Handbook of Bowen Family Systems Theory and Research Methods

Book excerpt: The Handbook of Bowen Family Systems Theory and Research Methods presents innovative approaches on a range of issues inherent in family research and discusses the links between theory, data collection, and data analysis based on Bowen family systems theory. This multi-authored volume discusses core issues within family systems theory, including anxiety, stress, emotional cutoff, differentiation of self, multigenerational transmission process, and nuclear family emotional process. Chapters also examine related constructs in the research literature such as adaptation, resilience, social support, social networks, and intergenerational family relations. Readers will be able to view theoretical and methodological issues from the perspective of Bowen theory and develop a clearer knowledge of ways to navigate the challenges faced when studying individual, familial, and societal problems. An essential resource for clinicians and researchers in the social and natural sciences, the Handbook of Bowen Family Systems Theory and Research Methods provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the application of Bowen theory to family practice and family research.