This activity is to be completed after studying the presentation, Turning Your Review of the Literature into a Draft Answer, and its accompanying discussion questions.
For this activity, you will evaluate a sample response to the discussion question with which you worked earlier. Please read the sample response below and then follow the directions to evaluate the response.
Are some theories easier to use when constructing research questions than others? For example, when you use attachment theory to predict how family relationships function, you can easily measure either infant or adult level of security and attachment. When you use family systems theory to predict how family relationships function, is it as clear what variables you should measure that clearly reflect the theory?
In this response, there will be three main points. First, the general background of family systems theory will be discussed, including its eight key concepts; second, general research that has used family systems theory will be presented; and third, some potential variables will be mentioned.
Family systems theory emerged from systems theory. While there are different versions of family systems theory, its main proponent was Murray Bowen. In Bowen’s theory there are eight key concepts: differentiation of the self, nuclear family emotional system, triangles, family projection process, multigenerational transmission process, emotional cutoff, and sibling position. Each of these concepts is used to explain both the function and dysfunction of families (Papero, 1990).
Each of these concepts has been researched extensively over time. For example, in the early seventies, Boszormenyi-Nagy and Spark (1973) focused on reciprocity in family therapy and how loyalties form within a family unit, Bowen (1974) investigated alcoholism, and very recently, Jankowski and Hooper (2012) researched differentiation of the self. This long history stands as a testament to the usefulness of family systems theory in research.
There are a multitude of possibilities for research utilizing family systems theory as the underpinning. For example, the research might focus on how siblings within a family react to each other in stressful situations. This research would examine the concept of triangulation or perhaps sibling position. Research could also be conducted on the shifting dynamics of a family over time. In this second case, the research would examine multigenerational transmission.
Boszormenyi-Nagy, I., & Spark, G. M. (1973). Invisible loyalties: Reciprocity in intergenerational family therapy. Oxford, England: Harper & Row.
Bowen, M. (1974). Alcoholism as viewed through family systems theory and family psychotherapy. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 233, 115–122.
Jankowski, P. J., & Hooper, L. M. (2012). Differentiation of self: A validation study of the Bowen Theory construct. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, Mar. 5 2012.
Papero, D. V. (1990). Bowen family systems theory. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
After you have read the sample response:
The answers should be written in a Word document, using correct APA format and style. The answer does not need to have a title page, abstract, or table of contents. Begin with a brief introduction explaining the main points of the paper. In the main body, identify the answer being given with a correctly formatted section heading, using Level 1 headings. A conclusion should follow the main body. Include a reference list for any sources used, which should also be correctly cited in the paper.
Doc. reference: phd_t1_psl_u06a1_h04_evaldisc.html