The DOI matches its Crossref record; 2 of the 2 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
TOWARD A THEORY OF CONSTRAINTS
Abstract
Grounded in the cybernetic concept of negative explanation, the theory of constraints examines how human systems are kept from solving problems. To identify constraints, therapists must know where to look for them and what to look for. The theory proposes that constraints exist among the levels of a biopsychosocial system, which include biology, person, relationship, family, community, and society. The six metaframeworks of organization, sequences, mind, development, gender, and culture assist constraint identification. Combining the levels and metaframeworks creates a web of constraints, the complexity of which determines how difficult it will be to solve a given problem. The theory of constraint offers an integrative and pragmatic approach to therapy while simultaneously honoring the complexity of human systems.
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“Subsequently, research guided by the theory of constraint (Breunlin, 1999) may have practical implications: it may facilitate the development of strategies to improve the quality of life for people whose responses to therapy and/or community interventions have been less than optimal by identifying constraints to therapy and thereby improving outcomes.”
From Researching what we practice—The paradigm of systemic family research: Part 2 (2023) · cites this paper as Breunlin, 1999
Citations
Cites
Beyond power and control: Toward a "second order" family systems therapy.
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The specificity versus nonspecificity dilemma: toward identifying therapeutic change agents
(1986) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.143.6.687 · Cited by 215
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Cited by
Researching what we practice—The paradigm of systemic family research: Part 2
Whittaker, K., Stokkebekk, J., Lorås, L., & Tilden, T. (2023) · Family Process · doi:10.1111/famp.12921 · Cited by 12
Metadata
- Authors
- Breunlin, D. C.
- Affiliations
- Northwestern University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Breunlin, Douglas C.
- Venue
- Journal of Marital and Family Therapy
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1999-07
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 365-382
- ISSN
- 0194-472X (ISSN-L)
- 1752-0606
- OpenAlex
- W1968995526
- Cited by
- 41
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Marital and Family Therapy (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Counseling, Therapy, and Family Dynamics
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Complex Systems and Decision Making
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Operations Management Techniques
- Keywords
- theory of constraints, cybernetics, constraint identification, complexity, integrative therapy, family therapy
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Child, Cognition, Family Therapy, Female, Humans, Male, Marriage, Parent-Child Relations, Personal Satisfaction, Professional-Patient Relations, Psychological Theory
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Contains information from the Semantic Scholar Academic Graph Datasets, made available under the ODC Attribution License (ODC-BY 1.0).
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