Diffuse boundaries are the polar opposite of rigid boundaries and lead to enmeshment. Family members experience a complete loss of
independence and autonomy. An enmeshed family system is characterized by an excessive degree of involvement and responsiveness and is demonstrated by the interdependence of relationships, encroachment on personal boundaries, poorly differentiated perceptions of self and of
other family members, and weak family subsystem boundaries. During periods of change and growth, an enmeshed family experiences extreme dif® culty and its members frequently insist on preserving familiar methods of interaction. Issues which threaten change, such as negotiations of individual autonomy, are not permittedto surface (Minuchin et al., 1975).