a therapist or counselor. A therapist can help us to identify and address the underlying issues that are contributing to our problems.
Conclusion
My family is a close-knit unit, but we also have our challenges. One of our presenting problems is that we can be quite argumentative. However, I believe that we can overcome this challenge by improving our communication and problem-solving skills. I am also open to seeking professional help if needed.
Sample Answer
Family Assessment: Generalist Lens
Family Dynamics
My family-of-origin is a close-knit unit. We are supportive of each other and we enjoy spending time together. However, we can also be quite argumentative and we don't always agree on things.
Family Structure
My family is composed of my parents, my two older siblings, and me. My parents are divorced, but they still maintain a close relationship. My siblings and I are all close, even though we live in different cities now.
Communication Patterns
My family communicates openly and honestly with each other. We are not afraid to share our thoughts and feelings, even if they are difficult. However, we can also be quite blunt and we may not always be sensitive to each other's feelings.