Family Therapy History, Theory, and Practice 6th Edition Gladding – Test Bank
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Chapter 3
Types and Functionality of Families
Chapter Overview
The Family System and Health
·
Time changes perspectives on the family; what was considered
healthy at one time may no longer be seen the same way later
·
Traditional families were very patriarchal with men being the
breadwinners and rule makers and women staying at home to be the bread makers
and caregivers
·
In modern times, roles have changed and so have family forms
with nontraditional families outnumbering traditional nuclear families
·
The most prevalent family forms are the nuclear family, the
single-parent family, and the blended family
·
Among some of the variations on the nuclear, single-parent, and
blended families are the dual-career family, child-free family,
special-needs-child/children family, gay/lesbian family, aging family,
multigenerational family, grandparent-headed family, and military family
·
Family health fluctuates over the lifespan as families respond
to changes or destabilizing events
·
Healthy families make adjustments to accommodate to new
situations and challenges
·
Based on systems theory, change in any part of a family affect
all the other parts of the family
·
Depending on the situation, families may respond to change by
using negative feedback loops (loops that promote a return to the status quo)
or positive feedback loops (loops that promote change)
·
Healthy families strive for a balance between change and stability;
too much stability inhibits growth and produces stagnation, too much change
results in chaos
Qualities of Healthy Families
·
Healthy families encourage positive relationships among family
members and insure a good give-and-take balance between individual and family
needs
·
Healthy families do not always produce healthy individuals and
healthy individuals may not always come from healthy families
·
Successful families are balanced in many ways and do not operate
from extreme positions of cognition or emotion
·
Healthy families have a strong and healthy marital unit
characterized by promotion of individual growth and mutual support and
sacrifice
·
Characteristics of Healthy Families
·
commitment to the family and its members (e.g., devotion to
individual and family growth, family loyalty)
·
appreciation for each other (e.g., verbal and physical
expression, mutual love, respect, and compliments)
·
willingness to spend time together (e.g., qualitative and
quantitative time, positive time, sharing, builds cohesion)
·
effective communication patterns (e.g., clear and congruent
messages sent and received, wide range of communication, conflict resolution
through discussion, positive tone)
·
high degree of religious/spiritual orientation (e.g., helpful in
coping, resiliency, finding meaning, and providing a moral foundation,
increases marital satisfaction)
·
ability to deal with crises in a positive manner (e.g., dealing
with events and nonevents with appropriate coping strategies, negotiation,
humor, respect, and support)
·
encouragement of individuals (e.g., strengthens weak members,
most crucial in life cycle transitions)
·
clear roles (e.g., clear, appropriate, suitable allocated,
mutually agreed upon, integrated, enacted, interchangeable and flexible)
·
growth-producing structure and development patterns (e.g.,
absence of intergenerational coalitions and conflictual triangles, clear
boundaries, balance of stability and change)
Family Life Stressors
·
Stress is a normal part of family life
·
Vertical stressors are historical and come from previous family
history and experience, for example, family attitudes, expectations, secrets,
and legacies
·
Horizontal stressors are related to current events, are
developmental and continually unfolding, and may be predictable or
unpredictable
·
Expected life stressors may be developmental (life cycle
related), situational (interpersonal), or historical (related to family life
history)
·
Common stressors that are developmental and situational include:
·
economics and finances
·
children’s behaviors
·
insufficient couple time
·
communicating with children
·
insufficient personal time
·
insufficient family play time
·
Unexpected life stressors include events which occur “off
schedule” or not at all. Family adaptability may be related to environment fit
(e.g., economic and support factors)
·
Common unexpected life stressors include
·
happenstance or random, chance life changes
·
physical/psychological trauma
·
success and failure
·
gaining or losing a family member
Family Structure and Functionality
·
Family structure influences the ability to handle stressors
·
Three common family structures:
o symmetrical/complementary
o symmetrical
interaction is based on similarity of behavior, i.e., either partner might do
the work; it can result in completion between spouses
o complementary
interaction is defined more rigidly and maximizes differences in family roles,
for example, traditional gender roles
o parallel
relationships are a combination of symmetrical and complementary interaction as
appropriate and can produce optimum family and couple functioning
o centripetal/centrifugal
·
centripetal families focus on family closeness, get their needs
met primarily through the family, and may produce children who are at their
worse family dependent, antisocial, irresponsible, and egocentric
·
centrifugal families are more disengaged, get their needs met
