Case Conceptualization Section
Among the three concepts of Bowen family systems theory that apply to Garcia’s family are the Societal emotional process , the family projection process, and Sibling position. The Societal emotional process looks at families as social organizations. Bowen argued that anxieties always exist in societies, often reflected in families (Haefner, 2014). Likewise, Bowen also noted that the societies' anxiety levels lead to progression or regression (Thompson et al., 2019) . If there is chronic sustained anxiety , it leads to societal regression , where people cannot independently make decisions; rather than using intellectual ability to arrive at decisions, people within such communities make decisions that are often emotional and reactive (Thompson et al., 2019). Therefore, Bowen concluded that most of the problems experienced by youth result from society's emotional process .
In Garcia’s family, Ana has been brought up in a cultured family with a defined place for Latina women. Society requires women to be submissive; that is, they are prohibited from talking about sex openly and mind about women’s shape to find the best suitors for marriage. Likewise, young girls are not expected to pursue their college education dreams as society expects them to work or marry. Therefore, having brought up in a society with a defined place for women, Carmen expects her daughters to follow the cultural expectations. However, Ana refuses to comply with these traditions, which brings her at odds with her mother. This refusal increases the anxiety between mother and daughter.
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The family projection process concept, on the other hand, explains the primary ways parents transmit emotional problems to their children (Haefner, 2014). This transmission may have adverse effects on the children's emotional development, leaving them vulnerable (Thompson et al., 2019). An example of the family projection process is when people take responsibility for the happiness of others. According to Thompson et al. (2019), failure to solve the family projection process leads to the children becoming more sensitive. Consequently, these children become undifferentiated; thus, disrupting their ability to form healthy relationships. Likewise, as noted by Thompson et al. (2019), when mothers project their anxiety on children, fathers' presence, although not acting as children protectors, reduces child abuse risks.
In Ana’s case, her mother, Carmen , tries to instill traditional beliefs of what makes a woman. According to her, women should not be overweight to impress men and forego college education to join her sister, Estela, to make dresses. However, Ana is buying none of her mother's perceptions. Ana is also a feminist who is open to sexuality talks, often deemed conservative topics by the traditionalists. In fact, when Ana’s mother declines her prospects to further her education, Raul, Ana's father, comes to the rescue to support her. Ana’s mother refuses to escort her to the airport, but her father takes her to the airport. Moreover, Ana is also worried that going back to school would affect her family; thus, it seems all she cares about is her parents' happiness, which aligns with the family projection process concept.
The sibling position concept, the sibling position concept explains the relationship between sibling position and personality. The concept asserts that children who grow up in the same sibling position share common characteristics, which are often predictable (Thompson et al., 2019). Bowen argued that firstborns assume leadership positions while lastborns follow (Haefner, 2014). Estela is the oldest daughter of Garcia’s family, and although a modern woman, she follows her parents' will. Contrary, Ana is the last born in Garcia's family, and she has recently graduated from high school. As the youngest worker in the factory, Ana is bright and vocal compared to the other women. Throughout the film, Ana is involved in verbal utterances with her mother, which contrasts with her older sister.
R elational T echniques and I ntervention
The Bowen family systems theory (BFST) will be used to develop intervention techniques. As Erdem & Safi (2018) asserted, BFST could be used to identify and describe the family history, values, social class, race, etc., of a person. This intervention will use the three concepts of BFST as follows.
Societal Emotional Process
Bowen argued that societies have anxieties, which are consequently reflected in families. These anxieties lead to societal progression or regression (Thompson et al., 2019). S ocietal regression leads to problems as members cannot autonomously make life decisions. All decisions made are tied to societal expectations, and deviations from these expectations are not welcomed. Therefore, when individuals deviate from these expectations, conflicts arise within the family and society. Thus, it is paramount for therapists to probe the underlying cultural issues contributing to anxieties within families.
Therapists need to hold cultural competence skills to probe this concept. The therapist must show cultural awareness and beliefs, where they must be sensitive to the cultural information, including personal values and biases, provided by the clients and how it influences their perceptions. Secondly, the therapist must possess some cultural knowledge. Therapists should have some background cultural information about their clients for effective therapy. Thirdly, therapists should also possess cultural skills, where they provide interventions based on their clients' cultural beliefs. One may use self-report instruments while probing this concept. Some questions that may be asked include: Are you able to make decisions independently? Do you often relate your decisions to your cultural beliefs and practices?
