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What Does It Mean to Be Relational? A Framework for Assessment and Practice
Author(s) -
SILVERSTEIN RACHELLE,
BUXBAUM BASS LINDA,
TUTTLE AMY,
KNUDSONMARTIN CARMEN,
HUENERGARDT DOUGLAS
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
family process
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.011
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1545-5300
pISSN - 0014-7370
DOI - 10.1111/j.1545-5300.2006.00178.x
Subject(s) - typology , collectivism , psychology , context (archaeology) , social psychology , heuristic , independence (probability theory) , focus (optics) , epistemology , individualism , sociology , paleontology , philosophy , statistics , mathematics , anthropology , political science , law , biology , physics , optics
The authors begin with a question regarding how to better draw upon relational thinking in making case assessments and treatment plans. They first address issues regarding the cultural construction of self and relationships, integrating women's psychology, family systems, and collectivist culture literatures within a discussion of power. Then they present a heuristic framework for how individuals orient themselves within relationships that includes two dimensions—focus and power—and evolves out of the social context. From these two dimensions, a typology of four basic relational orientations is presented: position directed, rule directed, independence directed, and relationship directed. Case examples from couple's therapy and suggestions for practice are provided.