primarily outside of the family, and may produce children who at their worse
become socially isolated, disorganized, or withdrawn
·
extremes of either style are like to result in poor family
functioning
·
at different times both styles are appropriate, e.g.,
centripetal structure at the birth of a baby; centrifugal structure at the
launching of children
·
cohesion/adaptability
o cohesion,
or emotional bonding, can be measured on four levels from low to high: (1)
disengaged, (2) separated, (3) connected, (4) enmeshed
o adaptability,
or the ability to be flexible and change, can be measured on four levels from
low to high: (1) rigid, (2) structured, (3) flexible, (4) chaotic
o the
relationship between cohesion and adaptability is curvilinear
o dysfunctional
families tend to be either very high or very low on these dimensions, while
healthy families tend to be more balanced
o life
cycle stage and culture influence these two dimensions and must be considered
in assessing families
Coping Strategies in Families
·
In coping with stress, useful family characteristics include the
following:
·
ability to identify the stressor
·
ability to view the situation as a family problem, rather than a
problem of one member
·
solution-oriented approach rather than blame-oriented
·
tolerance for other family members
·
clear expression of commitment to and affection for other family
members
·
open and clear communication among members
·
evidence of high family cohesion
·
evidence of considerable role flexibility
·
appropriate utilization of resources inside and outside the
family
·
lack of physical violence
·
lack of substance abuse
·
Other effective coping strategies include:
·
recognizing that stress may be positive and lead to change
·
realizing that stress is usually temporary
·
focusing on working together to find solutions
·
realizing that stress is a normal part of life
·
changing the rules to deal with stress and celebrating victories
over events that led to stress
·
ABCX Model (also referred to as the “check mark diagram”) of
adjustment to a crisis
·
“A” is the stressor event
·
“B” is the resources available at the family’s disposal
·
“C” is the meaning or significance of the event for the family
·
“X” is the combined effect of these factors (i.e., the crisis
itself)
·
in this model, the same event may be handled differently by
different families
·
Double ABCX Model of adjustment to a crisis
·
expands on the ABCX Model by focusing on family interactions
between situations and on family resolutions over time.
·
incorporates the ‘pile up of demands’ as a variable in how
families are able to respond to stressors
·
An inability to adjust to change can result in families trying
the same solutions over and over, thus intensifying nonproductive behaviors and
exacerbating the symptomatic behavior
·
There are two levels of change:
·
first-order change is characterized by superficial or
incremental change
·
second-order change results in the introduction of new rules and
behaviors into existing behavioral patterns; it is metachange
Implications of Health in Working with Families
·
Studying healthy families is a complex process
·
Research on healthy families benefits family therapists in the
following ways
·
appreciation for the multidimensionality of families and the
mutual influence of family members
·
identifies areas of health and strength in all families, not
just pathology
·
highlights the developmental nature of both health and pathology
in families
·
increased awareness that healthy families have deficits and
dysfunctional families have strengths
·
awareness of potential stressors helps family therapists prepare
families through education
Key Terms
ABCX Model of a crisis in
this model “A” represents the stressor event that happens to the family, “B”
represents the resources at the family’s disposal, and “C” represents the
meaning or interpretation the family attaches to the experience. “X” is the
combined effect of these factors (i.e., the crisis itself). This model
highlights that the same type of event may be handled differently by different
families.
boundaries the
physical and psychological factors that separate people from one another and
organize them.
centrifugal literally,
directed away from a center. It describes how people move away from their family
(i.e., family disengagement).
centripetal literally,
directed toward a center. It describes a tendency to move toward family
closeness.
check mark diagram in the ABCX
model of a crisis, the process that a family goes through in adjusting to situations,
i. e., it initially tumbles down like the slope of a check mark and then after
reaching bottom reestablishes itself like the upslope of a checkmark from
anywhere below, the same, or above where it was in the beginning.
complementary relationship
relationships based on family member roles or characteristics that are
specifically different from each other (e.g., dominant versus submissive,
logical versus emotional). If a member fails to fulfill his or her role, such
as be a decision maker or a nurturer, other members of the family are adversely
affected.
conflictual triangles two
individuals, such as a mother and father arguing over and interacting with
another, such as a rebellious son, instead of attending to their relationship.
developmental stressors stressful
events that are predictable and sequential, such as aging.
DINK an acronym meaning dual
income, no kids.
