REPORTED FAMILY DYNAMICS AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY .2. REACTIONS OF MENTAL PATIENTS TO A DISTURBED FAMILY IN PSYCHOTHERAPY

REACTIONS OF HOSPITALIZED NEUROPSYCHIATRIC SS WERE COMPARED AFTER EXPOSURE TO A FILM DEPICTING A DISTURBED PATTERN OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A MOTHER, FATHER, SCHIZOPHRENIC SON, AND PSYCHOTHERAPIST. AS HYPOTHESIZED, THE FOLLOWING RESULTS OCCURRED: (1) 16 ADEQUATELY ADJUSTED, SS MADE FEWER ERRORS WHEN ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FILMED INTERACTION, AND ATTRIBUTED MORE PATHOLOGY TO THE FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE FILM; AND (2) THE MORE PATHOLOGY THAT SS ATTRIBUTED TO THEIR OWN PARENTS, THE LESS ACCURATELY THEY ANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE FILM, AND THE LESS PATHOLOGICAL THEY RATED THE BEHAVIOR OF THE FAMILY IN THE FILM. RESULTS ARE CONSISTENT WITH THEORIES THAT LINK ADULT PSYCHOPATHOLOGY TO REPEATED FAILURES IN INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WHICH PRESUMABLY ORIGINATE IN AN EXAGGERATED OVERATTACHMENT BETWEEN CHILDREN AND PARENTS. (18 REF.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1968 American Psychological Association.