ABSTRACT
One can infer from Bowen’s writings that the goals of well-differentiated people tend to be based in a realistic assessment of their own capabilities, of the challenge they face, and of their own resourcefulness. Research on family systems appears difficult to conduct, owing to the number of variables involved and the emergent nature of their complex interaction. The framework of achievement and process goals can be extended to the family system beyond the individual. Systems thinking primarily involves a focus on facts and a disciplined effort to recognize the emotionally based relationship processes of the family. The idea of goals for a family unit has not been explored within the context of the Bowen theory. It is possible broadly to conceptualize a set of family goals. Sub-continua can be derived from this broad dimension. For example, one sub-continuum can be developed around the idea of family focus—that is, what is being tracked or attended to primarily.