F amily Projection Process
This concept holds that parents may project their undifferentiation on children, which can be problematic, especially when it affects how they develop healthy relationships with close people they come across. Failure to address them may escalate in the future and affect the children's normal functioning (Thompson et al., 2019). A child may be implicated in previous generation’s problems by their parents; thus, affecting their ability to grow. Therefore, the therapist needs to probe this concept to establish whether the parents may negatively influence their children, thus hindering their Differentiation. Some questions to ask the children’s parents include; How often do you let your child make decisions independently?
The Sibling Position Concept
Bowen claimed that an individual’s birth order shapes their personality. In other words, an individual’s birth order impacts their conflict management skills, especially with their partner (Thompson et al., 2019). Bowen also argued that therapists could use this information to know their clients better since an individual’s birth order leads to predictable behaviors and attitudes. Therefore, the therapist could probe this concept to understand the personality traits of their clients. Some interesting questions to ask would be; How many siblings do you have? In what position of birth were you born (oldest, middle, youngest)?
Dialogue with Ana
Therapist: Hello Ana, I am glad that you agreed to attend this session. In today’s session, I would like us to discuss more about yourself since childhood. Now, I would like to ask some questions to guide us for the rest of the therapy.
Societal Emotional Process Concept
Therapist: Where were you born? What area do you currently live in?
Ana: I am a first-generation Mexican-American woman. My mother is a Mexican immigrant to East Los Angeles. Currently, I live in Chicago, where I attend Columbia College.
Therapist: Ana, I would like you to tell me some of your responsibilities in your home.
Ana: You see, I am the last born in our family. When I am not in school, I assist my sister in her dressmaking factory. The little I earn in the factory assist our family during this economic crisis.
Therapist: Ana, I would like you to name one or two things that you do differently from what your parents have taught you?
Ana: Well, I believe that I am a young feminist who will not let my parents’ traditions dictate my future. You see, I like to be independent, and the only way I can as a woman is by attending college, which I believe will differentiate me from the rest of Latina women.
Therapist: If any, is there anything you feel your family should change regarding traditions?
Ana: Of course, there is a lot I feel should change in our family’s traditions. Firstly, I would like my mother to change her perceptions about women's place in our society. As a cultured woman, she is too constrained to the societal traditions, which could ruin my dreams of independence as a woman in the future.
F amily Projection Process Concept
Therapist: Ana, would you please tell me how decisions are made in your family?
Ana: Most of the family decisions are made by my parents. My mother does not encourage us, the daughters, to make decisions regarding our lives. She believes that she has the sovereignty to make our life decisions. However, I oppose almost all of her decisions, as I believe they do no good to our lives.
Therapist: Can you describe your childhood relationship with your family members?
Ana: You see, I am the last born in a family of four. I was born and brought up in an extended family, and I loved being close to everyone, except my mother, with who we have been at loggerheads since my childhood. I believe that we always have contradicting perceptions between us, which puts us apart.
The Sibling Position Concept
Therapist: Ana, can you briefly describe your relationship with your parents?
Ana: I have a close relationship with my dad more than my mother. We do not get along well with my mother since she does not encourage autonomous decision-making, especially women. She always thinks that her traditional ways of thinks will work for us, which I bet will never. I try to make her understand that we are past the old way of thinking with the older generation about women. She ought to know that women no longer need to be submissive to men; rather, they should be supported to be independent.
Therapist: Can you tell me some important activities you participate in together with your extended family?
Ana: As I had mentioned earlier, I spend most of the time with my sister and her workers at the dressmaking factory when I am not in school. We get along well with the people at the factory; therefore, I have nothing to complain about.
References
Erdem, G., & Safi, O. A. (2018). The Cultural Lens Approach to Bowen Family Systems Theory: Contributions of Family Change Theory. Journal of Family Theory & Review , 10 (2), 469–483. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12258
Haefner, J. (2014). An Application of Bowen Family Systems Theory. Issues in Mental Health Nursing , 35 (11), 835–841. https://doi.org/10.3109/01612840.2014.921257
Thompson, H. M., Wojciak, A. S., & Cooley, M. E. (2019). A family-based approach to the child welfare system: integration of Bowen family theory concepts. Journal of Family Social Work , 22 (3), 231–252. https://doi.org/10.1080/10522158.2019.1584776
