Bowen Family Systems Theory: Exposure of children's triangulation, cross-cultural validation of differentiation, and embedment of co-sleeping phenomenon

Abstract

The thesis situates in the context of Bowen Family Systems Theory. Thesis’ introduction presents Bowen Theory’s systemic themes and core constructs that were originally developed from clinical observations of nuclear families. Thesis’ main corpus consists of four published articles. Two of the articles ground in clinical findings made during my family and school counselling practice (concerning the potential fallacies of medical-model oriented diagnoses, and the potential detrimental effects of co-sleeping family practice). Remaining two articles examine theoretically and extend empirically Bowen Theory’s cross-cultural applicability. Thesis concludes with an integrative discussion of the published articles with current empirical literature