Differentiating differentiation and individuation: Conceptual and operation challenges

A conceptual framework is presented for disentangling the concepts of individuation and differentiation by defining the former as an individual developmental process and the later as a family level variable dealing with patterns of distance regulation. The framework is then used as a basis for identifying critical measurement issues. Finally, selected measures of individuation and differentiation are reviewed in order to illustrate the strengths and limitations of measurement efforts to date.