Understanding Systems Theory: My Family System
Family has a large role in the course of one's development. They contribute to both nature, through shared genetics, and nurture, through shared environment and upbringing. Even moving past the nature versus nurture controversy, Patterson and Vakili (2014) describe that: “we have entered an era where research is directing us to a new understanding of health that is based on the assumption that our development is affected by a complex interaction between genes and the social and physical environments we experience”.
Understanding Systems Theory and relating it to other theories of human development can help to navigate the complex interactions in play during development. Further, viewing one's life through Systems Theory can allow them to gain perspective on the impacts of interactions within their own relationships, as seen through the mechanisms described in Invitation to the Life Span. Systems Theory focuses on interactions; it is essential to understand that affecting one member of the system will subsequently impact the others. A prominent system that is examined through Systems Theory is family.
Family Systems Theory was forefronted in the 1970s by therapist Salvador Minuchin, who emphasized that families need to be assessed as a whole to account for the interconnectedness of the members. The interdependence that Minuchin describes reiterates the concept of Systems Theory; what affects one family member has a subsequent effect on the other members. Some characteristics within family systems’ interactions include reciprocal interaction and feedback, which occurs in response to change or a significant event. Patterns can arise based on these interactions and each members’ behaviour, often allowing family members to predict the others actions. Regardless of changes or stressors that impact the system, the goal of the system is to maintain homeostasis, or stability, within the family.
What is interesting about Systems Theory is that it is not necessarily the only developmental theory at play; for example, Bronfenbrenner's ecological-systems approach mentions that “. . . the person should be considered in all the contexts and interactions that constitute a life. A theory that ties in with Systems Theory is Social Learning Theory. Social Learning Theory, or modelling, believes that an individual learns from observing those around them as role models. Considering the close relations within families, members can be impactful by acting as those role models. They can even impact the findings of various developmental theorists. For example, consider Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development; each of the developmental stages has a polarity in which the individual will opt for one vs. the other. Parental and sibling influences can drive an individual to one side or the other. For example, when confronting Trust vs. Mistrust, having a warm and caring family system can aid in instilling trust in the individual, whereas a neglectful family can cause mistrust. This is the reason Systems Theory can become so complex; other concepts and theories can be applied within the system. For example, within Systems Theory one can discern the unconscious, immeasurable drives that are described in psychoanalytic theory, to the scientific observations of Learning Theory.
I can recognize the hold of Systems Theory on my own life. In middle childhood the effect of family systems within my life is very distinguishable. The article “The Third Rail of Family Systems: Sibling Relationships, Mental and Behavioral Health, and Preventive Intervention in Childhood and Adolescence” hones in on sibling interactions within a family system. Sibling relationships are complex, they are obligatory and dynamic in that birth order, age differences and gender can predict roles and patterns. I am a middle child, wedged in between a difficult, slightly older sister and a young brother, who truly is the baby of the family. The majority of my middle childhood was in constant conflict with my sister, she externalized her problems which often lead her to target relational and bullying aggression towards me. This interaction can play out through the family systems mechanisms discussed within Invitation to the Life Span (2014): an aggressive act from my sister would cause me to use a mean comeback, as my reciprocal interaction, and then we’d be dragged into a feedback loop of fighting, which would continue until it got bad enough that my parents would catch on and intervene to diffuse the situation. Though my parents would try to help, on some level I was mad at them for not having more control over my sister. She was so difficult for them that it was as though they had higher expectations of me, which I resented. Feinberg, Solmeyer, and McHale (2011) describe this concept; Parental Differential Treatment (PDT), in which parents end up treating siblings differently based on their characteristics. My mother was better at managing my sister and PDT, trying to treat us all equally, whereas my father struggled more. This resulted in me prefering to deal with most sensitive situations with my mother. Even my younger brother was affected - either it would disrupt his home environment or he would go as far as to pick sides. Just looking at sibling conflict, which was reported to happen up to 8 times an hour, Family Systems Theory can be seen at work. The net outcome of these conflicts left me with some internalization problems, I would be withdrawn during family meals and retreat to my room whenever possible. I really was the stereotypical middle child, staying out of the spotlight and not causing as much trouble for my parents as my siblings. These struggles with my sister were resilience building and equipped me with the emotional regulation I have today.
As I encountered adolescence, family systems and its effects were still visible. In highschool I drifted through many friendships, when conflict or irritation arose within these friendships I was quick to cut people off. After all, these relationship are optional, unlike the non-elective sibling relationship I have with my sister. Aside from peer drama, other personal problems came my way. Adolescence is a time when cognitive development leads to impulsivity, often characterized with externalization. During this time I was diagnosed with ADHD. For the diagnosis I attended a therapy session with both my parents; the therapist wanted to know about my childhood so I describe my family dynamics and internalization issues. That seemed to be a big turning point for me - I stepped out of my role as a middle child, finally addressing my issues and needs openly. This changed the family dynamic as I became a more active member of the family, and became closer with my parents.
Human development is a sensitive and complex phenomena. There are many theories, concepts, and ideas that attempt to make sense of it. Though Systems Theory cannot explain all of development, it provides a lens through which one can survey it. Family systems take on a complexity of their own- each family has a dynamic with unique roles and behaviours. By taking a step back to survey an individual within a familial context, alot of perspective can be gained.
References
- Berger, K. S. , & Chuang, S. S. (2014). Invitation to the life span. New York, NY: Worth Publishers, a Macmillan Higher Education Company.
- Feinberg, M. E. , Solmeyer, A. R. , & Mchale, S. M. (2011). The Third Rail of Family Systems: Sibling Relationships, Mental and Behavioral Health, and Preventive Intervention in Childhood and Adolescence. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review,15(1), 43-57. doi:10. 1007/s10567-011-0104-5
- Patterson, J. E. , & Vakili, S. (2013). Relationships, Environment, and the Brain: How Emerging Research is Changing What We Know about the Impact of Families on Human Development. Family Process,53(1), 22-32. doi:10. 1111/famp. 12057
