Characteristics of Family Systems Theory:
The family systems theory was introduced by Dr. Murray Bowenin in the late 1960s. Family systems theory is a human behavior theory that views the family as an emotional unit. This theory, proposes that people cannot be understood in isolation from one another, but rather as part of their family (Darling, Cassidy & Powell, 2014). Members of a family system are interconnected with each other’s. This means that when there is a change in the emotional functioning of one of its members, it also changes the emotional functioning of the others members of the family. In other words, what affect one member of the family unit affects the rest too.
A family is viewed as a social system where each member has …show more content…
This concept is about the capacity of a person to distinguish her/himself from his family on both personal and intellectual level (Haefner, 2014).
Key Principles of Family Systems Theory:
The two key elements of family systems theory are structural characteristics and process characteristics. Structural characteristics involves boundaries, subsystems and hierarchies. Process characteristics consist on stablishing boundaries, connectedness, separateness, messages, rules and more (Darling, Cassidy & Powell, 2014).
An example of Family Systems Theory is Triangulation. For example, I have a very close friend whose dad died on a car accident two years ago. After his death, my friend had completely moved into the role of peacemaker. She had mediated the tension between her mother and her older brother since them. My friends’ brother was driving the car the day of the accident. Even it was a terrible accident, he feels that she blames him for what happened. This ongoing triangle is helping detour some of the tension that has been created between mother and son in the family. Triangulation can get complicated if the third party’s involvement is distracting the other two persons from resolving their relationship …show more content…
It also provides us with insight about what are the most common problems within the family system. Furthermore, family systems theory looks at the reasons behind the changes or problems within the family system, and focuses on how to overcome or deal with
The family systems theory was introduced by Dr. Murray Bowenin in the late 1960s. Family systems theory is a human behavior theory that views the family as an emotional unit. This theory, proposes that people cannot be understood in isolation from one another, but rather as part of their family (Darling, Cassidy & Powell, 2014). Members of a family system are interconnected with each other’s. This means that when there is a change in the emotional functioning of one of its members, it also changes the emotional functioning of the others members of the family. In other words, what affect one member of the family unit affects the rest too.
A family is viewed as a social system where each member has …show more content…
This concept is about the capacity of a person to distinguish her/himself from his family on both personal and intellectual level (Haefner, 2014).
Key Principles of Family Systems Theory:
The two key elements of family systems theory are structural characteristics and process characteristics. Structural characteristics involves boundaries, subsystems and hierarchies. Process characteristics consist on stablishing boundaries, connectedness, separateness, messages, rules and more (Darling, Cassidy & Powell, 2014).
An example of Family Systems Theory is Triangulation. For example, I have a very close friend whose dad died on a car accident two years ago. After his death, my friend had completely moved into the role of peacemaker. She had mediated the tension between her mother and her older brother since them. My friends’ brother was driving the car the day of the accident. Even it was a terrible accident, he feels that she blames him for what happened. This ongoing triangle is helping detour some of the tension that has been created between mother and son in the family. Triangulation can get complicated if the third party’s involvement is distracting the other two persons from resolving their relationship …show more content…
It also provides us with insight about what are the most common problems within the family system. Furthermore, family systems theory looks at the reasons behind the changes or problems within the family system, and focuses on how to overcome or deal with