What term describes the tendency of families to resist change in order to maintain the status quo?

The concept that describes the tendency of families to resist change in order to maintain the status quo is known as homeostasis. In the context of family systems theory, homeostasis refers to the self-regulating mechanisms that families use to keep their functioning stable, thereby preserving established patterns and interactions. Families strive to maintain a sense of equilibrium, which often leads them to resist changes, even if those changes could lead to improvements in their circumstances.

Understanding homeostasis is crucial for therapists and practitioners because it highlights the challenges that families may face when attempting to adopt new behaviors or resolve issues. The resistance to change can manifest as pushback against therapeutic interventions, where families may subconsciously work to return to their previous state after any disruptions.

Other options present different concepts. Second-order change, for instance, involves a fundamental transformation in the underlying structure of a system, which contrasts with maintaining the existing state. Extinction refers to the gradual diminishing of a behavior when it is no longer reinforced, which does not specifically address family behavior regarding change. Behavioral inertia describes a tendency to continue current behaviors until a significant force or motivation prompts change, but it is not as comprehensive in capturing the family system's tendency to resist any change like homeostasis does.