Double ABCX model a model for
dealing with crises that builds on the ABCX model but focuses on family
resolutions over time rather than in regard to a single happening.
dual-career families those
families in which both marital partners are engaged in work that is
developmental in sequence and to which they have a high commitment.
family adaptability the ability of a
family to be flexible and change.
family cohesion emotional
bonding within a family.
family development and environmental fit
a concept that states that some environments are conducive to helping families
develop and resolve crises, and others are not.
first-order change the process
whereby a family that is unable to adjust to new circumstances often
repetitiously tries the same solutions or intensifies nonproductive behaviors,
thus assuring that the basic organization of the family does not change.
happenstance an unpredictable
event, a chance circumstance.
health an interactive process
associated with positive relationships and outcomes.
horizontal stressors stressful events
related to the present, some of which are developmental, such as life cycle
transitions, and others of which are unpredictable, such as accidents.
intergenerational coalitions
members from different generations, such as a mother and daughter, colluding as
a team.
life cycle transitions
predictable movement from one stage of life to another, such as going from
being married to being married with children.
metachange a changing of
rules sometimes referred to as a change of change.
nonevent the
nonmaterialization of an expected occurrence (e.g., the failure of a couple to
have children).
parallel relationships
relationships in which both complementary and symmetrical exchanges occur as
appropriate.
postgender relationship a
symmetrical relationship where each partner is versatile and tries to become
competent in doing necessary or needed tasks, e.g., either a man or a woman can
work outside the home or take care of children.
Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment, and Adaptation
a model of family adjustment that proposes that a family’s capability to meet
demands is dynamic and interactional
roles prescribed and repetitive
behaviors involving a set of reciprocal activities with other family members or
significant others; behaviors family members expect from each other and
themselves.
second-order change a qualitatively
different way of doing something; a basic change in function and/or structure.
situational stressors stressful
events that are unpredictable, such as interpersonal relationships that are
emotional.
spillover the extent to which
participation in one domain, e.g., work, affects participation in another
domain, e.g., the family.
symmetrical relationship a
relationship in which each partner tries to gain competence in doing necessary
or needed tasks. Members within these units are versatile. For example, either
a man or a woman can work outside the home or care for children.
vertical stressors events dealing
with family patterns, myths, secrets, and legacies. These are stressors that
are historical and that families inherit from previous generations.
Classroom Discussion
1. Just
as the world changes constantly, so do families. What do you consider some
healthy characteristics of today’s family? What are some unhealthy
characteristics?
2. In
modern times, nontraditional families outnumber traditional families. What are
some nontraditional family types? What special difficulties might they
face in today’s culture?
3. When
families are unable to adjust to change, they often try the same solutions over
and over again without success. What are some examples from your own family,
pop culture, movies, television shows, or books that illustrate how this can
happen? What might they do differently that might help them become
healthier families?
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Studies
reveal that healthy and functional families in virtually all cultures are able
to:
2. adapt
to change
3. set
appropriate boundaries
4. express
confidence in themselves and their children
5. all
of the above
2. Members
of healthy families often use humor, soothing comments, or changes of subject
to steer difficult family conversations in positive directions. This process of
redirecting difficult conversations is known as:
3. redirection
4. repair
5. relating
6. re-authoring
3. Horizontal
stressors are:
4. related
to historical events
5. related
to current events
6. related
to previous family history
7. both
A and C
4. Symmetrical
interaction is based on:
5. rigidity
and maximizing differences
6. family
closeness and getting needs met inside the family
7. disengagement
8. similarity
of behavior and competition
5. Cohesion,
or emotional bonding, can be measured on four levels from low to high:
6. disengaged,
separated, connected, enmeshed
7. separated,
disengaged, enmeshed, connected
8. enmeshed,
connected, separated, disengaged
9. connected,
enmeshed, disengaged, separated
6. In
the ABCX Model, the “C” is:
7. the
crisis or stressor event
8. the
combined effect of all factors
9. the
resources available at the family’s disposal
10. the
meaning or significance of the event for the family
7. There
are two levels of change, first-order and second-order. First-order change is
characterized by:
8. trying
the same behavior over and over
9. nonevents
10. superficial
change
11. life
cycle transitions
8. Centrifugal
families are more _____ than centripetal families.
9. healthy
10. disengaged
11. enmeshed
12. none
of the above
9. The
Double ABCX Model differs from the ABCX Model in some significant ways,
including:
10. awareness
of potential stressors
11. focus
on family interactions over time
12. incorporation
of metachange factors
13. focus
on parallel relationships
10. Useful
family characteristics for coping with stress include all the following except:
11. lack
of physical violence
12. identification
of the family member who caused the problem
13. solution
oriented rather than blame oriented
14. open
and clear communication
True/False Questions
1. The
three least prevalent types of families in American culture are nuclear, single
parent, and blended.
