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Family Systems Theory – Murray Bowen

Families are complex units/organizations.

Hierarchy with roles and status

Sometimes Rules and sometimes there is minimal rules

Sometimes families have predictable patterns of relating and sometimes unpredictable

Sometimes families are stable and sometimes are not.

Families have become unstable, unpredictable, chaotic, or dysfunctional.

Whenever 1 element in the system changes, all others are affected and attempt to compensate for that change.

Interdependence. Is about the family as a whole unit and dependent upon each other to have needs met.

Interdependence is organized by Boundaries.

Boundaries distinguish the elements contained within a system from other elements in the environment.

Boundaries define membership within a system. In this case within a family. Boundaries characterize the relationships amongst family members.

Boundaries on a range

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Permeable (move in and out easily) boundaries – Diffuse boundaries – Over-involvement

People have enmeshed relationships

People are too close to each other

Little room for freedom and flexibility

Little room for individual differences

No separateness

Overemphasis on sameness and unity

Rigid boundaries

People are distant, no connectedness

Little intimacy

Great deal of isolation

Little positive emotions shared

Clear Boundaries – optimal place where families function best

Allows for individuality but maintains intimacy

Based on mutual respect

Members show genuine love and concern for each other

Freedom and flexibility

Communication patterns are clear and direct

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Permeable Clear Rigid

Baby adult Teenager

Elderly parent

Boundaries in families do not stay static. Boundaries shift and change.

Addiction causes boundaries to shift and change.

Adolescents

Families that are too permeable, too enmeshed (helicopter Mom). Some adolescents might rebel from this by turning to Alcohol and other drug use (AOD) use.

Families that boundaries are too rigid, individuals of the family may be too isolated and use alcohol or drugs to cope with isolation.

Family as Systems

Families are a system and within families there are subsystems.

Marital subsystem

Parental subsystem

Sibling subsystem

External subsystems that exist outside of the family

Welfare

Single Mom

4 kids

Kids

School

Family Court

WEP

Assig.

ACS

Drug Tx

Program

Kinship Care or Foster care

Homeostasis – Balance, Equilibrium, Steady State

Families are striving to achieve equilibrium. Families will take action to restore the balance.

In addicted families, the non-addicted person in charge is usually in charge of keeping the balance, restoring the equilibrium.

Families, in an attempt to maintain homeostasis, will become pathological. Physically or mentally diseased. Families become sick as a result of the person with an addiction affecting them. Family members become sick as they strive to achieve homeostasis.

How does this pathology manifest?

Family members may try to resist change or reverse change

Family members may try to make compromises by allowing things to occur

Family members may bargain and negotiate with the addict

Family members may compromise their values, morals and ethics

Family members may to try to re-establish the boundaries in an effort to maintain family balance.

Triads – Family subsystems form and they consist of 3 members

This typically happens between

Mother Father

Adolescent (Addiction) Sex of this adolescent makes a difference

Overinvolved/punitive parent/caregiver is the member of the same sex

Permissive/pampering parent/caregiver is the member of the opposite sex

This tends to be the majority – that the person of the opposite sex fulfills the pampering roles

Triads form as a way of shifting stress around within the family

Sometimes these triads form Triangles – They are still are group of 3 but with a different dynamic.

A process known as triangulation occurs. A group of 3 however there is a comfortable twosome and 1 uncomfortable outsider.

Step-Dad Mother Dad Step-Mom

Adolescent

Adolescent Adolescent

Triads can sometimes become stuck in chronic, repetitive patterns of interaction. Addiction can cause this to occur within families.

Differentiation of Self – A person being able to separate the intellectual self from their emotional self.

Classifies people on a continuum/Range/Spectrum.

On one end are people who are considered Fused (Glued Together)

Fused – No differentiation, No Separateness exists between one’s emotional self and intellectual self. Their emotions are fused together with their intellect. Emotions dominate the self. These people are dominated by automatic emotional reaction.

These are people who are less flexible, less adaptive, and more emotionally dependent on others. Easily stressed into dysfunction, and it’s difficult to recover.

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Fused Highly Differentiated

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Highly Differentiated – Possess a balance between their emotional self and intellectual self. These people are more autonomous, more flexible, better able to cope with stress, and more independent of emotion. These people are more emotionally mature, and their lives tend to be more orderly and successful.

Not Permanent.