Family Assessment
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Summary
? An orderly guide to clinical family assessment
? Led by the team of Zhao Xudong, Tongji University School of Medicine
? A classic that endures
Murray Bowen, one of the founders of family therapy, proposed family systems theory. Michael E. Kerr worked with Bowen for more than 20 years. The two scholars proposed that if clinical families are assessed on the basis of family systems theory, this extremely complex work can proceed in an orderly way.
This book systematically integrates the many concepts proposed by Bowen and devotes considerable space to a skillful exposition of Bowen's theory. Dr. Kerr uses family relationship diagrams for illustration and, with a large number of concise cases, methodically explains the concepts proposed by Bowen: individuation and togetherness, self-differentiation, chronic anxiety, triangulation, the nuclear family emotional system, and the development of symptoms. Together these concepts constitute the process of systematically assessing a family.
The afterword offers readers uniquely fascinating content: Bowen recounts his life experience and career over more than 40 years, from his early work at the Menninger Foundation in the 1940s to the continued development of the Georgetown University Family Center in Washington. Bowen persevered in exploring and devoted himself to the study of family observation; despite difficulties and setbacks, he ultimately developed systems theory, which fundamentally changed the way we view behavior.
Editor's review
For professional readers, the book's value lies in translating abstract family systems theory into an operational, observable assessment process. It not only explains "why" but also details "how." For example, it shows how to collect key information through an interview, how to draw and analyze a genogram to reveal cross-generational patterns, and how to effectively integrate assessment results into an intervention plan. The content is solid, the logic clear, and the cases rich, making it a core text for building systemic family assessment competence. Although academically demanding, the writing is not obscure and emphasizes the integration of theory and clinical practice, enabling readers to grasp application scenarios while understanding complex concepts. For professionals who wish to go beyond the individual perspective and understand human behavior and distress at the systemic level, this book provides an indispensable framework and methodology.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Professionals and students currently studying or practicing psychological counseling, family therapy, social work, or marriage and family counseling
- Therapists or counselors who want to systematically study family systems theory and assessment methods and improve their clinical assessment skills
- Scholars and practitioners in family education research, family policy development, or related fields who need an in-depth understanding of family dynamics
- Advanced readers with some background in psychology or sociology who are deeply interested in how the family operates as a social system
Not a good fit for
- Readers of popular self-help books seeking quick solutions to family conflicts or improvements in parent-child or marital relationships
- General readers with no basic knowledge of psychology, sociology, or related fields
Reading tips
- Read the table of contents first to understand the book's structure, then closely read the assessment models and chapters most relevant to your professional needs
- While reading, reflect on the cases in the book and try using its tools (such as drawing a simple genogram) to analyze cases you are familiar with (while observing ethical boundaries) to deepen understanding
- The book is highly specialized; pair it with basic family systems theory textbooks or courses to aid comprehension
About the publisher
In addition to science and technology and professional publishing, the books in our catalog from China Machine Press also reflect a sustained focus on psychology, computing, management, finance and economics, and social sciences. In psychology, the catalog includes works by C. G. Jung and introductions to analytical psychology, as well as applied topics such as stress and health, and addiction and healing. In computing, it features Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (JavaScript Edition). Management and finance titles include Administrative Behavior (4th Edition), The Price of Inequality (Collector's Edition), and This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly (Commemorative Edition). In the philosophy and history of science, there is The Worldview: The Third Edition. Relevant authors include C. G. Jung, William McGuire, Sonu Shamdasani, and Gabor Maté. Public information is limited; the above summarizes the publisher's profile based solely on the books in our catalog.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 序 我们为什么要学习鲍文理论
