A child's degree of relationship dependence is a product of forces that promote and undermine that child's emotional separation from the family. According to Bowen family systems theory, when parent and child functioning promotes emotional separation, the emotional maturity level is maintained between generations. When their functioning undermines separation, parental generation immaturity is transmitted to the next generation. Family Projection Process, a Bowen theory concept, describes how parents instill part of their immaturity into children. Typically the parent becomes less anxious by focusing on one or more of their children. Their partner, sensitive to the caregivers' anxiety, supports their involvement with these children. Projection process steps are explored where a parent: (1) focuses on a child fearing something is wrong with that child; (2) interprets the child's behavior as confirming that fear; and (3) treats the child as if something is really wrong with that child.