Evaluation of the Garf Measurement Scale for Family Therapies, Essay Example

Part A-What did you like and not like about the Yingling, etal book about the GARF Scale.

GARF or the Global Assessment of Relational Functioning as described by Yingling is highly dependent on how families ought to function altogether especially in consideration with its members. GARF is supposed to be a clinical rating scale that therapists and researchers need to complete in accordance with the therapeutic applications that they are considering for their clients. It is expected to be included with the other family-therapy tools that are supposed to give an indicative impact on how a particular case is evaluated by the experts. It specifically recognizes the function of three particular factors in a family namely the interactional, the organizational and the emotional scales of family climate. This approach then specifically provides the therapists to find a way to make a definite impact on how a particular case of a family could be dealt with depending on the different factors that impact their relationship between each other.

On the other end, it could be realized that the generality of the questions could impact the understanding of the clients as to which category their situation falls into. Notably, the families are expected to fill in the scale especially in recognition of their personal situations. The decision of a family member to tick on particular choice does not necessarily mean it is the actual situation of or her family. Perhaps a more specific set of choices could be utilized to impose on how one actually defines his or her being in reference to the specific cases that families are experiencing at present.

Part B- Present a persuasive case for including the GARF Scale within the multiaxial diagnosis format. Then present a persuasive case against including the GARF Scale within the multiaxial diagnosis format.

PRO-GARF Scale Application on Multiaxial Diagnosis Format

A dysfunctional family that is not able to indicate what specific issues they may be involved in at present especially with regards the relationship they have towards each other may benefit well in becoming more knowledgeable about their actual situations. Notably, it could be recognized that the application of GARF on this matter could help the therapist find a better way of identifying the problem hence becoming more capable of pointing out what particular problems ought to be given attention to and how they should be dealt with.

AGAINST-GARF Scale Application on Multiaxial Diagnosis Format

A family that has a specific problem and has a specific understanding on what they are dealing with naturally has some expectations on how their therapist would impose to assist them in their issues. At some point, if the definition of the situation is not included in the GARF measurement scale system, scaling the situation based on the problem actually realized by the family members would not be that easy to handle.

Part C-What do you really think about adding or excluding the GARF.

It is seems efficient enough to apply the GARF scale based on the cases that have no grounded foundation or understanding as to what is the primary source of the issue. It could be analyzed that the GARF scale model provides choices that could make the clients think of their situations and how they are supposed to understand the problems they are currently facing. On the other end, on cases when the family members are certain about what problems they are facing, a written assessment would suffice rather than a survey scale such as that of GARF.

Part D-Discuss why you think it is important and/or not important for clinicians to assess for relational functioning.

Relational functioning in family setups specifically point out how one relates to the other and how that particular connection affects the being of one. Considering such issues mainly create a connective indication on how family members interact between each other and how they intend to make a specific impact on each other’s characteristics and perception on the way they function alongside each other. The notable indication of family-growth could be accounted on how such relationships work within the family and towards its members provide a more definite course of definition on how one case could be dealt with by particular therapists handling the said issues. Hence, GARF scale measurement on family relational functioning is deemed to be important for application. However, it could be assumed that the application of such approach should be based on the situation being dealt with by the family [insisting on uncertain cases].

On the other end, cases with specific issues known by the family should be assessed using a more specific approach than that of the GARF scale. It is suggested that interview approaches should first be imposed when opting to use the GARF scale to make sure that the family being assessed need to undergo such measurement scale depending on the case that they are undergoing in the family.

References

Yingling, LC., Miller, W.E., McDonald, A.L., and Galewater, S.T.. (1998). GARF assessment sourcebook: Using the DSM-IV Global Assessment of Relational Functioning. Bristol, PA.: Brunner/Mazel.