Systemic Family Therapy-Circular Questioning is best described as a technique in which

• A. One family member dominates the conversation.
• B. Each family member comments on the behavior and interactions of others.
• C. Focus on the presenting symptom.
• D. Blaming a specific member.

Answer: (B)

Circular questioning in systemic family therapy centers on eliciting how each family member perceives and comments on the behaviors and interactions of others. By inviting multiple viewpoints about the same situation, the therapist maps the feedback loops and reciprocal influences that maintain patterns of interaction. This makes invisible dynamics visible and helps the family see that problems arise from how people relate to one another, not from a single person. The approach promotes understanding and reduces blaming, since each member’s perspective is heard and the focus shifts to the relational context.

This differs from focusing on the presenting symptom, which seeks to address a concrete problem in isolation, or from blaming a specific member, which reinforces a linear, individual-centered view. It also counters the idea that one person should dominate the conversation, since circular questioning actively draws in various members’ observations about each other.