Tamura T, Lau A
Faculty of Education, Tokyo Gakugei University, Japan.
Fam Process. 1992 Dec;31(4):319-40. doi: 10.1111/j.1545-5300.1992.00319.x.
This article, a product of the two authors' multicultural experiences, contrasts British and Japanese families in order to examine the applicability of the Western model of family therapy to Japanese families and therapists. Areas where the Western model is incompatible are identified, and modifications to fit the Japanese indigenous model are suggested. The most significant difference in value systems between the two cultures is the Japanese preference for connectedness. The Japanese person is seen as a part of the embedded interconnectedness of relationships, whereas British norms prioritize separateness and clear boundaries in relationships, individuality, and autonomy. This value orientation is manifested in the Japanese language, hierarchical nature of the family structure, the family life cycle, and the implicit communication style. Systemic thinking, which deals with the pattern of relationships, is valid for all families regardless of cultural differences. But therapists should note that the preferred direction of change for Japanese families in therapy, is toward a process of integration--how a person can be effectively integrated into the given system--rather than a process of differentiation. An authoritative therapist style, the use of individual sessions, silence, and other nonverbal techniques are relevant to bringing about the desired change toward better integration of the individual with his or her networks.
本文是两位作者多元文化经历的产物，通过对比英国家庭和日本家庭，来探讨西方家庭治疗模式对日本家庭及治疗师的适用性。文中指出了西方模式不相容的领域，并建议做出修改以适应日本本土模式。两种文化在价值体系上最显著的差异在于日本人对联系性的偏好。日本人被视为关系中内在相互联系的一部分，而英国的规范则优先考虑关系中的独立性和明确界限、个性及自主性。这种价值取向体现在日语、家庭结构的等级性质、家庭生命周期以及隐含的沟通方式中。处理关系模式的系统思维对所有家庭都适用，无论文化差异如何。但治疗师应注意，在治疗中，日本家庭所倾向的改变方向是走向整合的过程——即一个人如何能有效地融入既定系统——而不是分化的过程。一种权威性的治疗师风格、使用个别治疗、沉默及其他非言语技巧，对于促使个体更好地融入其人际关系网络从而实现预期改变是相关的。
