Questions for the
"PROBLEM DEFINITION STAGE"
Of Multiple Family Group Therapy
©1994 by Lewis N. Foster
1. What is it that you want to see change about your family?
2. How do you see your role in your family?
3. What changes have taken place with your family since has been (using drugs/alcohol, been depressed, etc.)?
4. What concerns do you have for your family?
5. What do you want/expect from treatment?
6. What are you willing to do to help?
7. What have you done to work on the concerns so far? How did they work?
8. Are there any family members living in the home that are not here, but need to be here to help?
9. Is there anything about your family that embarrasses you?
10. What are some normal things that your family does?
11. In what ways have you covered up for your family and/or IP?
12. Does everyone agree that changes need to take place in the family?
13. Does everyone in the family have permission to say what they need to say in these meetings? If not, whom do you need to get permission from? Do it.
14. What does God know that you haven't shared? Can you share that?
15. How do you want your family to see you?
16. If the family makes changes, what will be different?
17. How do you see your relationship with your family members? (Use the Family Sculpt exercise)
18. How would you improve present relationships?
19. What effect is your family members' (presenting problem) having on you and others in the family?
20. As wife/husband what do you want/need from your spouse?
21. As father/mother what do you want/need from your partner?
22. As a child of the patient what do you need from your parent? (Ask IP what she/he needs from the child.)
23. As parents, what do you want for your child in treatment?
24. Do you provide any form of support to your (adult) son/daughter who is in treatment?
25. Who holds the purse strings in your family? Which parent can the IP get money from easier? Why?
26. How often do you see your adult child who is (presenting problem)?
27. What is different since your family member has been in treatment?
28. How do you rebuild the relationships that you say you want?
29. What type of relationship would you like to have with your family members? Tell them.
30. Ask each family member to share their perception of how each family member reacts when the identified patient (IP):
a. uses drugs/alcohol?
b. becomes angry?
c. doesn't come home at night?
e. fails to follow through with a promise?
f. makes demands?
g. asks for money or help?
h. gets into trouble with the legal system?
i. drives while intoxicated?
j. breaks family rules?
k. verbally, emotionally or physically abuses another family member?
l. refuses to go to work/school?
m. lets someone else take on their responsibilities?
31. Have the family ask the IP what goals she/he is focusing on in treatment. How is he/she progressing?
SUGGESTIONS
32. See the "Role of the Therapist in Multiple Family Group Therapy" (chart).
33. See the "Multiple Family Group Therapy Diagnostic Interview Outline."
34. See "Assessing The Family Dance" (chart). And see the Relapse or Recovery Chart.
35. See the "Multiple Family Group Therapy Evaluation & Session Guide" form.
36. Attend a Multiple Family Group Therapy workshop offered by the Multiple Family Group Therapy Resource Center and Training Institute. These workshops usually have role-play demonstrations included in the agenda.
37. Make arrangements to visit a Multiple Family Therapy Group