Family Systems Theory Analysis
The family systems theory is a theory introduced by Dr. Murray Bowen that suggests that
individuals cannot be understood in isolation from one another, but rather as a part of their family, as
the family is an emotional unit (Canda, Chatterjee, and Robbins, 2012). There are five key concepts
when talking about family systems. The first, wholeness which is, the family is more than the sum
of its individual parts, more than a collection of individuals (Canda, Chatterjee, and Robbins, 2012).
As family members interact they create a uniqueness that is far more than just the sum of each
individual member. For example, the birth of a child does not just increase the size of the family, but
changes the family system, creating a new entity as relationship ... Show more content on
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Family structure refers to; who is included and excluded from the family; who is in charge of each
home, and whose needs and behaviors cause the main decisions in calm and troubled times;
relationship bonds and boundaries, or lack of them; the roles and rules that govern how members
need(s) get met or do not; family member alliances and antagonisms, and communication blocks in
and between people and homes (Gerlach, 2015). For example, a family structure could include a
father, mother, and two children. The father is the breadwinner while the mother stays at home. The
children play their role by attending school, and doing certain chores around the home. The mother
has a role to take care of the children and keep the house in order. The father's role is to bring the
money home, and discipline the children when needed. The fourth concept is adaptability "It is the
consequence of the family's meeting the collective needs of its members and responding effectively
to the demands placed on it by external forces. Thus, it is the product of both internal and external
adjustment strategies through which the family achieves a level of fit between its needs and
relational resources and the demands placed on it by its environment" (Heath & Orthner, 1999). A
coping mechanism is an example for adaptation and a positive coping mechanism is as follows;
coping with the illness or injury through directly addressing its impact on the family. This may mean
adding wheelchair ramps to the home, for example, to directly deal with a physical condition, or
accompanying a family member to the hospital for substance abuse treatment (Grunert, 2015). The
last key concept is family themes. Family themes are those elements of the family experience that
become organizing principles for family life. They include both conscious and unconscious elements
as well as intellectual (attitudes, beliefs, values) and emotional aspects. The family's themes become
the threads
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