Question 1

More than most family therapists,Bowen stresses the role of theory for:

Accepted Answer

Bowen emphasizes the use of theory for guiding treatment decisions, teaching purposes, and for research. He believes that a clear and well-developed theoretical framework can help clinicians understand their clients' behavior and guide their interventions. Additionally, theory can be used to educate clients about dysfunctional patterns in their relationships and help them make changes to improve their interactions with others. Finally, Bowen's approach is grounded in empirical research, and he believed that theory could only be useful if it was supported by data.

Question 2

Bowen refers to the development of schizophrenia in a family member requiring several generations to manifest itself as a:

Accepted Answer

Bowen's theory of family systems posits that schizophrenia may manifest as a result of a multigenerational transmission process, where patterns of emotional reactivity and relationship dynamics are passed down from generation to generation. This suggests that the development of schizophrenia in a family member is not solely influenced by individual factors, but rather by the broader context of family interactions and intergenerational patterns. The other answer choices do not accurately reflect Bowen's theory.

Question 3

The greater the level of undifferentiation of the parents,the more likely they will rely on the family _______________ to stabilize the system.

Accepted Answer

The family projection process is a concept in family systems theory where parents project their own emotional issues onto their children, often to stabilize the family system. This is more likely to occur when parents have a higher level of undifferentiation, meaning they have difficulty separating their own emotions and identity from others.

Question 4

In Bowen's Differentiation of Self Scale,people at the low end are apt to lead lives:

Accepted Answer

Bowen's Differentiation of Self Scale measures an individual's ability to separate their own thoughts and feelings from those of others. People at the low end of the spectrum have a low level of differentiation and are often dominated by the feelings of those around them. This can lead to difficulty making decisions or asserting one's own needs and desires, as well as a lack of emotional autonomy. Therefore, choice C - dominated by the feelings of those around them - is the best answer.

Question 5

According to Bowen,the basic building block in a family's emotional system is the:

Accepted Answer

According to Bowen's theory of family systems, the basic building block in a family's emotional system is the triangle - a three-person relationship system. Triangles are formed when two individuals in a relationship become stressed or anxious, and they pull in a third person to balance the tension. Triangles are important because they help to distribute anxiety throughout the family system and maintain emotional stability.

Question 6

The "undifferentiated family ego mass" refers to:

Accepted Answer

The "undifferentiated family ego mass" is a term used in family systems theory to describe a lack of differentiation between family members, leading to symbiotic relationships where individual identities are fused into a group identity. This can lead to enmeshment, where individuals are overly involved in each other's lives, as well as disengagement, where individuals withdraw emotionally and become isolated from each other.

Question 7

By symbiosis,Bowen is referring to:

Accepted Answer

In the context of Bowen's family systems theory, symbiosis refers to an intense, overly close, and often dysfunctional attachment between a mother and her child. This concept highlights the challenges that can arise from such a relationship, including difficulties in individuation and emotional development.

Question 8

Which of the following does not characterize a high degree of family fusion?

Accepted Answer

The emergence of the dyad safely does not characterize a high degree of family fusion. A high degree of family fusion typically involves a lack of differentiation among family members, a focus on togetherness, and the tendency for members to become triangulated in tense situations.

Question 9

Transgenerational approaches are:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Transgenerational approaches are:
...

Question 10

Bowen's approach may be considered a bridge between what two views?

Accepted Answer

Bowen's approach integrates both the concepts of systems theory and psychodynamic theory, making it a bridge between these two views.

Question 11

Emotional cutoff,according to Bowen,is:

Accepted Answer

Emotional cutoff is the act of severing emotional ties with one's family, in an attempt to distance oneself from unresolved emotional issues or conflicts within the family system. Therefore option D, "a flight from unresolved emotional ties to one's family" is the correct answer. Options A and B refer to physical separation from one's family, while option C refers to the process of establishing a clear sense of self within the family system, but emotional cutoff involves neither physical separation nor clear differentiation.

Question 12

According to Kerr,which of the following is not characteristic of emotional cutoff?

Accepted Answer

Emotional cutoff is a term used by family therapists to describe the process of reducing or cutting off emotional contact between family members. It is always related to family problems, either as a solution, reflection, or creation of these problems. Therefore, the answer option that is not characteristic of emotional cutoff is D ("It is not related to family problems").

Question 13

Which of the following is not a consequence of parental fusion,according to Bowen?

Accepted Answer

According to Bowen, parental fusion can result in chronic marital conflict, a psychologically damaged child, and physical illness in a spouse. However, profound love between parents is not a consequence of parental fusion, but rather a potential predisposition they may have had prior to fusion.

Question 14

Which of the following is not one of Bowen's concepts?

Accepted Answer

Bowen's family systems theory includes several key concepts, but "Interlocking pathology" is not one of them. The other options, "Family projection process," "Nuclear family emotional system," and "Societal regression," are all part of Bowen's concepts.

Question 15

Bowen referred to a family's way of coping with stress and maintaining stability as its:

Accepted Answer

Bowen referred to the family's way of coping with stress and maintaining stability as the nuclear family emotional system. This includes the patterns of emotional reactions and behaviors that family members have developed in response to stress and anxiety. The system involves the ways in which individuals regulate their emotions and the ways in which they interact with each other under stress. This concept is key to understanding family dynamics and the ways in which families can be impacted by external stressors. The other choices are not accurate descriptions of Bowen's concept of the family's way of coping with stress and maintaining stability.

Question 16

Sibling position,in Bowen's theory,refers to the relationship between marital partners based on:

Accepted Answer

Sibling position in Bowen's theory refers to the birth orders of the marital partners. This can influence their attachment styles and emotional processes in the relationship.

Question 17

Bowen believed that,generally speaking,people choose mates with _______________ levels of differentiation than their own.

Accepted Answer

Bowen's theory suggests that people tend to choose mates with levels of differentiation that are about the same as their own. This concept is rooted in the idea that individuals seek partners who have similar levels of emotional maturity and self-differentiation.

Question 18

The opposite of self-differentiation,in Bowen's view,is:

Accepted Answer

Fusion is considered the opposite of self-differentiation in Bowen's family systems theory, as it represents a lack of clear emotional boundaries between individuals, leading to a blending of emotional and intellectual functioning.

Question 19

Bowen's family systems theory is derived from:

Accepted Answer

Bowen's family systems theory is derived from a natural systems theory, which views the family as an emotional unit and uses systems thinking to describe the complex interactions within it.

Question 20

With his concept of self-differentiation,Bowen argues for:

Accepted Answer

Bowen argues for balance. Self-differentiation involves being able to maintain a sense of self while also remaining emotionally connected to others. This requires balance between individuality and relationships, between autonomy and interdependence. Emotional detachment or objectivity may be a component of self-differentiation, but they are not the sole focus of the theory.

Quiz 8: Transgenerational Models