Diferenciación del selfadaptación de un instrumento de evaluación y análisis de su vinculación con la relación de pareja, el estrés y la salud

Resumo

Differentiation of self, a construct integrated in the systemic family theory of Murray Bowen, refers to the ability to balance two elements: emotional and intellectual influences on cognitive functioning, and intimacy and autonomy in relationships with others. Achieving a balance in these two elements leads to a huge benefit in terms of people's satisfaction and adaptation in their interpersonal relationships, happiness, and development. This research is structured around three general goals: translation and adaptation of an instrument for the assessment of the differentiation of self (the Differentiation of Self Inventory-Revised; DSI-R), the study in the Spanish culture of the main hypotheses of M. Bowen on the influence of the differentiation of self in couple relationships and, lastly, the analysis of the possible moderator and/or mediator role of differentiation in the relationship between stressful life events and physical and psychological health. For this purpose, four quantitative, cross-sectional, empirical studies and a theoretical review were carried out. The empirical studies were conducted with a total sample of 1952 subjects of Spanish nationality and 470 subjects of Portuguese nationality, who completed several self-reports that assessed variables such as marital adjustment, physical health, psychological health, and stressful life events. Through this work, we carried out an adaptation of the DSI-R to Spanish and a preliminary adaptation to Portuguese. The results indicate that higher levels of differentiation of self are associated with better marital adjustment and that differentiation significantly mediates and moderates the relationship between stressful life events and physical and psychological health. A joint discussion is performed, offering some reflections on the implications of the results for clinical practice, the theory of Bowen, and the measurement of the differentiation of self.