Model of family grief assessment and treatment

Two major models for family therapy are the structural model of Minuchin and family systems model of Bowen. Both are commonly used in assessing and treating dysfunctional families. This paper utilizes the structural and family system models as a basis for evaluation and treatment of grieving families. Using the structural model, families can be assessed in terms of how the family has attempted to fill a role left empty by loss. The clinician can evaluate whether the “new” subsystem structure [s] are appropriate, resulting in family satisfaction, or inappropriate and requiring intervention. The family systems approach is integrated with the structural model, demonstrating techniques to assess changes in family relationships due to the reductions in available dyads and triads, and lowered levels of functional differentiation resulting from the death crisis. Interventions to increase levels of differentiation and avoid fusion and cutoff are suggested.