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This week's readings focus on family systems theory and research on the relationships of families with adolescents. Be sure to read Chapter 9 in the Gavazzi text before looking through this week's content.

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According to Gavazzi (2011), family systems theory focuses on the interactions, behaviors, and relationships within the family. In families with adolescents, the family systems theory is helpful to reference as it looks at all of the systems and subsystems that operate within the family unit. There are several subsystems that can occur in a family unit, but we will be focusing exclusively on the parent-adolescent subsystem.

Gavazzi (2011) mentions the term family processes as being a broad concept to include boundary setting, emotional expression, flexibility and adaptation, coping strategies, problem-solving, and more that take place in the family system. Healthy family processes are essential to the healthy development and emotional wellbeing of adolescents. When a core family process is upset in some way, such as a divorce or job loss, the adolescent(s) will be negatively impacted. Research consistently suggests that when family processes are disrupted and there is an increase in transitions, adolescents show more negative outcomes (Gavazzi, 2011). This is when the parent-adolescent subsystem is even more important to the healthy development of the teen, specifically during times that are challenging or stressful. The years of adolescence are extremely formative as they usually determine a variety of outcomes in adulthood. During a family disruption, it is best for adolescents to feel supported and validated by their parents and family members throughout the experience.

It's crucial for parents to understand the impact of disruptions and find ways to work towards strengthening the family system, especially the parent-adolescent dynamic. In this week's Padlet, you'll find many resources for parents to utilize during times that may be potentially damaging to the family system and subsystems, as well as resources for professionals in this field.

Gavazzi, S. M. (2011). Families with adolescents: Bridging the gaps between theory, research, and practice. New York, NY: Springer.

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Watch this short video for a simplified explanation and visual of family systems theory!

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This is an audio book that gives insight into what happens to the child's brain when a family system/process is disrupted. The book discusses the risks of these disruptions during childhood and leads into potential negative outcomes as adolescents and adults.

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The emotional trauma we suffer as children not only shapes our emotional lives as adults but also affects our physical health and overall well-being. Scientists now know on a biochemical level exactly how parents' chronic fights, divorce, death in the family, being bullied or hazed, and growing up with a hypercritical, alcoholic, or mentally ill parent can leave permanent, physical "fingerprints" on our brains.

When we as children encounter sudden or chronic adversity, excessive stress hormones cause powerful changes in the body, altering our body chemistry. The developing immune system and brain react to this chemical barrage by permanently resetting our stress response to "high", which in turn can have a devastating impact on our mental and physical health.

Donna Jackson Nakazawa shares stories from people who have recognized and overcome their adverse experiences, shows why some children are more immune to stress than others, and explains why women are at particular risk. Groundbreaking in its research and inspiring in its clarity, Childhood Disrupted explains how you can reset your biology - and help your loved ones find ways to heal.

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Check out this great listen on Audible.com. The emotional trauma we suffer as children not only shapes our emotional lives as adults but also affects our physical health and overall well-being. Scientists now know on a biochemical level exactly how parents' chronic fights, divorce, death in the fa...

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Using a family systems theory lens, this study focuses on the impact of parent flexibility and inflexibility on the family unit and subsystems during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Highlights

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Parent inflexibility was linked to lower functioning across all family sub-systems.

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Parent flexibility was linked to greater family cohesion and constructive parenting.

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Parent inflexibility predicted more COVID-19 related stress.

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Stress from the new work/family demands of COVID-19 predicted more family discord.

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Family discord predicted more caustic parenting, which predicted child distress.

Abstract

Background

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the historic economic shutdown and stay-at-home efforts to slow its spread have radically impacted the lives of families across the world, completely disrupting routines and challenging them to adjust to new health risks as well as to new work and family demands. The current study applied a contextual behavioral science lens to the spillover hypothesis of Family Systems Theory to develop a multi-stage mechanistic model for how COVID-19 stress could impact family and child functioning and how parents' psychological flexibility could shape those processes.

