Systems theory is actually used by some practitioners in domestic violence social work and counseling by being packed within the approach of "family system theory" (e.g. Nichols & Schwartz, 2005). This approach holds that the family is a holistic system where all parts are inextricably and holistically intertwined and each member of the family affects the other. The school and community -- outside systems -- too affect the family, and, in turn, the individual family members have an impact on these external systems. Believing that all causes and effects have reciprocal impact, systems theory also posits circular causality where not only are multiple causes the instigation of one problem, but oen problem may, in effect, eventuate in multiple causes. Domestic violence, for instance, of spouse attacking other spouse negatively impacts children, which leads to poor academic study, which my negatively impact teacher's rating, disturbing the school, and so forth. Other students form the class may be also impacted by...
Taking all this into consideration provides the social worker with a potentially intimidating task since understanding of the case extends far beyond individual/s in question to consideration of the many other tangent factors causing or being caused by the problem. The social worker / counselor may likely too decide to look into possible cultural factors that may have contributed to violence (such as the specific country that perpetrator lived in or ethnic principles that perpetrator was taught / experienced in youth). Dealing with the problem, too, may require that extended categories, such as community and school, be brought in so that their input my add to solution…
