NURS 661 Maryville EXAM 2 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS 2025/2026
Differentiation - A person's sense of self or degree of wholeness, demonstrated by the ability to
separate one's intellectual and emotional functioning
Fusion - 1) Unable to differentiate
2)indicates a blurring between self and other
3) occurs when 2 undifferentiated people form a dysfunctional interaction pattern and function as a
single emotional system such as an over- or under functioning pattern
Multigenerational Transmission Process - 1) transfer of dysfunctional family patterns
2) occurs from one generation to the next
3) ie tell young girl "you are just like your grandmother, irresponsible and unable to take care of
yourself" and this transmits the behavioural pattern to the girl
Triangle family - 3 person systems that manage tension between 2 people by bringing in a third
person; a triangle can manage more tension
Undifferentiated ego mass - family system with members possessing low levels of differentiation and
are "stuck together" in symbiotic relationships. Members have great difficulty individuating, for they
are unable to function independently
Family projection process - family projects onto the child (the way in which parental undifferentiation
is transmitted to the children)
Emotional cutoff - reducing or cutting off emotional contact with family members in order to manage
anxiety and conflict
Subsystems - small units that carry out necessary tasks for the functioning of overall family system
Boundaries - physical or invisible emotional barriers that protect the integrity of individual members,
subsystems and families
AND ANSWERS 2025/2026
Differentiation - A person's sense of self or degree of wholeness, demonstrated by the ability to
separate one's intellectual and emotional functioning
Fusion - 1) Unable to differentiate
2)indicates a blurring between self and other
3) occurs when 2 undifferentiated people form a dysfunctional interaction pattern and function as a
single emotional system such as an over- or under functioning pattern
Multigenerational Transmission Process - 1) transfer of dysfunctional family patterns
2) occurs from one generation to the next
3) ie tell young girl "you are just like your grandmother, irresponsible and unable to take care of
yourself" and this transmits the behavioural pattern to the girl
Triangle family - 3 person systems that manage tension between 2 people by bringing in a third
person; a triangle can manage more tension
Undifferentiated ego mass - family system with members possessing low levels of differentiation and
are "stuck together" in symbiotic relationships. Members have great difficulty individuating, for they
are unable to function independently
Family projection process - family projects onto the child (the way in which parental undifferentiation
is transmitted to the children)
Emotional cutoff - reducing or cutting off emotional contact with family members in order to manage
anxiety and conflict
Subsystems - small units that carry out necessary tasks for the functioning of overall family system
Boundaries - physical or invisible emotional barriers that protect the integrity of individual members,
subsystems and families
