Complementarity and symmetry in family therapy communication.

We examined relational control communication patterns in systemic family therapy sessions. Therapist interactions with each family member (N = 29 families) were examined with the Family Relational Communication Control Coding System. Results showed significantly more complementarity, which reflects mutuality in the definition of a relationship, than symmetry, which characterizes relational control competition. Transitional probabilities showed that family members were likely to respond to therapists in a complementary manner (following therapist one-up, 1, messages with one-down, J,, messages and vice versa); therapists were likely to respond to client 1' and ~ messages in either a competitive symmetrical or complementary manner. Neither complementarity nor symmetry was predictive of family members' perceptions of the therapeutic alliance as measured by Couple and Family Therapy Alliance Scales.