ABSTRACT
The multigenerational transmission process, one of the eight concepts in M. Bowen family systems theory, provides the framework for further understanding the effect of family members on one another from generation to generation. The multigenerational transmission process describes influences over variability in functioning among family members ranging from the most favorable to the most dysfunctional. Bowen considered the human family to be part of evolution, an emotional system that governs the biology, behaviors, and relationship patterns over generations of family members. Research on epigenetic influences in human functioning began with observations about the incidence of symptoms and differences in health and functioning for descendants of families who experienced significant adversity. The interaction of socioeconomic factors, education, and family relationships is the subject of research that demonstrates variation in symptoms and in resilience over several generations. P. Klever studied the impact of contact and cutoff between generations spanning more than 20 years.
