The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between Family System Types and Self-Differentiation. Specific research questions for this purpose were as follows :
1. To what extent do the cohesion and adaptability of the family influenc...
The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between Family System Types and Self-Differentiation. Specific research questions for this purpose were as follows :
1. To what extent do the cohesion and adaptability of the family influence self-differentiation in the person?
2. To what extent do the family system types influence self-differentiation in the person?
3. To what extent does perceived-ideal discrepancy in the family influence self-differentiation in the person?
The subjects were 229 males and 323 female students attending three universities in Pusan.
The instruments used were a family system evaluation scale (Family Cohesion and Adaptability Evaluation Scale : FACES Ⅱ) revised by Lim (1984) and the questionaire on Self-Differentiation compiled by Je(1989).
The data collected was analyzed by the following method: t-test, one way ANOVA, ANCOVA, and Correlation, All the analyses were done by the SPSS program for personal computer.
Major findings from this study are summarized as follows:
1. The degree of self-differentiation is the difference between families classified according to cohesion. But the hypothesis 1-1 was not sustained, because the degree of self-differentiation is in direct relationship to the family´s being enmeshed, connected, separated, or disengaged.
2. The degree of self-differentiation is the difference between families classified according to adaptibility. But hypothesis 1-2 was not sustained, because the degree of self-differentiation is in direct relationship to the family´s being of chaotic, flexible, structured, or rigid.
3. According to the three kinds of family system types, the degree of self-differentiation is the different. But hypothesis 2 was not sustained, because the degree of self-differentiation is in direct relationship to the family´s being mid-ranged, balanced, or extreme.
4. The more the perceived-ideal discrepancy in the family system is high, the less the degree of self-differentiation is low. Thus the hypothesis 3 was supported.
Therefore the conclusions of this study were as follows:
1. The more cohesion and adaptability are high, the more the degree of self-differentiation is high. Thus when the function and health of Korean families were tested by Olson´s Circumplex Model, the cultural difference had to be considered.
2. The more positive thinking and satisfaction about one´s family are high, the more the degree of self-differentiation is high.