Concepts of Bowen Family Systems Theory

Bowen family systems theory views a family as emotionally interconnected (Kerr & Bowen, 2003).

Differentiation of Self

This concept explains that families or social networks affect how people behave but the level at which individuals are affected by groupthink and the amount of pressure that the groups exert on the individuals vary (Kerr & Bowen, 2003).

Example 1

When Ghalibfaraj Sr. (my grandfather) and Raba’a got married they had financial problems and Ghalib Sr. worked overtime to make ends meet. Raba’a nagged him because he never had time for his family. Ghalib Sr. had a well differentiated self while his wife Raba’a had a poorly differentiated self. Despite the pestering, he respected his wife and provided for his family.

Example 2

When Ghalib Sr., was diagnosed with cancer, the whole family was devastated.  Though my father, Ghassan, and my uncle Tareq were emotionally overwhelmed, they still offered emotional support. They both had well differentiated selves and were able to offer support to other family members even when they were grieving.

Example 3

When Tareq and Howaida were blessed with their first born they had a lot of difficulties adapting as new parents. Both parents blamed each other for the problems they were experiencing. This implies that they both had poorly differentiated selves.

Nuclear Family Emotional System

This concept describes these four relationship patterns:

• Marital conflict
• Dysfunction in one spouse
• Impairment of one or more children
• Emotional distance

Example 1                                                           

My brother, Nahar, is distant from my father. Nahar has isolated himself from my father and never discusses anything with him even when it is completely necessary to do so.

Example 2

Howaida is too close to her son Amro. She worries too much about him and has idealized him. He does nothing wrong in the eyes of his mother.

Example 3

My uncle Essam and his wife Hiyambinjabi have always had marital conflicts. They focus on what is wrong with the other and always finding faults.[U1] 

Multigenerational Transmission Process

This concept explains how different levels of differentiation between parents and their offspring and between members of a sibling group over time lead to substantial differences among members of a multigenerational family (Kerr & Bowen, 2003).

Example 1

Tareq and Ghalib Sr. were close. He had to work extra hard to gain his father’s approval. His father was always influenced his decisions. This led to the rest of the family treating him like the baby of the family.

Example 2

My maternal grandfather was diagnosed with cancer and Essam had to take care of the family as the man of the house as a result he gained approval from his parents.

Example 3

My aunt Wafaa is married to Maher. Maher’s mother supported his father emotionally when building his business. Maher’s father functioned better in business life than in his family life.[U2]  This led to Maher marrying at a young age to get someone who could offer him emotional support.

Family Projection Process

This concept describes how a parent transmits problems to a child.[U3]  Through their interactions children can inherit problems or strengths.

Example 1

My sister Sara and my mother are very close. When Sara was a toddler they are attuned to each other’s feelings. Mother is sensitive to Sara’s feelings as Sara is sensitive to mother’s feelings.

Example 2

Mother does not like when Sara is upset with her and worries that they no longer close companions.

Example 3

Sara and mother have ganged up against Nahar whose behaviour they find immature as a result they have grown closer.

Triangles

A triangle is a three-person relationship and is considered to be stable.

Example 1

My uncle Emad married Nada and when they were expecting their first child, Nada was very emotional. She was afraid that she might not be a good[U4] mother and talked to Emad. He was patient but with time he felt Nada’s behavior to bewas child-likeish and immature.

Example 2

When Rayan was born, Emad and Nada were experiencing tension in their marriage so they found it easier to escape their problems by discussing Rayan.

Example 3

As Rayan grew, he made more demands on his mother’s time and Emad was not comfortable with that. When he raised the issue with his wife, Nada would defend Rayan.

Sibling Position Profile

The basic idea of this concept is that people who grow up in the same sibling position  [U5] tend to have predictably similar important characteristics. For example, the oldest elder children become leaders while the youngest younger ones become followers (Kerr & Bowen, 2003).

Example 1

When my maternal grandfather, Saleh, was diagnosed with cancer my eldest maternal uncle, took over as the man of the house.

Example 2

Tareq is the younger child and he is reluctant leader in his family and that is why his five sons are in conflict with one another.

Example 3

Nahar, is the middle born and he is both a leader and a follower.

Emotional Cutoff

This concept refers to a situation where people manage their unresolved issues with parents, siblings, and other family members by reducing the amount of emotional contact or totally cutting off of any all contact (Kerr & Bowen, 2003).

Example 1

My brother, Nahar is distant from my father, Ghassan, so he has reduced the emotional contact.

Example 2

My maternal uncles are very close and they work well with each other at the family car dealership.

Example 3

Tareq’s sons do not live at home as they are always conflicted.

Societal Emotional Process

This concept looks at the emotional system at a societal level.[U6]  These processes are what a society expects from a race, gender and social classes.

Example 1

A loosening society standard makes it difficult for Tareq and Howaida to raise their sons.

Example 2

A negative influence in this society has made all [U7] the most men of my paternal side of the family to have had a depressive episode at some part of their lives.

Example 3

A positive influence in this society has ensured that the women on the maternal side of the my family are very close.

Reactivity is when people alter their behavior when they are aware that they are being watched. It could be negative or positive behavior (Psychology.ucdavis.edu, 2015). When two people are on a date they try impressing one another. They alter their normal behavior and behave in a positive manner so that they may be liked. This is typical of people with poorly differentiated self as the Bowen theory explains in the differentiation of self concept. A person with a poorly differentiated self heavily relies on acceptance and approval of others and will quickly alter how he thinks, say or do to please others. He will alter his behavior if he is aware people are watching. For example, when two people are on a date and the lady is a glutton, she will alter her behavior and eat in a presentable manner without wolfing down the food since she is aware she is being watched.

The Oxford Dictionary (2015) defines tension as a mental or emotional strain. The nuclear family emotional system concept looks at tension in the family unit.  Marital conflicts can arise as a result of an increase in family tensions. Also, tension in the family can result in dysfunction in one spouse. One spouse puts pressure on the other to act in a certain way and he or she yields to pressure.  Family tension can also result in emotional distance where family members opt to distance themselves with others to reduce the relationship intensity but risk becoming too isolated. If not checked clinical problems can develop during periods of prolonged family tension. The level of tension depends on the level of stress that a family encounters how well they are able to cope, and their connection to the extended family and the social networks.

References

Kerr, M., & Bowen, M. (2003). One family’s story. Washington, DC: Bowen Center for the Study of the Family, Georgetown Family Center, 1-35.

Psychology.ucdavis.edu,. (2015). Observation: Sources of error. Retrieved 26 September 2015, from http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/faculty_sites/sommerb/sommerdemo/observation/error.htm

Oxford Dictionary (2015). tension – definition of tension in English from the Oxford dictionary. Retrieved 25 September 2015, from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/tension

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 [U1]You need to comment on how the examples relate to the  nuclear family emotional system. One pattern of this concept is marital conflict

 [U2]How does this relate to the issue being discussed

 [U3]More on this

 [U4]???

 [U5]Family would be better suited here

 [U6]Add more details here

 [U7]All is too absolute he had said all the men have had a depressive disorder