ABSTRACT
In developing the eight concepts of Bowen family systems theory, Dr. Murray Bowen (1978) concluded that the basic task of adult life is to differentiate a self in relation to the important relationships in one’s life. He defined differentiation as the effort to become a mature human with the capacity to thoughtfully direct one’s life in the face of the anxiety and emotion that permeate human relationships. The formation of that self begins in infancy in the cradle of the family and is forged in adolescence in the tension between the child’s developing identity and the intensity of the parents’ expectations and emotional investment in the offspring. The turbulence generated in teenage life is fueled by hormonal excesses, a developing brain, and an awakened perception of the complexity of the world. Its outcome is the preparation of the young adult to negotiate the tasks that face them—in life work, relationships, and independence.
