Families with multiple problems through a Bowenian lens

This article examines family processes in 17 families with multiple problems through a Bowenian perspective. It was hypothesized that the parents in these families would demonstrate lower levels of differentiation than a norm group of adults drawn from the general population. It was also predicted that these families with multiple problems would manifest distinct patterns of multigenerational problems. Parents of families involved with child welfare were interviewed and genograms drawn up. The parents also completed a questionnaire that reflects aspects of differentiation characterized by Bowen [1978] as the degree of emotional separateness within a family. The study uncovered a high frequency of multigenerational problems, consistent with Bowen's theory.