Routledge Handbook of Bowen Family Systems Theory and Research Methods: A Systems Model for Family Research

The Handbook of Bowen Family Systems Theory and Research Methods presents innovative approaches on a range of issues inherent in family research and discusses the links between theory, data collection, and data analysis based on Bowen family systems theory. This multi-authored volume discusses core issues within family systems theory, including anxiety, stress, emotional cutoff, differentiation of self, multigenerational transmission process, and nuclear family emotional process. Chapters also examine related constructs in the research literature such as adaptation, resilience, social support, social networks, and intergenerational family relations. Readers will be able to view theoretical and methodological issues from the perspective of Bowen theory and develop a clearer knowledge of ways to navigate the challenges faced when studying individual, familial, and societal problems. An essential resource for clinicians and researchers in the social and natural sciences, the Handbook of Bowen Family Systems Theory and Research Methods provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the application of Bowen theory to family practice and family research. Review "One of the important contributions of Keller and Noone’s volume of collected studies from the perspective of Bowen Theory is its focus on concepts in family systems theory and related constructs in the wider multidisciplinary research literature. The authors of these studies are deeply conversant with Bowen theory and its potential as an integrative theory to guide research and practice. This is a project that aims to carry forth Bowen’s most ambitious goal for his family systems theory, that of moving towards a science of human behavior." Laura Havstad, PhD, director, Programs in Bowen Theory, Northern California "Diverse perspectives of empirical research are necessary to address the complexities of research in family systems. Reciprocal influences of individuals and families, families and communities, and communities and culture require a consistent theoretical grounding for approaching meaningful questions. Launched from Bowen family systems theory, Keller and Noone have assembled a knowledgeable group of scholars and practitioners to address important concerns of family research for an invaluable resource for family systems researchers. It is an important text for those seeking to design and interpret systems research." David S. Hargrove, PhD, is professor emeritus at the University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, where he served as chairperson of the Department of Psychology, interim chair of the Department of Modern Languages and interim chair of the Department of Exercise Science "The Bowen family systems theory field will advance as a natural science when the ideas are applied and systematically researched by many professionals in varying fields of study. This book has collected the research and explorations of seasoned experts in our field, investigating ways of advancing the theory and its applications. The effort to research families as an emotional system is daunting and complex. This collection of works documents how many authors and researchers have undertaken the challenge. It will be a valued resource in my library." Walter Howard Smith, Jr., PhD, is a trustee of the Casey Family Programs Foundation based in Seattle, WA. He is the retired Deputy Director and Clinical Director at the Allegheny County Department of Human Services in Pittsburgh, PA. where he served as Deputy Director of the Office of Children, Youth, and Family Services. He is a licensed psychologist in private practice. About the Author Mignonette N. Keller, Ph.D., is faculty at the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family in Washington, D.C., and former assistant professor in the School of Social Work at Howard University, Washington, D.C. She received her doctorate from Howard University, Washington, D.C., master’s from the University of Chicago,