When children grow up, they then live out the degree of projection they bore by applying an equivalent degree of emotional cutoff, Bowen’s next theoretical concept, from their parents. Adult children who were most projected upon are more likely than their less projected upon siblings to invoke a greater emotional and/or physical distance from their parents. This is a common way that adult children unconsciously try to carry less of the family’s anxiety and emotional fusion.

More differentiated parents will encourage their children to separate from them in an orderly fashion so that they can start their own adult lives without feeling compelled to cut off from previous generations.