What term is associated with strategic family therapy and refers to a change in who's in control in the family?

What term is associated with strategic family therapy and refers to a change in who's in control in the family?

• A. Enmeshment
• B. Incongruous Hierarchy
• C. Role Reversal
• D. Boundary Shift

Answer: (B)

In strategic family therapy, the focus is on how control and influence are distributed within the family and how changing those boundaries can disrupt problematic patterns. The idea of a boundary shift captures a deliberate redefinition of who holds authority and where limits lie among family members. When boundaries are shifted, the therapist aims to reorganize power dynamics, making room for healthier interactions and preventing the same problems from continuing. Enmeshment describes overly diffuse, non-clear boundaries that limit individual autonomy, so it’s not about changing control itself. An incongruous hierarchy points to mismatched power rules within the family, but it’s more about a dysfunction to fix rather than the specific act of shifting who holds control. Role reversal is a particular form of boundary issue where a child assumes a parental role; while it involves a change in control, boundary shift is the broader intervention concept that encompasses altering the distribution of authority across the family system.

In strategic family therapy, the focus is on how control and influence are distributed within the family and how changing those boundaries can disrupt problematic patterns. The idea of a boundary shift captures a deliberate redefinition of who holds authority and where limits lie among family members. When boundaries are shifted, the therapist aims to reorganize power dynamics, making room for healthier interactions and preventing the same problems from continuing.

Enmeshment describes overly diffuse, non-clear boundaries that limit individual autonomy, so it’s not about changing control itself. An incongruous hierarchy points to mismatched power rules within the family, but it’s more about a dysfunction to fix rather than the specific act of shifting who holds control. Role reversal is a particular form of boundary issue where a child assumes a parental role; while it involves a change in control, boundary shift is the broader intervention concept that encompasses altering the distribution of authority across the family system.