Family Systems Theory: Integrative Research Case Presentation The family system in the west seems well entrenched and a closely knit unit. Yet, they are not without stigma. Their norms do not align with normative, ethical demeanor and there have been interventions to correct on various occasions. Irresponsible, Feckless and welfare scroungers are some of the adjectives they have often earned for their behavior. The interventionists have also tried to suggest families in the west through subtle messaging via various media forums like advertisements and articles in the magazines, films, TV; and also through measures like the decor at home reminding them about the expectations of a social life. (Dallos & Draper, 2013).

Such interventionists have also tried to spread their messages through professional networks too, making the expectations of the society known through various platforms. Family workers work in different ways to help the western families understand the importance of aligning with the modern society and its values. Many models seek to approach the percepts of these families. It is common knowledge that the general perception of families about their own systems is a vital ingredient while designing therapies and corrective measures. All the different models and systems developed by professionals working in these areas obviously have many similar concerns. These concerns are also well-known to the societies they are applied to and the expectations from the professional family workers are strong. Many of the concepts are already known; as a result, they are aware of what to expect and what they can demand as help (Dallos & Draper, 2013). This essay researches the Malfoy family in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows through an integrative approach (Heyman & Yates, 2010, 2011).

Assessment of the Malfoy family

Though they live under the same roof, the Malfoy's do not function as a normal family. There is a total disconnect within the family. Lucius Malfoy is the father, Narcissa Black Malfoy - the mother, and their only son, Draco Lucius Malfoy. The father- Lucius Malfoy is very strict and dominates all functions within the family. He is very demanding. He belongs to the upper crest in the society and is a pureblood of which very conscious and expects his son to emulate the behavior befitting a Death Eater. To that end, he goes as far as to abuse and torture his son, Draco, physically and psychologically. The chief of the circle of Death Eaters is Lord Voldemort and Lucius is in the coterie (Heyman & Yates, 2011).

The extended family on the mother, Narcissa side- She has two sisters, one Bellatrix Black Lestrange too married a pure blood like Narcissa whereas the third sister Andromeda Black Tonks married into Muggleborn family, a member of The Order of the Phoenix, which opposed and carried a tirade against Lord Voldemort. Whereas Bellatrix chose to become a Death Eater officially, Narcissa did not become one. Narcissa however supported the cause of her husband and by consequence the pure bold movement of Lord Voldemort. Narcissa cares about her family and chooses to express her concern to Lord Voldemort, albeit through subterfuge (Heyman & Yates, 2011).

Draco has turned into a bully while at school. He is very rude to fellow students who do not belong to the elite sections of the society and are not pure blood descendants like him. At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he is known to be tormentor of all those who do not belong to his social status. His upbringing and affluent family background make him a vain. Also being the only child, he has inherited the power and vanity of an upper class and looks down upon others as inferior beings unfit of his (Heyman & Yates, 2011).

Intervention

Structural family therapy model

While treating through structural family therapy, families are viewed as interdependent subsystems that have their own independent workings. The subsystems comprise of grandparents' subsystem, parental/spousal subsystem, adult/child subsystem, siblings' subsystem, and an extended family subsystem (Dallos and Draper, 2013). Each subsystem has affectations on its own members and, is also influenced by the other sub-systems and its members too. There are defined parameters and properly demarcated roles that keep the family systems in place (Minuchin, 1974). The family members operate and take actions within the limitations and rights assigned by the demarcations. These emotional, psychological, and moral parameters and boundaries are crucial to the sustenance of the family structure in the western familial construct. It is the support structure that helps the family maintain its integrity from outside influences (Barker and Chang,...

These sub-systems formed by the tacit understanding within sub-systems and family members help them distinguish between outsiders and family members in times of crucial family gatherings, conflicts as well as other private functions and concerns (Avc? et al., 2015).
Families embrace changes as per demands of times and situations while keeping the basic structure and hierarchy intact. This helps them be sure of the roles of each member regarding decisions to be taken and the limitations one needs to exercise while facing concerns and issues that crop up inevitably from time to time. The responsibility of taking crucial decisions need to be well defined towards integrity of the family system according to Minuchin (1974). Salvador Minuchin and colleagues have stated that in the growing up stage children are best supported by a collaborative, concerted effort of parents and caregivers (Dallos & Draper, 2013)

Therapeutic orientations

In this kind of situation (that are not rare) a child gets drawn into a conflict arising out of differences between parents. It is often observed that the child is drawn into taking sides either in conflict situations or issues arising out of behavioral tendencies. This makes the child take up adult role temporarily inadvertently that may soon turn into a habit. Such a deposition is in contrast to the care and attention; his peers at home must give the child at his stage of life. Such developments are prone to create an imbalance in the family structure. Therapies advice that the boundaries within the family members and sub-systems they belong to are well formed and adhered to with discipline. The subsystems in family can be formed through members in the adult/children subsystem, parental/couple subsystem, the grandparent subsystem, the sibling subsystem, and other extended family members. The need for boundaries between sub-systems is vital for sustenance of the family construct. Transgressions are often observed in between generations, for example grand parents seeking to impose their wishes over the grandchildren that stand in the way of the parents' expectations of their children. The parents might seem to lose their authority over their children and hence their authority in such an instance (Dallos & Draper, 2013)

The concept of boundaries also needs to be understood well. The subsystems and members should not be too involved on one hand as in being indecipherable from each other (and thereby overriding their independence by interventions nor should they be so disengaged that it becomes difficult for each to access others whenever need arises, implying that boundaries within sub-systems need to be flexible and afford considerate space (Minuchin,1974). A very common example is when parents keep speaking for the child and thereby imposing their own thoughts as the child's own even if the child has differing opinions on the same issues or situations. Disengagement in the family relations could cause discord inadvertently; one's actions or sayings could hurt or belittle other's stature. This would imply that there is a disconnect of feelings amongst the members of the family which could hurt the family as a whole in times of crisis when the family members need to stand by each other to thwart the disruption. Each member could take an independent stance without taking into others' the feelings (Dallos & Draper, 2013)

The discussed situations are polar opposites but have the same end result- that of inability to function effectively as a unit in the face of external pressures. Each member starts showing symptoms of change in the organizational structure of the family. Once the organizational order is restored, the individual workers start acting in cohesion instead of against each other that leads to the common goal of welfare and well-being of the child, for example. Given such familial support helps the child to ward off ungainly symptoms consequently. Suitable and favorable organizational changes thus help members of the family to evolve wholly and mature in a more cogent manner (Tanner-Smith et al., 2013).

There are certain assumptions about family structure that lead to it being stable in the percept of therapeutic orientation. In certain unbalanced systems the affectations may not be apparently visible until late critical situations arise. The family may falter when coping with as late as his/her adolescent stage or even later. For example, when the child needs to make an independent living, the individual may find it difficult to adjust to conditions. Till such times, even triangulation (a situation where the child is drawn apart by parents' affectations) the family may mange to control the situation. The family should be able to make space…