Reconstructing Family Rules: From the Satir Model to the I Tao: A Trainer's Interpretive Account of a Journeywith Participants of a Personal Growth Group in Hong Kong

This dissertation, "Reconstructing Family Rules: From the Satir Model to the I Tao: a Trainer's Interpretive Account of a Journeywith Participants of a Personal Growth Group in Hong Kong" by Yi-kum, Grace, Pau, 包意琴, was obtained from The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong) and is being sold pursuant to Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong License. The content of this dissertation has not been altered in any way. We have altered the formatting in order to facilitate the ease of printing and reading of the dissertation. All rights not granted by the above license are retained by the author. Abstract: Abstract Abstract of thesis entitled Reconstructing Family Rules -- From the Satir Model to the I Tao -- A Trainer's Interpretive Account of a Journey with Participants of a Personal Growth Group in Hong Kong by Pau Yi-Kum, Grace for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Hong Kong in November 2000. As Chinese, we often say: "Move one hair, and the whole body moves" (牽一髮動全身). While family rules affect individuals, they themselves are deeply cultural. Any attempt at change must take into account not only the reaction of other family members, but also reaction of significant others outside the family. In modern Hong Kong, many people still live under the influence of traditional collectivist Chinese culture, constrained to sacrifice 'small self' for 'big self', respect harmony and the hierarchical order, and practice filial piety and self-restraint. On the other hand, most therapeutic models we use are developed in individualist cultures of the West, where people are socialized to value individual freedom, equality, difference and personal fulfillment. Is use of these imported models appropriate here in Hong Kong? This study by a local practitioner-researcher chose to adopt the interpretive approach as its methodology. It narrated and reflected on the subjective experience of a group of Hong Kong secondary school teachers who participated in a four-day personal growth program. The researcher herself was trainer for the program and employed the Satir Model as its interpretive framework. Stories and data came from first-hand participant observation, in-program survey, and post-program individual interviews of selected participants. While the effectiveness of the Satir model in facilitating personal change and change in family rules was acknowledged, its limitations owing to individualist value assumptions were also recognized. While it was affirmed that the points of arrival - peace and unity in the universal life force -- of the Satir model and that of Chinese culture might be similar, the different emphases at their starting points respectively on hierarchical collectivist and egalitarian individualist values were also articulated. Instead of choosing to adopt 'in total' egalitarian individualist values and reject hierarchical collectivist 'hegemony', or submit to hierarchical collectivist demands and abandon all aspirations for egalitarian individualist values, the study proposed to adopt the I Tao as contained in the I Ching as a guiding principle for facilitating change. This means taking both collectivist and individualist needs into full consideration, giving respect both to self and to prevailing authority structure. It means also pursuing change in family rules within the context of harmony by "keeping in the medium," knowing how "to bend to move forward," acting from "a proper position," appealing to "principle of reciprocity," and "attending to the small and significant." The study ended with an account of how a male adult client was assisted with the I Tao perspective, as he struggled against his other family members, breaking a pattern of oppression in order to be himself, but at the same time maintaining a relationship with the family.