Family Systems Theory Paper

Bowen believed the family was an emotional unit. He hypothesized that all emotional problems occur within a single continuum of functioning. The family best develops when anxiety is low and parents have a good origin of emotional contact with family. The systems theory explains wholeness, self-organization, relationships, and interactions between parts. Pattern recognition in one part of the family system will cause changes throughout the family system is regulated by both positive and negative feedback to maintain and equilibrium in the family. Bowen believed that everyone is grounded in the natural systems theory that draws from biological and natural sciences based on principle of self-organization, repetition, and formation of patterns

(Stauffer, 2015). Bowen believed significantly in the differentials of self. Differentiation of self, according to textbook, is that one needs to have the ability to remain one's own person under the pressure from other groups and family members. There is just as much of a need for separation as it is for togetherness.

One must still be considered an individual and maintain the family unit without losing one's self. Growing in to independence a person must be able to act and feel for themselves. I believe this is necessary when each individual is aware of themselves and their ability to acknowledge and be aware of one’s self for the sake of the family unit. Self-differentiated individuals can maintain successful relationship while maintaining autonomy defining themselves (Stauffer, 2015). Poorly differentiated individual is noticed to be needy and have high emotional characteristics. The interpersonal level within differentiation is when one can maintain intimacy while maintaining a healthy independence from others. An individual must be able to center themselves to not be overwhelmed by both outside and inside influences. These individual uses "I" statements which allows them to express how they feel without putting blame on others. For a person nwho lacks self-differentiation, they become dysfunctional under stress and are more prone to anxiety, stress and depression (Stauffer, 2015). They exhibit the lack of stability and have a low tolerance for

individuality.
As the text indicated in the beginning, a balance must be maintained to keep the equilibrium in the family. Is the family structure is too emotional, it would become unstable and the members of the family will turn to others means to maintain stability. That can range for drinking to substance abuse. These issues are better or can be better resolved in a single generational family. In multigenerational families the projection of intense emotions are passed down from one generation to the next. This is a persons’ attitude, beliefs and behaviors, and if they are unacceptable or considered to be non-healthy, the projection of these feelings from one person to the next can be detrimental to the family system. When emotions or ideas are not addressed, a person can become emotionally strained eventually will cut themselves off. Whether it be from certain individual or the whole family. And remember the most important part of a healthy family systems is to maintain the equilibrium. Most of these issues can arrange from where an individual is placed in the family and what their specific role is. It has always been some speculation about sibling positions. It said that the last one born is treated better than all the other siblings. The eldest siblings is dealt with more harshly because they are held to a certain standard so that they can be an example for the other siblings. In most cases the middle child is left out simply because the attention is more narrowly focused on the younger and older sibling.