CIRCUMPLEX MODEL

Oslon Circumplex model

 The model conceptualizes on:

 Flexibility

 Cohesion

 Communication skills - that define family interactions.

 Describes family and couple dynamics - specifically designed

for clinical assessment, treatment planning and research on
outcome effectiveness of marital and family therapy.

 Suggests “balanced levels of cohesion” and “flexibility are

most conducive to healthy family functioning”.

 Conversely – “unbalanced levels of cohesion” and “flexibility

are associated with problematic family functioning”.
 DIMENSIONS OF CIRCUMPLEX MODEL
Flexibility:

 Examining the amount of change that is possible in leadership, role

relationships and family rules.

 Too little Flexibility Rigidity

 Too much Flexibility Chaos.

Cohesion:

 Balance between family members - independence and their

togetherness

 Too much Closeness Enmeshment

 Too much Separateness Disengagement

Communication skills:

 Facilitating skill - more functional levels of flexibility and cohesion.

 Balanced levels of engagement - score higher on measures of

listening skills, self-disclosure, demonstrating respect and regard in
communication.
 DIMENSIONS OF FLEXIBILITY

Chaotic Flexible Structured Rigid

Lack of Shared Leadership Authoritarian
leadership leadership sometimes leadership
shared

Erratic discipline Democratic Somewhat Strict discipline

discipline democratic
discipline

Dramatic role Role-sharing Roles stable Roles seldom

shifts change change

Too much Change when Change when Too little change

change necessary demanded

Unbalanced Balanced Balanced Unbalanced

 DIMENSIONS OF COHESION

Disengaged Separated Connected Enmeshed

‘I’ ‘I - We' ‘I - We' 'We'

Little closeness Low-moderate Moderate-high Very high

closeness closeness closeness

Little loyalty Some loyalty High loyalty Very high loyalty

High Interdependent Interdependent High

independence (more (more dependency
independence) dependence)

Unbalanced Balanced Balanced Unbalanced

INTEGRATED MODEL
 APPLICATION
The model is particularly useful when working with families or couples who
are entrenched in their positions to explain that the situation doesn't have to
be black or white, all or none but visibly illustrates the ‘shades of grey' that
lie between the simple considerations of ‘balanced' and ‘unbalanced'.

The Circumplex Model operates on the fundamental assumption that

families naturally progress through cycles of change in response to altered
environmental demands and the evolving needs of family members.

Case Study:
Steve and Sally were married and developed a flexibly enmeshed marriage.
Three years after their marriage they became parents. Sally resigned from her
teaching job. Because of the dependency needs of their child and their own
desire for mutual support in this transition period, their family
became structurally connected.

The family power structure shifted from being husband-dominant to a more

shared pattern. They moved on adaptability from a structured type to flexible.

Sally exercised much more control in the relationship than previously and they
were struggling, almost on a weekly basis, to redefine the rules and role
definitions that would govern their relationship.
THANK YOU!