Enmeshment, Fusion or Relatedness?

Basic family systems concepts may reflect prototypically male standards of self and relationships, which contribute to the common practice of labeling women's preferred interactional styles as pathological or dysfunctional. Possible biases in the definition and/or application of the terms "enmeshment" and "fusion" are elucidated through examination of gender differences in individual development, of the socially determined structure of the contemporary family, and of the social context of inequality. Following redefination and validation of women's relational skills, implications for theory are briefly discussed.