Family of origin

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From a biological point of view, family of origin denotes: father, mother and siblings as members of the first generation of the family of origin in the narrower sense.

Definition of terms

Family of origin is a term from sociology and psychology . It is to be understood both biologically (ancestry) and historically directed towards the past. Children by marriage or adopted children (not biological) do not belong to the family of origin in the narrower sense, even if they were already living in the family when they were born (although historically earlier). In a broader sense and in the age of blended families, children by marriage and adopted children are sometimes also counted as part of the family of origin.

The procreative family , which you found yourself in adulthood and which includes your own children and partners, is directed towards the future .

Family of origin in systemic psychotherapy

From a systemic-therapeutic point of view, the term family of origin takes into account the entire system of relationships, values ​​and norms, wishes and taboos, experiences of happiness and suffering, roles and patterns, changes and developments, birth and death.

From a multigenerational perspective, grandparents, aunts and uncles are also included. In addition, great-grandparents and other ancestors also belong to it, always on both the paternal and maternal side. This also includes unborn or deceased children. All essential experiences and events such as: escape, imprisonment, torture, abuse, relocation, accident, illness, marriage, separation, divorce are important. They often play a central role in understanding family dynamics and in therapy, related to feelings of guilt and trauma .

Individual evidence

  1. Duden: family of origin
  2. Talcott Parsons quoted from Nina Jakoby: ( Elective ) Affinities - To explain family behavior . Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, Wiesbaden 2008, p. 85 .