Circumplex Model: Curvilinearity Using Clinical Rating Scale (CRS) and FACES III.

The article compares the Clinical Rating Scale (CRS) and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES III), derived from the Circumplex Model used in family assessment. The Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems is an attempt to bridge family theory, research, and practice. Two central dimensions of family behavior are integrated in the model: family cohesion and family adaptability. The two dimensions with their four levels are arranged into the two-dimensional Circumplex Model, which yields 16 possible combinations of cohesion and adaptability. The four types in the center of the model are called "balanced" because they are hypothesized to be most viable for healthy family functioning. The four extremes are generally seen as most problematic in terms of family functioning. Until recently, practitioners primarily used self-report questionnaires when they relied on assessment instruments at all. The results of the present study suggest that the Clinical Rating Scale (CRS) is a very useful observational instrument that is derived from a theoretical model (Circumplex Model) and that has excellent reliability and validity.