Thomas M. Gehring

Family-System-Test (FAST): a three dimensional approach to investigate family relationships.

The Family-System-Test is a method for quantitatively measuring family relationships, which are represented on a board subdivided in 81 square fields by sexually differentiated figures with dots for eyes and cubes of different heights to vary their size. In a pilot study this test was found to be useful for diagnostic, therapeutic, and research purposes.

Adolescents' Perceptions of Family Cohesion and Power: A Methodological Study of the Family System Test

This study evaluates the psychometric properties of the Family System Test (FAST), a figure placement technique designed to represent cohesion and power in the family. The FAST assesses cohesion by distances between figures on a board, and power by height of blocks on which figures are elevated. Cohesion and power scores are derived for the family as a unit, and its various subsystems, including the marital, cross-generational and sibling dyads. The predominantly White, middle-class sample consisted of 137 early adolescents and 130 midadolescents who portrayed their family under three conditions in typical, ideal, and conflict situations. To establish stability all early adolescents and 28 of the midadolescents were seen twice, one week apart. An additional 20 midadolescents were seen four months later. To establish convergent and discriminant validity subjects completed the FACES III and the cohesion and control subscales of the FES. To establish construct validity the data from the FAST were examined as to their consistency with both developmental and family system perspectives. The FAST demonstrated test-retest stability, near-independence of cohesion and power dimensions, as well as convergent and construct validity. In general, psychometric properties of the FAST were better for midadolescents than for early adolescents. Advantages of the FAST as a research and clinical tool are discussed.

Socio-psychosomatic dysfunctions: A case study

Based on an ecosystemic approach to child psychiatry, mental disturbances are characterized as socio-psychosomatic dysfunctions. The patient is seen as an interdependent part of a larger biosocial, physical, and cultural system. Consequently, therapeutic activities do not focus on the defined patient. Through case study the relevance of an integrative, system orientated, problem-solving strategy is illustrated.

Is There a Relationship between Children's Mental Disorders and Their Ideal Family Constructs?

Psychiatric outpatients (N = 72) and nonclinical children (N = 72) from 1st to 12th grades portrayed their families as they wished they were (ideal representation), using the Family System Test (FAST), a figure placement technique that focuses on cohesion and hierarchy. Results showed that constructs of ideal family relations were related to age group (1st to 3rd graders versus 4th to 12th graders) and to clinical status (clinical versus nonclinical) but not to the type of mental disorder. First, younger children portrayed less cohesion than did older ones. Second, clinical respondents were less likely to represent cohesive family patterns and were more likely to report ideal family situations as special events. Results are discussed from a developmental as well as from a family systems perspective.

Perceived stress and health-related outcomes in a Swiss population sample 1This research was supported by grants from the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, the Swiss Foundation of Health Promotion and the Swiss Federal Office of Sports.

This cross-sectional study aimed at analysing the perception of stress and its relation to health-related outcomes in the Swiss population. A sample drawn from this population included 992 participants aged 15 to 64 years. The interview covered socio-demographic data, perceived stress, psychological and somatic symptoms as well as perceived general health status. Patterns of stress were grouped into three categories. “Stressed” included persons who reported that they felt overwhelmed by stressful situations during the previous month. “Challenged” included those who reported that they experienced stressful situations but could manage those well. “Not stressed” consisted of respondents who did not experience stress. Results indicated that 38.6% of the sample reported being stressed, 33.3% challenged and 28.1% not stressed. Analysis of the distribution of perceived stress showed that, in particular, women, younger people, single parents, students and the self-employed felt stressed relatively often. In a log...

EVALUATION OF FAMILY STRUCTURES WITH FIGURE PLACEMENT TECHNIQUES

The relevance of figure placement techniques for analyzing family cohesion and hierarchy structures in various settings is described and the completion of further studies including these instruments is suggested.

Family System Test (FAST) : The relevance of parental family constructs for clinical intervention

On the basis of theFamily System Test (FAST), family representations of parents with healthy and biopsychosocially distressed children were compared, and family structure changes in the context of interventions on the parent-level were described. Results indicated that parental family constructs are related to offsprings health and clinical intervention. Parents of psychiatric patients showed their families to have low cohesion, and hierarchically unclear generational boundaries (i.e. unbalanced structure). As had been their wish at therapy onset, the family patterns they indicated after completion of treatment were balanced.