Family systems theory is a theory that perceives a family as an emotional unit and mainly bases its description of dynamic relationships to the system of thinking. According to the theory, family members are emotionally connected. The family affects the thoughts, actions, and feelings of its members. A member of a certain family would need to solicit support, attention, and approval from another member which brings interdependency within the family system. In this theory, the functioning changes of one family member affects the functioning of the entire family. As opined by Gehart (2014), the interdependency between members fosters cohesiveness and cooperation among family members. Bowen utilizes various concepts to figure out various ways in which families interact and how they solve problems. The family system theory assists people in explaining the impact of a family in the wellbeing of a person and further provides different approaches that can be used in managing a person’s health using a family-focused perspective. The theory also offers a basis for practice and improves the understanding of a person on family dynamics and processes. The family system theory addresses the family as a unit of care which enables people to emphasize, understand, and relate with the family by offering strategies in practice and enhancing care. Bowen utilized genograms to assess and treat his patients. He asked each family member questions to develop a comprehensive history of the family that went at least three generations back. This information assisted him to outline significant data and behavioral concerns repeating across generations. A family comprises members with complex traits such as perspectives, resources, obligations, and needs. However, these characteristics together with family dynamics change over a certain period. Family structure diversity, the emergence of a new family, and patterns of households is a real challenge, particularly when implementing social policy. The ever-transforming dynamics of family life such as single-parent and same-sex families face different forms of social exclusions and discrimination frequently. The family universality comes from its diverse functions of bearing children, supporting its members as well as providing social sanction outlet for sexual activities. The different diversities such as concepts of marriage, parenting, and sexuality put the family in a very dynamic context whose definition varies. This paper, therefore, seeks to describe the family system theory using various works that strongly support it. It will further provide four examples of specific situations that support the family system theory. Bowen, the developer of the family system theory used triangulation, differentiation of self, nuclear family emotional system, family projection process, multigenerational transmission process, emotional cutoff, sibling position, and societal emotional interlocking concepts to describe the household. As Kerr (2016) opines, a triangle is a three-person relationship system. It is one of the smallest stable relationship systems that build a larger emotional system. In this triangle, one person is always outside at any given instance and when there is tension between the two insiders, it is the outsider that feels the pinch. Triangulation concept is not prevalent in one gender more than the other or one culture more than the other but it is a universal and observable concept. The concept of an emotional triangle is an excellent example of Bowen's theory which emphasizes its principle of operational value to the differentiation of therapists in the therapeutic practice. For instance, when a family gets a first child, the mother will spend too much time with the child as compared to the spouse. In this case, the child is the outsider who builds tension between the parents. Therefore, the concept of emotional triangle crystallizes in therapeutic practice and the concept states that the content of a problem is not as crucial as the system itself, the system behavioral history, or the differentiation of people in the system. Apart from triangulation, differentiation of self is another interlocking concept used in the description of the family system theory. In the interlocking concept of differentiation of self, families, or social groups influence the feeling of people, their thinking, and actions to a great extent. The differentiation of the ‘self’ level reflects the difference between individuals and groups. Individuals with poor differentiation of ‘self’ rely on other people's approval and acceptance. Differentiation is the main concept that concentrates on a person as an individual but the key to grasping its importance lies in the knowledge it offers to understand over under-functioning individuals. The concept requires a person to define self, take clear positions, and hold the ground of an individual against the anxious group gravitational pull. This concept, therefore, shifts the attention of individuals from personality and dysfunction and further empowers them through the recognition of their scripted roles within a given emotional system, emotional effectiveness, and responsiveness within it. Another approach used to describe the family system theory is the nuclear family emotional system. The nuclear family emotional system describes four main relationship patterns that control problems experienced by families. The four relationship patterns include dysfunction in one spouse, children impairment, marital conflict, and emotional distance. System thinking is at the core of the nuclear family emotional system. It is less significant in Bowen’s Theory to know the environmental and cultural background of a family member, less important to understand ethnic and gender differences between people as compared to understanding the processes of emotion and positions people occupy in the system ( Johnson & Ray, 2016 ). The family projection process approach is another approach that describes the family system theory. The family projection process describes the ways parents pass their emotional problems to a child. These problems influence the functioning of children in a negative way and heighten symptoms vulnerability. For instance, constant attention to a child can make him or her to be addicted to a family member that whenever the family member is not around, the child cannot stand it and can cry until she or he becomes ill. Additionally, the multigenerational transmission process is another interlocking concept that describes the family system theory. The multigenerational transmission process explains various ways in which minor differences between parents can contribute to the transmission of the same differences between children and generations to come. For instance, constant fights in the house can send bad messages to children. These children can develop with these ugly scenes in their minds knowing nothing but unsettled atmosphere and conflict. The scenario experienced by these children can be passed to the coming generation. Emotional cut off is also another concept that describes the theory. The concept elaborates on the management of unresolved emotional problems in individuals that have cut contact with their family members. For these individuals, cutting contact with their family member is a great way of minimizing pressure as well as tension within the family. Sibling position is another interlocking concept that describes the family system theory. This concept outlines similarities in the characteristics of children that have grown together. In this case, older children take up leadership positions while younger ones follow them. Finally, the societal emotional process describes how emotional systems manages behavior at the level of the society contributing to progressive as well as regressive periods in the society ( Baege, 2005 ). It mainly concentrates on ways parents treat their children. What they feed them in their mind can either make them or break them. Family system theory is a system-based approach that pictures how one’s relationship and life affect the symptoms. The theory shapes people’s expectations of how the world works. On the other hand, the treatment of the family system theory involves restructuring the issue to become a multigenerational one whose causes are factors beyond a person. The treatment also entails emotional breakdown and anxiety that assist the family to conduct a reflection and civil actions. In this case, the therapist advises the couple to learn to control stress. The aforementioned examples reveal that the systems-based approach aspect involves the use of family social ties through a genogram construction and utilizes stories or an imaginary family with similar problems to assist in solving the problem. The family systems theory is an important element in assessing family dynamics. The procedure involved in this theory is a suitable way of solving family issues using a system-based approach. The genogram of a family structure assists a person to examine close family ties from one generation to the other. It is also important in determining the main cause of dysfunctionality that is transmitted by parents to children. The greatest benefit of the family system theory is the simple shift in focus the theory provides, particularly when new perspectives come in the core of emotional confusion. In this case, if an individual is not part of the system, his or her options are to either change or withdraw. If a person is part of the system, he or she has an option to stay in contact with other people or change himself or herself. As much as family system theory is a popular mode of treatment that people and therapists in treatment have attested to its effectiveness, the approach has a limited base of empirical evidence. However, the growing evidence base may assist in confirming its efficacy.
References
Brown, J. (2014, January). Bowen family systems theory and practice: Illustration and critique. Retrieved from The Family Systems Institute Website: retrieved from http://www.thefsi.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Bowen-Family-Systems-Theory-and-Practice_Illustration-and-Critique.pdf on August 22, 2020
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Baege, M. (2005). Bowen family systems theory. Retrieved from http://www.vermontcenterforfamilystudies.org/bowen_family_systems_theory on 22nd August 2020
Gehart, D. R. (2014). Mastering competencies in family therapy: A practical approach to theroy and clinical case documentation. New York: Cengage Learning .
Kerr, M. E. (2016). Theory . Retrieved from The Bowen Center Organization Website: retrieved from http://www.thebowencenter.org/theory/ on 22 nd August 2020
Johnson, B. E., & Ray, W. A. (2016). Family systems theory. Encyclopedia of family studies , 1-5.
