Application 3: Cognitive-Behavioral vs. Structural Family Therapy

Select ONLY ONE of the following vignettes and compare and contrast a Cognitive-Behavioral Family Therapy assessment with a Structural Family Therapy assessment.

Vignette #1

Judy, a 42-year-old divorcee, and her adopted 16-year-old son, Sam, have been referred by the probation department following Sam’s involvement in a series of petty thefts. Judy states, “Sam has always been difficult but is getting worse.” She reports that she can’t sleep at night because she is so worried about him. She wishes he would be more like her 15-year-old daughter, Susie. Judy says, “Sam is ruining our lives. I can t trust him. He stays out all night and is always rude and disrespectful to us.” Sam complains that his mother is unfair and always favors his sister. He says, “She hates me because my real mom was a drug addict. I wish I was never born. She just thinks Susie is perfect because she’s her real child – not adopted like me.”

Vignette #2

A mother of an only child, a 4-1/2-year-old girl, states that she and her daughter have an extremely close relationship. The girl and her mother go many places together and the child seems to prefer her mother’s companionship to that of children her own age. The child rarely expresses interest in visiting other children’s houses to play. The little girl has not attended preschool, but will be starting kindergarten in seven months. Mother says that the pediatrician suggested counseling at the child’s school physical, remarking that Mom might need some help with the upcoming separation process.