Please answer these questions about your family. "Family" here means all people you consider family: All those members, relatives and even friends who are just like family members. Family are the people you feel emotionally close to or get upset about. They may live in your household or live elsewhere but have close ties with you.
Keeping your family in mind, please follow these instructions:
Of each group of three statement choose the one that is most like your family by placing X in that box. If there are two that fit, choose the best one.
| #1 | C | Our family is generally happy. | There is anger or sadness in our family. | People in our family don't show feelings much. |
| 3 | 1 | 2 | ||
| #2 | SM | We never agree about who in the family should have the right to do what. | Sometimes a member in our family is careless and/or inconsiderate. | We usually don't think of ourselves, but think of others in the family as well. |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| #3 | I | If there is work to be done in the community we sometimes help if the work helps our family | If there is work to be done in the community we usually don't participate because we don't feel part of it. | If there is work to be done in the community we like to contribute. |
| 2 | 1 | 3 | ||
| #4 | SC | We are not happy because we are stuck in a neighborhood in which we don't want to be. | We like our neighborhood because people around us are friendly. | Our neighborhood is bad and we have to protect ourselves from what's going on out there. |
| 2 | 3 | 1 | ||
| #5 | C | Our family is generally happy. | Our family is like most others; we have our ups and downs. | Our family unity if not much to speak of; most families seem to harmonize better than ours. |
| 3 | 2 | 1 | ||
| #6 | SM | People in our family that nobody understands. | People in our family sometimes feel misunderstood. | We know when something is wrong with one of us. |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| #7 | I | We participate in activities that the community, church or school offer because we like to be part of what's happening. | We don't have time or energy to be involved in community, church, or school activities. | We sometimes take part in a community, church, or school activity, if someone asks us to come along. |
| 3 | 1 | 2 | ||
| #8 | SC | It would be easy to ask our friends for help since they care about us. | Asking for help in a community organization or a church would be easier than to ask our friends. | If we should need help we would have nowhere to go. |
| 3 | 2 | 1 | ||
| #9 | SM | A serious problem in our family causes disagreement and pain. | If we have a serious problem, we all think about it very differently. | If we have a serious problem, we all face it together. |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| #10 | C | Some members in our family do all the work and others do nothing. | Everyone in the family is as helpful as possible so that the work gets done. | Some family members could be more helpful. |
| 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| #11 | SM | Somebody often disagree about the way decisions are made. | Our family has a good way of making decisions. | We cannot reach decisions without hurt feelings. |
| 2 | 3 | 1 | ||
| #12 | I | We don't trust organizations like the schools or the work place; we usually keep quiet and do our own thing. | If we have trouble with organizations like the schools or the work place, we fight for our rights. | If we have problems with organizations like the schools or the work place, we usually talk about it with the people involved. |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| #13 | SC | Most of our friends do not understand our problems if we tell them. | We can share problems with our friends since they are helpful. | We don't tell family problems to friends. |
| 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| #14 | SM | Our family would be better off had it not been for some problems we have had. | Problems have caused much unhappiness in our family. | Our family has learned lessons from problems we have had. |
| 2 | 1 | 3 | ||
| #15 | C | Our family is very opinionated. | Even very unusual opinions are respected. | We can't say what we really think. |
| 2 | 3 | 1 | ||
| #16 | SM | 16. In our family we don't really care about each other. | In our family we make independent decisions. | We feel very close in our family. |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| #17 | SC | We never decide anything on our own. | In our family we make independent decisions. | We ask for the family's approval to make personal decisions. |
| 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| #18 | C | We rather stay away from the family. | Basically, our family makes us feel safe and happy. | We have some moments when being with family members feels good and at other times we would rather not be with them. |
| 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| #19 | SM | We don't pay much attention to special events. | Our family has nothing to celebrate. | Our family has a traditional way of celebrating events. |
| 2 | 1 | 3 | ||
| #20 | SC | We are free to be ourselves. | Some of us would like more freedom. | We have to do as we are told. |
| 3 | 2 | 1 | ||
Scoring Instructions
Stability: C (Coherence) plus SM (System Maintenance)
Add 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18, and 19.
Growth: I (Individuation) plus SM (System Change)
Add 3, 4, 7, 8, 12, 13,17, and 20
Control: SM (System Maintenance) plus SC (System Change)
Add 2, 4, 6, 8, 9,11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, and 20
Spirituality: (Connectedness): C (Coherence) plus I (Individuation)
Add 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, and 18
Family Effectiveness: Total Score
Add all items
