Family
Interactions
Philip
Objective:
The
study
clinical clinics;
problems? Method: the C. Henry Kempe
and
Neglect
a child
seen
were
selected
f amily
was
f erentiate
two
to
types
a dysfunctional
inability
(AmJ
to nurture
Psychiatry
some degree, all studies to explain a family system the sexual abuse of a child.
sexual
abuse
(1-5)
is replete
anecdotal descriptions which incest occurs.
families.
Williams
and
and
Timberlawn
scale
coalition,
Finkelhor
was
of affect. constructed,
agreed
interview.
independently Scale to assess
The
parental
psychodynamic
and
in families in there have
(6),
however,
re-
studies
that
interactions (7-10) have provided the characteristics of family functhe Beavers-Timberlawn Family rates a family’s functioning along continuum by looking at variables power structure, mythology (perskill in negotiating, promotion of
handling
All families
a structured
incestuous
in family
several unpublished in incest families.
Studies of family means for assessing tioning. In particular, Evaluation Scale (7) a health-pathology related to a family’s ception of reality),
autonomy,
the
reports of systematic or direct obof patterns of interaction in incest
viewed and analyzed examined interactions
the nonincest of these
families
settings,
each
30 families
to participate. The
Each
interviews
were
by two of the authors, interactional behaviors
incest
families’
dysfunctional
behavior were neglect and emotional
patterns
a rigid family unavailability,
belief and
members.
148:46-49)
of relationships To our knowledge,
been no published servational studies
and
In each
were rated Evaluation
of incest must attempt that allows and tolerThe literature on child
with
incest,
clinic.
Conclusions:
maintain
autonomy
1991;
Scoyk, M.D., D.C.H.
incest families were significantly more dysfunctional in all The distribution of power within a family did not dif-
of families. parental
with
during
segments Family
Families
What are the interactional patterns in differ from those offamilies with other the study were chosen from two outpatient for the Prevention and Treatment of Child
for evaluation.
to perform
and
and Nonincest
patterns
psychiatry
of referral
tasks
support
these
to families
child
Results: The of family interaction.
the
seemed
the
access
family.
area
system,
two
questions,
Do
The families for National Center
and 15-20-minute the Beavers-Timberlawn
one
that
the and
provided
in the order
each
but
occurs?
in a university
given
videotaped, who used within
incest
Incest
M.S.W., Susan Van Jones, M.R.C.Psych.,
addressed
in which
had
ates
G. Madonna, and David P.H.
families
Abuse
T
Within
When
ity was established first, and then each of the 13 interaction scales was correlated with an independent rating of overall family health/pathology. The scale correlations ranged from 0.30 to 0.79 across a spectrum
of
103
competence lations
families,
who
to severe was
significant
ranged
from
dysfunction.
Each
in predicting
overall
high
levels
of the
of
corre-
functioning
at a probability level of