Systems theory and its discontents: Clinical and ethical issues

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Abstract
Historically, general systems theory has been one of the conceptual foundations for family therapy. However, there are indications that systems theory, originally developed for nonhuman systems, may have significant limitations in accounting for family dysfunction and for guiding intervention. Clinically, systems concepts have been applied in a “one-size-fits-all” manner to families, with little attention to which intervention approaches are optimal for specific families. Ethically, systems therapy presents significant dilemmas in a society that reveres individual rights and well-being. These challenges to the family therapy field are discussed within the context of William Perry's model of intellectual and ethical development.

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