The Werner family of four consists of mom and dad, married for 25 years; a son (age 14) and a daughter (age 12). The son is identified as the “client,” as he is having behavioral and academic issues at school. The daughter is a “straight-A” student and receives constant praise from the parents. The parents constantly fight verbally, which is in part due to dad drinking excessively and mom spending excessive amounts of time with her own mother, often relying on her for family advice and financial support.
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• Describe two family roles and one boundary violation that would apply to this family.
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Two family roles that would apply to this family are the "identified patient" and the "scapegoat" roles. The son, who is identified as the "client," is fulfilling the role of the identified patient as he is the focus of attention due to his behavioral and academic issues. He may be seen as the one with problems that need to be fixed and may bear the brunt of blame for the family's dysfunctions. The daughter, on the other hand, is fulfilling the scapegoat role as she receives constant praise from the parents and is seen as the perfect child. This role may serve as a way for the parents to deflect attention from their own issues and conflicts by focusing on the daughter's successes.
One boundary violation that can be observed in this family is the excessive reliance of the mother on her own mother for family advice and financial support. While seeking advice and support from extended family members can be healthy, excessively relying on them to the extent that it affects the functioning of the nuclear family can be considered a boundary violation. This boundary violation may impact the balance of power within the family and hinder the development of autonomy and independence. It can prevent the parents from effectively addressing their own issues and taking full responsibility for their roles as parents and partners.