Methods

A total of 742 coparents (71% female; 84% Caucasian, 85% married, M = 41 years old) of children (ages 5-18, M = 9.4 years old, 50% male) completed an online survey from March 27th to the end of April 2020.

Results

Path analyses highlighted robust links from parent inflexibility to all components of the model, predicting: greater COVID-19 stress, greater coparenting discord and family discord, greater caustic parenting, and greater parent and child distress. Parent flexibility was associated with greater family cohesion, lower family discord and greater use of constructive parenting strategies (inductive, democratic/autonomy supportive, positive). Results further suggested that COVID-19 stressors predicted greater family and coparent discord, which in turn predicted greater use of caustic parenting (reactive, inconsistent, aggressive), which in turn predicted greater child and parent distress.

Conclusions

The current results highlight parental flexibility and inflexibility as key points of intervention for helping families navigate the current global health crisis, highlighting the crucial role they play in the lives of families.

View Abstract

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Psychological flexibility and inflexibility as sources of resiliency and risk during a pandemic: Modeling the cascade of COVID-19 stress on family systems with a contextual behavioral science lens

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The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the historic economic shutdown and stay-at-home efforts to slow its spread have radically impacted the...

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1. For professionals working with families with adolescents, why do you think it's important to have an understanding of family systems theory? How can you apply family systems theory into your own work and/or future career?

2. In your opinion, what are some common challenges that may arise in the parent-adolescent relationship? How can family systems theory help address these challenges?

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https://sph.unc.edu/sph-news/strong-adolescent-parent-relationships-linked-to-improved-health-in-young-adults/

In a recent study, researchers found that positive adolescent-parent relationships foster longer and healthier lives for young people, as well as positive mental health outcomes and decreased risks of substance abuse.

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UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health

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Strong adolescent-parent relationships linked to improved health in young adults - UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health

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April 3, 2023 New research in JAMA Network Open has found that investments in improving parent–adolescent relationships could help improve general health, mental health and sexual health, while also reducing substance use in young adulthood.

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The author of this book, Connie Albers, has worked professionally with teens for 20 years. She wrote this book as a way to reach parents and give them the tools to create healthy, positive relationships with their adolescents.

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Parenting teens is one of the most challenging seasons of parenting, isn't it? While this can be a difficult time of transition for parents and teens, there is hope. You can parent well and build a stronger relationship even through the teen years.

After 30 years of parenting five children and 20 years of working with teens, Connie Albers has witnessed the negative impact of well-intentioned but misguided parenting styles, all focused on managing teens rather than guiding them. But through learning to focus on the hearts of your teens, you can avoid those pitfalls and build relationships that last beyond the transition years as you intentionally learn about, connect with, and listen to your teens. In a world filled with distractions and devices, it is possible to guide their hearts and remain the primary influence in their lives. In Parenting beyond the Rules, you will discover how to raise a teen according to his or her strengths, talents, and personality type, as these things equip teens to manage life.

Join Connie Albers in discovering practical solutions for every parent trying to raise a responsible, godly teenager.

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Parenting teens is one of the most challenging seasons of parenting, isn't it? While this can be a difficult time of transition for parents and teens, there is hope.

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DC Counseling & Psychotherapy Center | Relationship Skill Building

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Disney's Encanto has had family therapists buzzing ever since it came out in November 2021. Honestly, this movie just made our jobs easier. I don't think I've ever had such a clear and engaging reference for talking about family systems. Lin-Manuel Miranda over and over has shown such a keen sense about how human relationships work through his lyrics and music. The way characters sing over each other, and quickly say things that you might just miss the first time if you aren't paying close attention really brings them to life. The character expression in this movie, especially in the songs, makes them feel so alive I can easily picture this family in a therapy session together.

