Family Systems Theory: Focusing on Family Relationships

In contrast to psychotherapy that focuses on individuals, there is an effective psychological support method that focuses on the family as a system. We will introduce the "family systems theory" that forms the basis of this method

• Dysfunction of the entire family system
• The emergence of children's problems is a symptom of a system crisis
• Benefits to the support approach

Dysfunction of the entire family system

Family systems theory was proposed under the influence of general systems theory in natural science, and gave rise to systems-based family therapy in psychiatry and clinical psychology. In this theory, psychological disorders are viewed from the perspective of the family as a system, and efforts are made to support them. By the 1980s, family therapy had established itself as a powerful method of psychological support, and family therapy and couples therapy have formed a genre within the field of psychological assistance (Corey et al., 1998). The development of family therapy in the United States is largely attributed to changes in families, such as the increase in divorce rates (Yusa, 1984), and it is possible that the number of specialists will increase in Japan in the future.

A system is explained as a whole that has a certain coherence. In Japanese, there is the word "kei" (系), and for example, Solar System is translated as taiyoukei (太陽系). This means a planetary system in which the sun and eight planets orbit around it. And the solar system is part of the Milky Way galaxy, but it is also an independent whole in itself. In this way, systems have a hierarchy. Or, taking the human body as an example, the human body is composed of various organ systems such as the nervous system, the circulatory system, and the digestive system. In other words, each system forms a part of the human body while simultaneously constituting a relatively independent structure and function. This is what we call a system.

The main theories of psychological disorders included in current clinical psychology include psychoanalysis, behavior therapy, and several other etiological models, but these are all considered from the perspective of the individual. For example, psychoanalysis assumes an unconscious mind involved in the formation of psychological disorders, and behavior therapy describes problematic behavior as a result of erroneous learning. In contrast, systems-theoretic family therapy does not reduce problems to the individual's psychological state. Rather, it considers that dysfunction of the entire system to which the individual belongs manifests itself through its members (individuals). In this respect, the systems-theoretic approach is unique as a psychological support model within clinical psychology.

The emergence of children's problems is a symptom of a system crisis

A typical example is the response to the problem of school refusal. In the individual paradigm described above, school refusal is seen as being caused by the child, and this may be understood as an unconscious conflict or the learning of maladaptive behavior. In other words, the main cause of the problem is attributed to the individual.

Attributing the cause of an individual's behavior to the individual is a very natural logic, and people generally think this way. The parents of a child who refuses to go to school may say, "My child is very neurotic." This cause-and-effect model is called linear causality, and in contrast, the interactive influence relationships in a system are called circular causality. In this case, it is difficult to uniquely determine cause and effect. In fact, when a child refuses to go to school in a family, it will affect the parents, and the parents' relationship with the child will change. Then, it is thought that the changes in the parents will affect the child. In this way, the relationships between the members of a system are interactive.

Source: Created by the author

So how does systems-based family therapy understand a child's school refusal? A common interpretation is that increased tension in the system, such as discord between parents, triggers the child's (a nervous child's) school refusal. Parents whose relationship has deteriorated and who have stopped communicating may feel the need to talk when their child's school refusal problem arises. As a result, when the parents begin to talk, the system may shift to a different form. In this case, the occurrence of the child's problem can be seen as a manifestation of a crisis in the family system, and even if the child is not aware of it, it can be interpreted as an attempt to restore the system's dysfunction.

Therefore, in systems-based family therapy, the individual causing the problem within the system is called the Identified Patient (IP). This means "a person who is considered a patient," not "a patient." As mentioned earlier, this indicates an understanding that the cause of the problem (etiology) does not lie with the individual, but rather that the person has been burdened with the system's problem (etiology). And from this way of thinking, the support concept of "not searching for a culprit" has also been proposed in family therapy. When a child refuses to go to school, discussions can arise about who is to blame—whether it's the mother, the father, or even the parents' parenting style. However, family therapists would not attribute the cause in this way. This is because systems-based family therapy has found that in many cases, those involved are each making efforts to resolve the issue, and these efforts are actually backfiring.

Benefits to the support approach

Furthermore, this systems-based approach is not only useful for assessing the problems surrounding school refusal, but also offers significant advantages in support approaches. In the usual view that the cause of the problem lies with the individual, it goes without saying that the support provider needs to meet with the individual. Even if the goal is to resolve unconscious conflicts through psychological interviews, support is impossible if the person does not come for the interview. However, the person in question is a child who refuses to go to school. It is quite conceivable that the child will not be able to come to the support provider. In that case

hikikomori (socially withdrawn individuals). In contrast, from a systems-based perspective, the support provider does not necessarily need to meet with the child. This is because the cause of the problem is not with the child, but rather with the dysfunction of the family's function (relationships). Therefore, the interviewer only needs to interview one of the family members. Usually, one family member (often the mother) who is worried about the problem and seeking a solution comes for consultation, and the family therapist will aim to change the family system through that one person. Fortunately, family therapists know various systems-based methods for approaching a child even if they cannot meet the child in person.

(Note) While the diversity and transformation of families are discussed today, this article discusses the universal properties of families from a systems perspective and the family therapies developed from that perspective. Although there are many academic discussions on family therapy, this article mainly discusses the functions of the family system from the perspective of the communication school, which examines them from an information-based viewpoint.

(This article is an edited and revised version of an article published in the May 2024 issue of 'EN-ICHI FORUM'.)

Citations/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．

Family Issue briefs and Researches