National Counselor Exam (NCE)

In which therapy approach is it crucial to identify the roles of family members within the system?

1. Humanistic therapy

2. Structural family therapy

3. Individual therapy

4. Cognitive therapy

The correct answer is: Structural family therapy

Structural family therapy emphasizes the importance of understanding the roles and relationships of family members within the family system. This therapeutic approach, developed by Salvador Minuchin, focuses on the organization of a family, including the hierarchies and boundaries that exist among family members. Identifying these roles is crucial because the way family members interact with each other can significantly impact the functioning and dynamics of the entire family unit. In structural family therapy, the therapist works to observe and understand how issues within the family manifest and maintain dysfunction. The goal is to restructure the family's interactions to promote healthier relationships and communication patterns. The therapist actively engages with the family to facilitate change, making it essential to grasp each member's contribution to the family dynamics. In contrast, other approaches focus on different aspects of therapy—humanistic therapy is centered on individual experiences and self-actualization, individual therapy primarily examines individual issues without the family context, and cognitive therapy emphasizes changing maladaptive thought patterns rather than the interpersonal dynamics within a family. Thus, it is clear that structural family therapy is uniquely concerned with identifying and modifying the roles of family members within the system.