MFT Exam - MRI Group

MRI Group: Change that occurs at the behavioral level only regarding family patterns of interaction.

The MRI Group (Mental Research Institute), founded by Don Jackson with contributors like Gregory Bateson, Virginia Satir, Jay Haley, John Weakland, Paul Watzlawick, and Richard Fisch, is part of the Classical Schools of Family Therapy. This ahistorical, brief therapy model focuses on current interaction patterns rather than past events. The core idea is that problems persist because families “do more of the same” ineffective solutions. Therapy aims for second-order change—a true shift in the system’s structure, not just behavior modification. The therapist takes full responsibility for guiding change, often using paradoxical interventions such as prescribing the symptom or restraining progress, to disrupt resistance. Sessions follow a six-step problem-solving process and may end once symptom relief occurs, even after a single session. Key concepts include first- vs. second-order change, report and command functions, and viewing the problem as the attempted solution to help families break rigid, self-perpetuating cycles.

MRI Group:
In MRI Systemic Therapy, this term refers to the problem in families being a failure to appropriately respond to normal life circumstances, making the attempted solution to the problem the problem. Families falling into this pattern end up doing “more of the same” behavior, meaning that they do more of the failed solution as opposed to trying a different solution.

MRI Group:
Paradoxical interventions were typically prescribed through out-of-session directives; that is, instructing the clients to engage in behavioral change outside of the session as opposed to in the here-and-now of the session.

MRI Group:
Interventions used to address the concept that families are naturally resistant to change. They either involve instructing the family not to change, or to change in ways that contradict their desired change. Now, the family’s natural resistance to change will promote them to rebel against the directive to not change, thereby experiencing the initial desired change.

MRI Group:
A paradoxical intervention of pushing a family member further into the absurdity of their initial position, thereby making them realize their own absurdity.

MRI Group:
A paradoxical intervention through instructing client’s to intentionally engage in the behavior they wish to change. They may either rebel against the therapist’s directive and experience desired change, or comply with the therapist’s directive and become aware of their control over choosing to continually engage in the undesirable behavior.

MRI Group:
In MRI Systemic Therapy, the therapist traditionally assesses that the problem is not the problem, but the attempted solutions to fix the problem reinforces the interactional behavioral sequence.
*MRI Systemic Approach

MRI Group:
Every communication has two components, report (i.e. the content of the message) and command (a message about the relationship).
*MRI Systemic Approach

MRI Group:
A paradoxical intervention when clients come in reporting that therapy has been effective and that they are experiencing change, the therapist encourages them to slow down, and cautions them about the risk of changing too fast.

MRI Group: Change that occurs at the level of family beliefs or rules that govern patterns of interaction.