Circumplex Model is attempted to bridge family research and practice. This model grew out of a review of over 50 concepts developed by various research, theory and practice. Two central dimensions of Circumplex Model are cohesion and cohesion and adap...
Circumplex Model is attempted to bridge family research and practice. This model grew out of a review of over 50 concepts developed by various research, theory and practice. Two central dimensions of Circumplex Model are cohesion and cohesion and adaptability. Cohesion is defined as the emotional bonding. Adaptability is defined as the flexibility of a family system to change its power structure, role relationships, and relationship rules in response to situational and developmental stress. The Circumplex Model's main hypothesis is the curvilinear of cohesion and adaptability. The ideal level of cohesion and adaptability is balanced level. Family who have "too much" or "too little" of these two dimensions are related to severe problems or dysfunction. Conversely a balanced level of cohesion and adaptability usually results in a more functional family. In the past decade, Curvilinear hypothesis was not empirically supported. FACES is self-report instrument that had a linear relationship with family functioning. Also FACESⅡ & FACESⅢ do not capture the high extreme of the dimension, and are linear rather than curvilinear measure. FACESⅣ is the latest revision of FACES series and can capture tow extremed levels of cohesion and adaptability.
The purpose of this study was to examine reliability and validity of reconstruct FACES using by FACES Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ. Specifically the study was intended 1) to explore the nature of family functioning by diverse family perceptions using family memberships as well as "normal" family and clinical families. 2) to examine construct validity, reliability and criterion-related validity. The main method of construct validity was factorial validity using factor analysis. Criterion-related validity was established by relationships of two-other measurement(family communication scale, family atmosphere scale), and was related to ability to distinguish between healthy family versus problem families.
Major findings were as follows:
1) Factor analysis showed that cohesion and adaptability consisted 3 factors(disengaged, connected, enmeshed / rigid, flexible, chaotic). Extremes on each dimension conceptually were opposite and they were uncorrelated with each other. Reconstructed FACES effectively predicted family function. Reliability coefficients of subscales ranged from .61∼.85.
2) In cohesion, connected groups functioned more effectively than disengaged and enmeshed groups. In adaptability, flexible groups functioned more effectively than rigid and chaotic groups. The family function of balanced family was higher than those of extremed families. Reconstructed FACES reflected Circumplex Model's Curvilinear hypothesis.
3) Normal family scored higher on connected and flexible subscale than problem families(problem-behavior family, adolescence delinquency family, clinical family). And problem families scored higher on extreme subscales than normal family. Normal family functioned more effectively than problem families. Reconstructed FACES could accurately distinguish between normal family and problem families.
Reconstructed FACES had good internal consistency, and construct & criterion-related validity.