Family Systems Theory: Focusing on Family Relationships

While many psychological therapies focus on individuals, there is a powerful approach that views the family as a system. This article introduces “Family Systems Theory,” which underpins such therapeutic approaches.

• Dysfunction of the entire family system
• The emergence of child problems is a sign of a system crisis
• Benefits of a supportive approach

Dysfunction of the entire family system

Family Systems Theory emerged under the influence of General Systems Theory from the natural sciences, and it led to the development of systemic family therapy in psychiatry and clinical psychology. In this framework, psychological issues are understood through the lens of the family as a system. By the 1980s, family therapy had established itself as a major method of psychological support, with family and couples therapy forming a distinct domain of professional psychological assistance（コーリィ他，1998）. In the United States, the development of family therapy is believed to have been driven in part by changes in family structures, such as rising divorce rates （遊佐，1984）. This trend suggests that the number of trained professionals in Japan may also grow in the future.

A system is defined as a cohesive whole composed of interconnected parts. In Japanese, the word “kei” (系) is often used—for example, the Solar System is referred to as “taiyo-kei.” It consists of the sun and its eight orbiting planets. While the Solar System is part of the Milky Way galaxy, it also functions as an independent whole. In this way, systems are hierarchical. Consider the human body: it consists of multiple subsystems like the nervous, circulatory, and digestive systems. Each functions independently while contributing to the body as a whole. This is the essence of a “system.”

Contemporary clinical psychology encompasses various models explaining psychological disorders, such as psychoanalysis and behaviorism. However, these models primarily focus on the individual. For example, psychoanalysis attributes disorders to unconscious conflicts, while behaviorism views them as the result of maladaptive learning. In contrast, systemic family therapy does not reduce problems to individual psychology. Rather, it posits that dysfunction in the larger family system manifests through individual members. In this way, systems theory offers a unique model of psychological support within clinical psychology.

A Child’s Problem as a Sign of Systemic Crisis

A common example is school refusal in children. Under the individual-focused paradigm, such refusal is often attributed to the child’s own psychological issues—unconscious conflict or learned maladaptive behavior. The problem is seen as stemming from the individual.

This cause-and-effect thinking is natural and widespread. A parent might say, “My child is just very sensitive.” This reflects a model of linear causality: the idea that A causes B. In contrast, systems theory uses the concept of circular causality, which highlights the mutual influence between system members. In a family, when a child stops attending school, it affects the parents. Their reactions may change their behavior toward the child, which in turn affects the child again. These interactions are dynamic and reciprocal.

Source: Compiled by the author

From a systems perspective, school refusal can be seen as a reaction to tensions within the family system—such as conflict between parents. In such cases, the child’s behavior may prompt the parents to communicate more, potentially leading to a new phase in the family’s functioning. Here, the child’s issue reflects a crisis in the system and may even serve as an unconscious attempt to restore balance.

In systemic family therapy, such individuals are referred to as the Identified Patient (IP)—not because they are the root of the problem, but because they express the dysfunction of the system. As a result, systemic therapy avoids “assigning blame.” Rather than asking whether the mother or father is at fault, the therapist focuses on how the family as a whole interacts. Often, each member is already trying their best to solve the issue, and those efforts may be counterproductive—something systemic therapy seeks to address.

Benefits of a supportive approach

This approach offers not only new insights but also practical benefits for intervention. When the problem is seen as residing in the individual, the therapist must meet with that person. But what if the individual in question—a child refusing school—won’t come to therapy? Asking the parents to “bring the child in” may be impractical or even contradictory. This is a common dilemma in support for socially withdrawn individuals.

Systemic therapy, however, does not require the therapist to meet with the child directly. Since the root of the issue lies in the family's interactions, engaging with even one family member—often the concerned mother—is enough to begin therapeutic work. Through that one person, the therapist aims to influence the whole system. Fortunately, family therapists have many systemic methods to support children even without directly seeing them.

(Note) While families today are increasingly diverse, this article discusses the general features of systems and the family therapy developed from that perspective. It primarily presents the views of the communication school, which conceptualizes family systems through an information-theoretical lens.

(Originally published in the May 2024 issue of EN-ICHI FORUM, with revisions and additions)

Citations and references

• マリアン・コーリィ、ジェラルド・コーリィ（1998）Becoming a Helper,（3rd Ed.）下山晴彦監訳（2004）心理援助の専門職として働くために―臨床心理士・カウンセラー・PSWの実践テキスト．金剛出版．
• 中釜洋子、野末武義、布柴靖枝、無藤清子（2008）家族心理学―家族システムの発達と臨床的援助．有斐閣ブックス．
• 中村伸一（2017）家族療法のいくつかの考え方．家族社会学研究，29（1）；38－48.
• 日本家族研究・家族療法学会編（2003）臨床家のための家族療法リソースブック―総説と文献105．金剛出版．
• 若島孔文、長谷川啓三（2018）新版よくわかる！短期療法ガイドブック．金剛出版．
• 遊佐安一郎（1984）家族療法入門―システムズ・アプローチの理論と実際．星和書店．

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