Model kołowy systemu małżeńskiego i rodzinnego w opracowaniu D. H. Olsona i współpracowników oraz narzędzia jego pomiaru

Abstract

The aim of the present paper is to present The Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems compiled by D. H. Olson and his co-workers that is his operationalization of the scale The Flexibility and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES IV). The model allows to characterize relations within a married couple and within a family in the aspect of three dimensions: cohesion, flexibility, communication. Cohesion refers to emotional bonds between the members of the family, and flexibility to managing the family, its organization, division of roles, rules of relations and negotiations. Communication is a dimension that makes it easier for the family to maintain or to change the desirable level of cohesion an flexibility. With the help of the Polish language version of the FACES IV scale a research was conducted that included 224 parents from families in whose functioning no disturbances were found, and 44 parents coming from dysfunctional families. The obtained data point that the FACES IV scale may constitute a valuable tool for measuring the family viewed as a social system and it is important to continue validating work on it.