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FAMILY LIFECYCLE: STRESSORS WITHIN STAGES - Coggle Diagram
FAMILY LIFECYCLE: STRESSORS
WITHIN STAGES
INTRODUCTION
Only when the therapist takes all of the
family’s interactive variables into account and examines how each member, along with outside forces, influences the whole can he/ she designs and deliver a useful intervention.
Thus, need to consider and become
knowledgeable about the vibrancy of individual and family lifecycles too-both from systemic and developmental perspective.
TYPES OF FAMILIES
▪ NUCLEAR FAMILY
▪ SINGLE-PARENT FAMILY
▪ BLENDED(REMARRIED, STEP)FAMILY
▪ DUAL-CAREER FAMILY
▪ CHILD-FREE FAMILY
▪ SPECIAL-NEEDS-CHILD/CHILDREN FAMILY
▪ GAY/LESBIAN FAMILY
▪ AGING FAMILY
▪ MULTIGENERATIONAL FAMILY
▪ GRANDPARENT-HEADED FAMILY
▪ MILITARY FAMILY
Qualities of Happy Families
Health is an interactive process associated with positive relationships and outcomes (Wilcoxon, 1985)
In families, health involves ethical accountability, such as promoting good relationships and balancing the give and take among members.
• Adapt to change
• Set appropriate boundaries
• Develop relationships through open communication
• Promote responsibility
• Express confidence in themselves and their children
• Optimistic about the future
• Understand what issues to address
• Based on logic cognitive or emotional framework
• Exert appropriate amount of energy toward matters
• Realistic plans
Growth-Producing Structure & Development Patterns
Healthy Families are organized in a clear,
appropriate, and growth-producing way. No
intergenerational coalitions or conflictual
triangles.
Through
Negative Feedback
as to maintain
homeostasis ( the tendency to resist change and keep things as they are)
FAMILY LIFE STRESSORS
Vertical Stressors
Those that bring past & present issues to bear reciprocally such as family attitudes, expectations, secrets & legacies. These stressors are historical & inherited from previous generations.
Vertical stressor are pattern of relating and functioning transmitted historically through generation - Family attitude, secret, stories, expectation, taboo
Biological heritage, genetic make-up, temperament, disabilities
Pass along from grandparents to parents to children
Family secrets (having a child and giving them up for adoption and this impacting how you interact with later born children)
Horizontal Stressors
are aspects of life that relate to the present such as cohabitation, early marriage, teenage pregnancy, & financial security. They are developmental & unfolding
Many are predictable & expected like the life cycle transition.
Expected Life
Stressors
1.Economics and Finances
2.Children’s behaviors
Insufficient couple time
4.Communicating with children
5.Insufficient personal time
6.Insufficient family time
Unexpected Life
Stressors
Physical/Psychological trauma-happens sometimes due to the happenstance that take an unusually destructive & life threatening or life-ending turn, families may find themselves suffering the effects of a physical or psychological trauma. Natural disaster also may cause these These events may happen singularly or collectively.
Success and Failure
Happenstance-refer to all the random, chance circumstance of life, some fortunate and others might not.
Family Structure
and Functionality
Three common family organizational
forms are:
Symmetry/complementary
Symmetrical relationship - interaction based on similarity of behavior
Complementary relationship - family roles are define more rigidly and differences are maximized
Most successful couples show an ability to use both styles of interaction
Both symmetrical and complementary forms of family life will work as long as
members in the relationship must be satisfied with and competent in their roles.
There must be a sufficient interrelationship of roles so that necessary tasks are accomplished.
Centripetal/centrifugal
Centripetal - directed toward a center - toward family closeness
tend to produce children who are too tightly held by the family (antisocial, irresponsible, egocentric, eating disorder, schixo, unable/unwiling to leave home
Centrifugal - directed away from the family - move away from the family.
produce children who become socially isolated, disorganized, withrawn, run away from home, rejected, neglect)
Cohesive/adaptable
Family cohesion - bonding
1 - disengaged 2 - seperated 3 - connected 4 - enmeshed
Family adaptibility - flexible and change
1 - rigid
2 - structured 3 - flexible
4 - chaotic
Coping Strategies of
Families
▪ Ability to identify the stressors
▪ Tolerance for other family members
▪ Open and clear communication among members
▪ Evidence of high family cohesion
▪ Evidence of considerable role flexibility
▪ Lack of physical violence
▪ Lack of substance abuse
Implications of health in working with families
First, appreciate the multidimensional aspects of family life and how members influence each other systematically.
Second, on the realization that even in dysfunctional families have areas of adequate or above-average performance.
Third, the realization that health and pathology are
developmental. Change if possible and probability if proper therapeutic interventions are made.
Fourth, therapist can delineate areas of deficiency and strength. Healthy families have weaknesses, and dysfunctional families have strength.
Final implications is educational. An awareness of potential stressors in life can help therapists prepare a family and its members to deal with situations in advance.