Change and Paradox in Family Therapy

This paper shows that when the interpersonal context in a family alters, solutions which have previously been successful may paradoxically increase the family's difficulties rather than resolve them. Therapy minors this process, in that when the family system is flexible, “commonsense” interventions may be effective, whereas with a rigid dysfunctional family system therapeutic interventions may be necessary which, among other things, paradoxically imply that no change is required. Some concepts derived from Watzlawick, Weakland and Fish are redefined and the mathematical group theory used by these authors is replaced by system theory in combination with the theory of logical types. A “behaviour disorder” family is used to illustrate the paradoxical mode of symptom development and also the use of a number of paradoxical therapeutic interventions. Possible reasons for the therapeutic power of these interventions are discussed; the concept of first and second order therapeutic paradoxes is introduced.