In Bowen Family Systems Theory, a child may repeat parental patterns in the present; this illustrates which concept?

In Bowen Family Systems Theory, a child may repeat parental patterns in the present; this illustrates which concept?

• A. Regression
• B. Repetition of family patterns
• C. Differentiation
• D. Triangulation

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is that family dynamics can be transmitted across generations, causing a child to enact the same relational patterns they observed in their parents in the present moment. In Bowen’s theory, patterns of interaction—such as how closeness or distance is managed, who takes on which roles, and how conflict is handled—are learned in the family of origin and tend to reappear in later relationships. This repetition illustrates the multigenerational transmission of family patterns, showing how dynamics persist over time. This isn’t about returning to an earlier developmental stage (regression), nor about forming a triangle to reduce anxiety (triangulation), nor about achieving a clear sense of self within relationships (differentiation). The specific phenomenon described—repeating parental patterns in the current context—best fits the concept of repetition of family patterns.

The idea being tested is that family dynamics can be transmitted across generations, causing a child to enact the same relational patterns they observed in their parents in the present moment. In Bowen’s theory, patterns of interaction—such as how closeness or distance is managed, who takes on which roles, and how conflict is handled—are learned in the family of origin and tend to reappear in later relationships. This repetition illustrates the multigenerational transmission of family patterns, showing how dynamics persist over time.

This isn’t about returning to an earlier developmental stage (regression), nor about forming a triangle to reduce anxiety (triangulation), nor about achieving a clear sense of self within relationships (differentiation). The specific phenomenon described—repeating parental patterns in the current context—best fits the concept of repetition of family patterns.