Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Diagnosing Relationships With Spatial Distance: An Empirical Test Of A Clinical Principle, D. Russell Crane, David C. Dollahite, William Griffin, Vincent L. Taylor

Faculty Publications

Several family systems therapists have discussed the value of observing families' spatial relationships as an aid in diagnosing family structure and processes. For example, Haley (1976) notes that: "When the family members seat themselves, sometimes the organization of the family is clarified" (p. 18). Minuchin (1974) also discusses the same idea when he writes: "When the family sits down, the family therapist should pay attention to how they position themselves. Often their placement can give him some hunches about family affiliations" (p. 207). The general idea behind this concept is that families often reveal a good deal about themselves in …