NCJ Number
66776
Journal
Corrective and Social Psychiatry and Journal of Behavior Technology Methods and Therapy Volume: 26 Issue: 2 Dated: (1980) Pages: 39-44
Date Published
1980
Length
6 pages
Annotation
IN THE CLINICAL ASSESSMENT OF ADOLESCENT STATUS OFFENDERS AND THEIR FAMILIES, STATUS OFFENSES ARE CONCEPTUALIZED AS PROBLEMS OF BEHAVIORAL LOSS OF CONTROL WITHIN AN
Abstract
MINUCHIN (1974) HAS DELINEATED THE MAJOR FAMILY SUBSYSTEMS AS SPOUSE, PARENTAL, AND SIBLING SUBSYSTEMS. EACH IS EVALUATED IN TERMS OF THE MAJOR SKILLS REQUIRED FOR ACCOMPLISHMENT OF ITS TASKS AND ITS BOUNDARIES, I.E., THE RULES DEFINING PARTICIPATION IN THE SUBSYSTEM. THE MAJOR SKILLS REQUIRED FOR A SUCCESSFUL SPOUSE SUBSYSTEM ARE COMPLEMENTARITY AND MUTUAL ACCOMMODATION; REQUIRED PARENTAL SKILLS ARE NURTURING, GUIDANCE, AND CONTROL; AND NECESSARY SIBLING MAJOR SKILLS ARE NEGOTIATION, COOPERATION, AND COMPETITION. THREE CASES OF STATUS OFFENDERS ARE ANALYZED BY MEANS OF THE STRUCTURAL MODEL, WHICH CONCEPTUALIZES STATUS OFFENSES AS PROBLEMS OF BEHAVIORAL LOSS OF CONTROL WITHIN A FAMILY SYSTEM. IN EACH CASE, COMMON PATTERNS AND UNIQUE VARIATIONS WERE OBSERVED. IN EACH FAMILY, THE SPOUSE SYSTEM WAS DYSFUNCTIONAL, WITH THE TYPE OF DYSFUNCTION BASED ON EITHER LACK OF COMPLEMENTARITY, HOSTILE COMPLEMENTARITY, OR DOMINANT-SUBMISSIVE COMPLEMENTARITY. IN EACH FAMILY, THE PARENTAL SUBSYSTEM HAD BECOME WEAKENED AS A FUNCTION OF PROBLEMS IN THE SPOUSE SUBSYSTEM. FINALLY, IN EACH FAMILY, THE SIBLING SUBSYSTEM PLAYED A ROLE IN DETERMINING THE STATUS OFFENSE, PRIMARILY THROUGH STRONG IDENTIFICATION OF THE YOUNG STATUS OFFENDER WITH OLDER SIBLINGS WHO REINFORCED THE STATUS OFFENSE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS IS A VALUABLE ASSESSMENT TOOL BECAUSE IT PLACES THE STATUS OFFENSES IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF SEVERAL INTERACTING SUBSYSTEMS, AND SHOWS AREAS THAT NEED CHANGING IN ORDER TO DEVELOP SELF-CONTROL IN ADOLESCENTS. FOOTNOTES AND SEVEN REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DEG)