title: Physical illness and the family emotional system: psoriasis as a model.
abstract: Most physical illnesses are characterized by significant variability in age of onset and severity of clinical course. Although many diseases may occur in the context of a strong family history for the disease, they may also occur when there is no such history. Psoriasis has been chosen as a model for demonstrating that variability in age of onset, clinical course, and family history for a given disease may be explained, in part, by factors related to the family emotional system, a concept described by family systems theory (Bowen theory). Links between the clinical manifestations of psoriasis and the family emotional system have important treatment implications.
authors.affiliation: Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Kerr
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D004644:Emotions; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007207:Individuation; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000523:psychology*; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D012803:Sick Role