Online Content

1. Levine, Ralph L. with Jane L. Pearson and Nicholas Ialongo, "Modeling the Dynamics of a Family in Crisis"

Type:
Document
Date Created:
1988
Collection:
System Dynamic Society Records
Collecting Area:
University Archives
Collection ID:
ua435
Parent Record(s):
23d738ba88f8333bc39725f9cb5bd0b8, 74bc8d76f7112f877dcc1bed073089e6, and ff3ca29802c9b5ed0bd77a0a9e76375a
Thumbnail Path Ss:
/downloads/fn107g87t?file=thumbnail
System Modified Dtsi:
2020-01-02T18:42:16Z
Description:
A model of the dynamics of a family problem was developed as a prototype of future work in family therapy. In this situation, a family was in crisis over the problem of managing the son's illness. The father refused to recognize the severity of the disease, while the mother begrudgedly took responsibility for the care of the child.The model describes the dynamics underlying the mutual anger between the parents, the guilt of the father, and the effects of therapeutic interventions on this family system. The output of the model was oscillatory in nature. The timing of these oscillations of the parents anger and the father's guilt matched the sequence of emotions actually observed by the clinical team when dealing with this family.The modeler, who was not in possession of all the facts, predicted a relapse of the father's behavior and a recycling of bouts of anger between parents after about six months following the termination of therapy. The therapists substantiated this prediction, giving confidence in the model.