The Effect of Self-Differentiation on Marital Conflict

Abstract

In 1967, Dr. Murray Bowen of the Georgetown University Department of Psychiatry introduced a new conceptual approach to marital and family therapy, appropriately named “Bowen Family Systems Theory” (BFST). The central theme of BFST is the theoretical concept of differentiation of self. Bowen hypothesized that lack of self-differentiation levels in the presence of anxiety within an emotional relationship were reflected by relational conflict. This study researches the correlation between self-differentiation and marital conflict. The operational hypothesis of this research study is that level of self-differentiation is a predictor of marital conflict. The sample population for this study was composed of military couples and married individuals seeking marital counseling from United States Army Family Life Chaplains or Army support services. The results of this study demonstrate that a significant negative correlation exists between level of self-differentiation and marital conflict among Army couples.

Key Words:

• Bowen
• counseling
• couples
• family systems
• military
• relationships