ABSTRACT
The existence of the multigenerational transmission process represents a novel discovery by Murray Bowen. One of the more significant factors observed to influence the multigenerational process is the degree to which a nuclear family remains in contact with the larger extended family or the degree to which one or both of the parents have emotionally cut off from their families. Discoveries in the emerging field of epigenetics are dramatically altering an understanding of the interplay between genes and the environment and the influence of previous generations on the present. Epigenetic research has demonstrated how reciprocal interactions in a family can affect the expression of genes related to the health and illness of family members. A frequently posed criticism of Bowen’s Family Study Project at National Institute of Mental Health was its proposition that family relationship processes play a central role in the development of schizophrenia.