- 前言
- 第1章 自然系统理论
- 鲍文的早期研究
- 作为单元的家庭
- 功能的连续体
- 系统思维的发展史
- 人类行为的主观性和概念化
- 人类作为所有生命的一部分
- 鲍文的理论与自然系统
- 第2章 情绪系统
- 情绪系统、情感系统与理智系统
- 三位一体的大脑
- 大自然中的情绪系统
- 非人类动物中的情绪系统
- 理论议题
- 系统与社会生物学
- 自然界的制衡“力量”
- 人类家庭情绪系统
- 第3章 个体化与一体化
- 人类在社会连续体中的地位
- 两人关系的平衡
- 关系平衡中的变化
- 关系平衡的灵活性
- 对焦虑的适应及症状的发展
- 第4章 自我分化
- 进化背景下的分化
- 影响分化水平的一般因素
- 分化量尺
- 定义自我
- 第5章 慢性焦虑
- 定义
- 个体差异
- 分化与慢性焦虑的关系
- 对焦虑的制约
- 焦虑和一体化力量
- 缓解焦虑的治疗方法
- 第6章 三角关系
- 三角关系的基本过程
- 连锁三角关系
- 三角关系和功能位置
- 非人类物种中的三角关系
- 三角关系与症状发展
- 去三角化
- 第7章 核心家庭情绪系统
- 夫妻一方的功能障碍
- 婚姻冲突
- 孩子的功能障碍
- 第8章 跨代情绪过程
- 跨代情绪过程的结果
- 理论意义和治疗意义
- 第9章 症状发展
- 疾病的系统模型
- 症状发展中的家庭系统变量
- 临床案例
- 第10章 家庭评估
- 家庭评估访谈
- 家庭评估访谈的程式
- 家庭诊断
- 结论
- 后记 一场朝向科学的奥德赛之旅
- 参考文献
- 作者简介
- 译者简介
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About the author
Michael E. Cole currently has limited publicly available information, and a complete record of his identity and academic background is still lacking. Based on the holdings in our database, the work confirmed to be his is Family Assessment, which is categorized under applied psychology. It can therefore be inferred that his writing focuses on the family as a basic unit, and may involve interactions among family members, relational structures, and systematic examination and assessment methods for family functioning. Such topics usually serve practice areas including psychological counseling, social work, and family therapy, emphasizing the translation of abstract theory into workable tools for observation and judgment. Given the available information, although Cole's output is small, his work reflects an emphasis on an applied orientation, using assessment frameworks to help practitioners understand family situations and identify problems and resources in relationships. As his representative work, Family Assessment offers Chinese readers an entry point for understanding relevant practical approaches, while more material is still needed regarding the author's own life, nationality, and academic experience.
Murray Bowen (1913–1990) was an American psychiatrist and the founder of family systems theory. In his clinical practice he developed core concepts such as self-differentiation and multigenerational transmission, emphasizing the deep connection between individual behavior and the family emotional system and shifting psychotherapy from a focus on the individual mind toward the structure of family interaction. His representative work, Family Evaluation, presents this theoretical framework and approach to assessment and is a classic in applied psychology. Public information is limited, but it is clear that Bowen's ideas have had a profound influence on the development of family therapy and remain an important reference in counseling and family studies.
Wang Jinyi: public information is limited. What can currently be confirmed is that Wang Jinyi is the author of Family Assessment, a work commonly classified under applied psychology. Based on the available information, Wang Jinyi's writing addresses psychological assessment in family contexts, with a topic that sits at the intersection of everyday life and professional practice and focuses on how to understand and measure family relationships, interaction patterns, and the states of family members. Because only one work by this author is held in the collection, details of biography, nationality, dates of birth and death, and English name cannot be verified, making it difficult to assess the author's overall body of work or scholarly stance. Readers may regard Wang Jinyi as an author in the field of applied psychology and, through Family Assessment, gain a sense of the author's concerns and mode of expression in family psychological assessment. Should more information come to light, a fuller picture of the author and writing style may emerge.
Wang Jikun is an author writing in the field of applied psychology. Public information about the author is limited; two works can be confirmed, both centered on the theme of the family. Family Assessment focuses on a systematic examination of family functioning and relationships, while No Matter How Far You Go, Family Always Follows: 16 Lectures on Family Therapy presents the basic ideas and practical methods of family therapy in the form of a lecture series. Judging from the titles and the category, the author is concerned with the influence of the family environment on individual psychology and seeks to make professional knowledge of family therapy accessible to general readers. The writing avoids piling up difficult terminology and instead emphasizes the connection between concepts and everyday family experience. The books are suitable for ordinary readers interested in family relationships and psychological growth, and can also serve as introductory reading for learners in related fields.
