P5: Family, Chronic Anxiety and Health

Based on Bowen family systems theory, one of the sources of chronic anxiety is the level of differentiation of self or emotional maturity in the family of origin: the lower level of differentiation results in less adaptiveness to stress, higher chronic anxiety in a relationship system, greater strain on adaptive capabilities and higher health problems and anxiety disorders. So, the goal of this study has been to examine the relationship between differentiation of self and two symptoms of chronic anxiety in family, namely quality of relationship with parents and health dimensions in an Iranian college student sample. A convenient sample of 210 students (102 women and 108 men) participated in the study. They were selected from the college student population who were studying in Tehran. This is a correlational study that used standard and hierarchical regression analyses for data analyzing. Participants responded to the differentiation of self inventory (DSI), the quality of relationships inventory (QRI) and the world health organization quality of life-100 (WHOQOL-BREF). The results indicate that the level of differentiation of self in the family of origin as the source of chronic anxiety has an influence on conflict with parents and physical, psychological and social health. Also, support has been found for moderating and mediating mechanisms and the results indicate that persons who are more differentiated experience less conflict with parents and report better social health than those who are less differentiated. These results support the initially cross-cultural validity of Bowen family systems theory and extend it by supporting some mechanisms that explain how the level of emotional immaturity in the context of family of origin as the source of chronic anxiety leads to personal and interpersonal health difficulties. Furthermore, these results can help therapists for providing some therapy programs.