Family Systems Intervention in Ordinary People (Film)

Introduction to the Jarrett Family

Ordinary People is the story of a family living in the aftermath of the tragic death of one of their sons, Buck. The death resulted from a boating accident. Soon after, Conrad — Buck's brother — attempted suicide. Following a four-month hospitalization, Conrad returns to school. The family lives in an upper-middle-class neighborhood in suburban Chicago. Calvin and Beth Jarrett are the parents of Buck and Conrad. The Jarretts try to appear to be getting on with their lives, but inside the home things are far from all right. Conrad has resumed therapy with Dr. Berger outside of the hospital, working to uncover the Jarretts' collective unhappiness. This leads to an examination of the overall family dynamic and the individual relationships within it.

Genogram of the Jarrett Family

A genogram is an effective means of representing relationships and family history that can assist in the diagnosis and treatment of familial conditions. The following represents the genogram of the Jarrett family as depicted in the film Ordinary People. The symbols used are derived from Margaret Phaneuf's "The Genogram, a Means of Enriching the Interview: Creation." The genogram expresses the familial relationships in the Jarrett family as they can be ascertained by watching the film. The relationship between Beth and Buck is considered intensely close, while the relationship between Beth and Conrad is strained. The relationship between Beth and Calvin is difficult to characterize — they are married at the beginning of the film but separated by its end.

Key symbols used in the genogram include the following: a specific symbol denotes suicide attempt; a dashed line represents a distant relationship; a solid line represents an intensely close relationship; and a standard line denotes marriage. Both Conrad and Calvin carry indicators of depression in the genogram.

Systematic Issues, Problems, and Family Dynamics

Family systems theory takes into account the complex systems that exist within the family structure and plays a key role in the development of individuals within the unit. Proper assessment of family dynamics is essential to successful intervention. The assessment helps identify systems and problems at play within the family. The family systems approach uses the genogram to allow for engagement and participation of family members, and enables the worker to examine relationships, family boundaries, and the variety and quality of connections to outside resources.

The family systems approach provides insight into who the family is, the roles within it and who performs them, family rules, communication patterns, relationship systems, major family events, the family network, and how the family fits into larger society (Missouri Department of Social Services, 2007). For the Jarrett family, the assessment is as follows.

The Jarrett family has four primary members: Beth, the mother; Calvin, the father; and their two sons, Buck and Conrad. Buck was killed in a boating accident while with his brother Conrad. Since Buck's death, it has become clear that Beth and Buck shared an intense relationship, while the relationship between Beth and Conrad is strained and tenuous. All family relationships were affected by Buck's death, and Conrad and Calvin have grown distant from one another.

The behavior that brought the family to the attention of service providers centered on the death of Buck. Following his death, Conrad blamed himself and attempted suicide, resulting in a four-month hospitalization. This event brought to the surface a range of family problems, including strained communication between Conrad and his mother Beth. Communication patterns are a central issue. Calvin believes that healing requires talking about the past, while Beth refuses to discuss it in an attempt to escape the pain. Through therapy, Conrad learns to talk about his emotions, which helps repair his relationship with Calvin as both become able to express their feelings.

Conrad does not always appreciate his father, yet Calvin never fails to attend to his son's needs. Beth appears somewhat jealous of the attention Calvin directs toward Conrad. She spends most of her time playing golf and managing the home. Though deeply troubled, she refuses to dwell outwardly on the past. Beth always seemed to prefer Buck to Conrad, for reasons that are never made explicit in the film. This preference affects her difficulty in relating to Conrad, as she avoids communicating with him on any level.

The family maintains traditional roles: Calvin works outside the home, Beth manages household responsibilities and plays golf, and Conrad participates in after-school activities such as swimming. Family rules are difficult to identify — the family has few formal rules and does not communicate effectively.

The family has few close friendships outside the home. They invest considerable effort in appearing normal to the community while internal tensions run high. Buck's death was the most significant event of recent years, and the Jarretts attempted to project the image that life simply continued. This effort at maintaining appearances culminated in significant tension that was outwardly expressed through Conrad's suicide attempt. The family does not function well as a system — they are disconnected in terms of communication, and power is unevenly distributed. Beth makes most of the decisions, while Calvin rarely resists her and Conrad has little input. Beth even berates Conrad for beginning therapy, viewing it as putting the family in a bad light.

Assessment Strategy

The most important part of the intervention plan involves the development of an appropriate assessment strategy. Bateson's Cybernetics model is the most widely used of the available strategies (Niolon, 1999). Erikson's approach held that the unconscious is full of wisdom and that one simply needs to provide access to it. The Milan Model was heavily influenced by the work of Bateson and other analysts of the era. Each of these theorists contributed strategies for assessment, treatment planning, and treatment of family systems.

The Mental Research Institute (MRI) approach was based on the assumption that families operate with common sense, but that their attempts to resolve problems are often misguided. They develop a positive feedback loop, and problems worsen. The solution using this approach involves identifying the feedback loop, finding the rules that govern it, and changing both the loops and the rules (Niolon, 1999).

Other models, such as those of Haley and Madanes, were concerned with the function served by a particular symptom. These theorists would study the system for months before determining interaction patterns and a plan of action, focusing primarily on power struggles between members and the costs and benefits of maintaining those struggles (Niolon, 1999). The extended duration of this assessment technique makes it unsuitable for the Jarretts, who are in immediate crisis and require timely intervention.

Haley and Madanes classify problems into four categories arising from: a desire to control and dominate; a desire to be loved; a desire to love and protect others; and a desire to repent and forgive (Niolon, 1999). For the Jarretts, communication is the core problem. However, in Conrad's case, the desire to love and protect others may be a key source of conflict. His guilt stems from his perceived inability to protect his brother. He may also have sought repentance and forgiveness for his perceived transgressions. Overall, the Haley and Madanes model is not a strong fit for this family's specific problems.

Three primary models exist for understanding the development of problems within families: the cybernetic approach, which allows for the creation of runaway positive feedback loops; structurally flawed family hierarchies; and the functional model, in which one member develops symptoms to exert control over others (Niolon, 1999). In the Jarrett case, all three types of problem sources are present. Runaway positive feedback loops exist in the family's compulsion to maintain an appearance of normalcy and in Beth's ongoing avoidance. The family has a structurally flawed hierarchy, evidenced by Beth's favoritism of Buck over Conrad. And Conrad developed symptoms — specifically the suicide attempt — that can be understood as a means of affecting the family dynamic. These three overlapping problem sources make the Jarrett case a complex clinical matter.

A key strength of the family is their independence, though this is simultaneously a weakness, as each member tends to manage problems in isolation. Calvin is the exception — he attempts to talk through his difficulties with other family members. Conrad learns to articulate his feelings through therapy. He also has informal support through friendships and school activities. It is presumed that Beth draws some support from her golf connections, and the family receives visits from grandparents during holidays. Nevertheless, family members largely address their problems as individuals rather than as a unit.

Information provided by the family is an important source of clinical data, but outside sources must not be overlooked. For instance, the worker may contact the school, neighbors, or others involved with the family to examine factors that may be influencing the current situation. The assessment plan will include contacting Conrad's school to gather information about his academic performance, attendance, and overall functioning.