This blog post is one of many exploring Encanto from a family systems perspective. In this contribution, I am focusing on how each of the songs depicts a concept from the "father" of family therapy, Dr. Murray Bowen's, original concepts. For more information about Bowenian System's Theory, here is a brief overview from the Bowen Center for Study of the Family:
https://www.thebowencenter.org/core-concepts-diagrams
SPOILER ALERT: If you haven't seen the movie yet, please be aware that there may be spoilers in my examples below.
Bowenian System's Concepts Illustrated by The Songs of Encanto
Relevant to all of these Bowenian concepts illustrated in Encanto is the goal of Differentiation. Differentiation means that a person experiences a healthy balance of feeling whole as an individual and also connected to their family members. The opposite of differentiated is "undifferentiated." Experiencing Cut-Offs or Enmeshments can both be undifferentiated because differentiation is about balance and not going to either extreme.
Genograms
A genogram is like a therapeutic combination of a family tree and a family diagnostic assessment. When depicting the family, we look at several generations. Ideally as far out, or farther, as the "identified patient's" grandparents. Genograms show family structure, family roles, individual issues within the family, and family dynamics.

In "The Family Madrigal" we learn about the family structure, individual qualities and roles, and some dynamics such as who is close and who has conflict.
Family Projection Process
In short, the family projection process is how we talk about older generations' values, strengths, fears, and anxieties affecting their view and behavior toward the younger generations. Depending on the view, this process can help or hurt the child. The child can either be seen disproportionately as a "problem child" or a "golden child" depending on what the older generation is projecting on to them.

In "Waiting on a Miracle," Mirabel is reacting to the family value that you must have a magic power to help and belong in her family. Since she has no magical talent, she is seen as a problem and doesn't feel like she belongs. As we see through the film, this projection process creates a whole system of anxiety for the family.
Family Fusion
Fusion occurs when a family member takes on the anxieties of others to the point that they lose themselves. It creates an unmanageable amount of stress for the individual and also enables disfunction in the family system.

In "Surface Pressure," Luisa sings about the intense pressure of carrying so many family burdens. In the song's bridge she dreams of living a more differentiated life where she could let go of family pressures and take better care of herself.
Cut-Offs
Cut-Offs can be both physical and emotional, or just emotional. They occur when the family system cannot handle the anxiety of maintaining a connection with one or more of its members, so it shuts people out. This is a reflection of the system itself and not the individual(s) it is shutting out.

In "We Don't Talk About Bruno," the family sings about how this member is both physically and emotionally cut off from the family to the point they (unsuccessfully) avoid even talking about him. The family sings about the anxieties this member brings up for them. As we learn, failing to resolve these issues and connect with this family member harmful effect on everyone.
Differentiation
Again, differentiation means being able to feel both whole individually and connected to your family. It means breaking free from becoming an exact replica of previous generations, molded by their values. Differentiation means you find your own unique, often creative, existence. Bowen theory recognizes that even just one person differentiating themselves can begin the healing process for the entire family system. Once someone differentiates themselves, it makes it hard for the family system to continue churning along with the same patterns of disfunction.

In "What Else Can I Do?," Isabel breaks free of the perfectionism projected onto her by her family. She celebrates with a burst of vitality and creativity. She and her sister reconcile tension, and together stand up to dysfunctional family processes. This ultimately breaks the old dysfunctional family system so that they can build a healthier one.
Intergenerational Trauma
With intergenerational trauma, the anxiety created from the older generation's trauma affects the younger generations. Family healing requires either the older generation to heal and make amends, or for the younger generation to recognize the challenges experienced by the older generation and work towards forgiveness, acceptance, and differentiation. When both generations can engage in healing, we have a miracle!

In "Dos Orugitas," Abuela is able to recognize how her trauma has affected the family. She is able to make amends for the harmful pattern of behavior towards her family, especially her granddaughter, Mirabel. Mirabel expresses understanding of all that her Abuela went through, and the two experience a beautiful reconciliation.

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Encanto and Family Systems Theory | DC Counseling & Psychotherapy Center

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Disney's Encanto has had family therapists buzzing ever since it came out in November 2021. Honestly, this movie just made our jobs easier. I don't think I've ever had such a clear and engaging reference for talking about family systems. Lin-Manuel Miranda over and over has shown such a keen sense about how human relationships work through his lyrics and music.