In the described framework, individual assessments are often ______, whereas marriage and family therapy is ______.

• A. linear; systemic
• B. systemic; linear
• C. both linear
• D. neither linear nor systemic

Answer: (A)

Assessments of individuals are typically linear, treating factors as discrete steps in a cause-and-effect sequence. In contrast, marriage and family therapy works from a systemic perspective, understanding problems as patterns of interaction within the family or relational network rather than as isolated issues in one person. This contrast explains why the fit is linear for individual assessments and systemic for marriage and family therapy. A linear approach helps identify direct contributors to a person’s symptoms, guiding targeted, individual-focused interventions. A systemic approach looks at how communication, boundaries, roles, and feedback loops within the family shape and maintain the problem, guiding interventions that change relational patterns rather than just one member’s behavior. The other possibilities don’t capture this contrast: systemic for individual assessments would shift the focus to the network around the person, while linear for MFT would miss the interdependency central to that modality.