Multiple family narrative therapy complex dyadic reciprocity: The family narratives among Chinese families of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Abstract

Multiple family narrative therapy (MFNT) has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing the psychological distress of parents, strengthening the perceived link between child and parents, and promoting family resilience and the parent-child relationship among Chinese families who have a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a novel method that integrates Multiple Family Therapy and Narrative Therapy to ensure therapeutic results amidst high levels of conflict in the parent-child relationship. However, little research has been done on the lived experiences of individuals involved in MFNT and the complex dynamical processes that drive positive change in such cases. In this study, we use narrative analysis methods to examine the perceived transformations in parent-child dyads who participated in a four-week intervention with MFNT. The qualitative study consists of 12 family interviews with 30 Chinese participants; that is, 18 parents and 12 children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Our findings reveal the complex evolving process of dyadic reciprocity across the interfamilial, individual, andintrafamilial domains, with an overarching narrative of enhanced harmony in parent-child interactions. The three major domains that contribute to this process are interfamilial connectedness, individual broaden-and-build effect, and intra familial repositioning effect. Three central aspects of social-emotional, behavioral, and cognitive aspects are found in the individual domain: from despair to hope, from opposition to connection, and from ignorance to informed. This research contributes to family work in social work, and supports social workers in providing morecomprehensive and culturally sensitive support for these families.