CONCEPTS OF SYSTEMS THEORY
A system is characterized by a group of parts that interact to form a coherent whole. Systems have distinct boundary separating them from external elements and distinguishing between inputs, or factors that impact the system, and outputs, or effects and products of the system. Systems may also have feedback loops, which occur when outputs of a system return as inputs, forming a circuit. Changes in one component of a system will affect other components as well as the overall entity. This dynamic makes it possible to predict what might happen when a system experiences a known change.
SYSTEMS THEORY AND SYSTEMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY
The efficacy of family systems therapy has motivated researchers and mental health experts to apply its primary principles to other groups of people. This new approach, called systemic psychotherapy or systemic therapy, helps groups gain insight into how each member’s role within a group may affect its functionality. It can be applied to organizations, communities, or businesses. Systemic psychotherapy has expanded into a nondirective, multifaceted treatment method currently applied in a variety of circumstances. Systemic psychotherapy has been found effective in addressing issues including:
}Anxiety
}Body image issues
}Eating issues
}Depression
}Substance abuse
}Relationship issues
A notable dynamic of systemic psychotherapy is its emphasis that a family or community plays a vital role in its own recovery and psychological health. As a result, families, couples, or members of an organization are directly involved in their own therapy to resolve an issue, and individual participants can begin transforming their own behaviors to be more adaptive and productive.
CONCERNS AND LIMITATIONS
One criticism of systemic psychotherapy is that it neglects the past perspective when addressing issues. In some cases, looking at an individual’s history with a mental health concern may be crucial to reaching a solution.
General systems theory is about broadly applicable concepts and principles, as opposed to concepts and principles applicable to one domain of knowledge. It distinguishes dynamic or active systems from static or passive systems. Active systems are activity structures or components that interact in behaviours and processes. Passive systems are structures and components that are being processed. E.g. a program is passive when it is a disc file and active when it runs in memory.
The field is related to systems thinking and systems engineering.