Clear Boundaries Of Amanda's Minuchin Family Systems Theory

Family Systems Hypotheses

Amanda’s approach-avoidance behaviors with her mom provide a sense of how her family functions. Minuchin family systems theory postulates that the “Heart of Family” is the marital subsystem and emphasizes the need for clear boundaries around the marital dyad. Clear boundaries allow family members to meet their appropriate developmental needs. Additionally, clear boundaries are permeable and adaptable and allow emotional contact, independence, and change as the needs of family members evolve over the course of development. Within the Blue’s family, the marital subsystem seems to be out of sync, appears to have no clear boundaries which can explain the confusion and dysfunction that is present in the home. Amanda’s mom

Korean culture is primarily collectivist which fosters group harmony, respect for elders and authority, and values the importance of family, friendship, ancestors, and traditions. Irish American culture, on the other hand, is less cultured, assimilated in the American culture, the female dominance of domestic life and child-rearing, overt affection not prevalent, and the father is a distant figure. In Amanda’s household, the Irish American culture from her dad’s background seems to be the more dominant culture in the household as her mom does the child-rearing and her dad is hardly around and out working. Of note also, within the Irish American culture, shaming, belittling, ridicule, and embarrassment are acceptable negative terms used with children in the household. Amanda’s mom is from a small family which values education highly and may have attributed to Amanda’s consistent self-critical obsession with wanting to be a perfectionist and being hard on herself. In Individualistic cultures, high arousal emotions are valued and promoted more than low arousal emotions while low arousal emotions are valued more in collectivist cultures. Culture impacts the was emotions are felt and expressed and shapes the way people should feel in certain situations. Emotions are also influenced by environmental, social, or cultural situations. Amanda’s mom reported that she does “not do feelings well” which could be associated with the Korean culture and may have inhibited Amanda’s ability for learning feelings identification and expressions in the