True ___ False ___
2. A
high degree of religious/spiritual orientation is a characteristic of healthy
families.
True ___ False ___
3. Although
healthy families do not always produce healthy individuals, being in a healthy
family environment is an advantage.
True ___ False ___
4. Vertical
stressors are related to current events, are developmental and continually
unfolding.
True ___ False ___
5. Research
on families is important because it helps identify healthy family
characteristics, not just pathology
True ___ False ___
6. All
healthy families have deficits and all dysfunctional families have strengths.
True ___ False ___
Chapter 4
Working with Single-Parent and Blended Families
Chapter Overview
·
Single-parent and blended families are common family types in
the US
·
Single-parent families may over time become blended families
because of remarriage
·
Single-parent families and blended families face some similar
issues, including adjustment to new roles and new rules, establishment and maintenance
of healthy boundaries, and adaptation to changes in daily routines
Single-Parent Families
·
Single-parent families are headed by a mother or father, a sole
parent, responsible for taking care of herself or himself and a child or
children (Walsh, 1991)
·
Single-parent families are created as a result of
·
divorce
·
death
·
abandonment,
·
unwed pregnancy
·
adoption
·
temporary circumstances (e.g., military deployment)
·
Historically single-parent families were created by death or
desertion of a spouse
·
In the 1950s, families created by divorce started to exceed
those created by death
·
In the 1970s, the decision of many unmarried women to bear and
raise children by themselves increased
·
In 2010, there were approximately 11.7 million single parents
living with their children (29.5% of US households with children)
Types of Single-Parent Families
·
Single parenthood as a result of divorce
·
two subunits are formed (except in some cases of joint custody)
o custodial
parent, with whom the child resides and his or her interactions with the
ex-spouse and child(ren)
§ stressors
include rebuilding financial resources and social networks
§ benefits
include a renewed sense of confidence in oneself
o noncustodial
parent, and his or her relationships with the ex-spouse and child(ren)
§ stressors
include finding ways to stay involved with one’s children as a parent
§ rebuilding
of social networks
§ benefits
include devising creative problem-solving methods
§ gaining
renewed self-confidence
o both
parents have the same rights, unless a court order specifies differently
o Single
parenthood as a result of death
o reestablishing
one’s life and restructuring of the family are major tasks
o three
stages
§ mourning
stage – helps with release of positive and negative feelings and emotions;
“death ends a life, not a relationship”
§ readjustment
stage – learning to do new tasks, dropping old tasks, reassigning duties to
other family members
§ renewal
and accomplishment stage – focus on finding and engaging in new growth
opportunities
o Single
parenthood by choice
o characterized
by choice and intentionality
o actions
include
§ conceiving
a child out of wedlock
§ carrying
a child to term after accidentally becoming pregnant out of wedlock
§ adopting
a child as a single adult
o parent
has time to prepare before the child arrives
o clear
from the beginning that there will usually be no outside support
o Single
parenthood as a result of temporary circumstances
o change
that is usually the result of uncontrollable circumstances (e.g., job change,
deployment in the military)
o usually
involves one parent making an immediate move while the other parent remains
behind
o suddenness
and seriousness of the change increases stress levels
Dynamics Associated with the Formation of Single-Parent Families
·
Dynamics of single-parent families formed through divorce
·
top three reasons for divorce are social, personal, and
relationship issues
·
social issues
o new
technologies
o more
alternatives
o less
stability
o greater
opportunities for frustration, fulfillment, and alienation
o changing
of women’s roles
o weakening
of alliance of men and their work
o increased
acceptance of options, transitions, and a new openness to mores and laws
o divorce
is more acceptable today
·
personal issues
o people
marry at different levels of psychological maturity
o people
marry with different expectations
o personality
conflicts may doom marriages
o some
marriages may be best served when the relationship is dissolved
·
interpersonal issues
o marriages
dissolve when couples perceive the costs as exceeding the benefits
o couples
frequently do not seek help or seek it too late
·
common issues following divorce or separation
o resolution
of the loss of the marriage
o acceptance
of new roles and responsibilities
o renegotiation
and redefinement of relationships with family and friends
o establishment
of a satisfactory arrangement with one’s ex-spouse
o significant
decrease in income
o society
as a whole still subtly disapproves and stigmatizes those who divorce
·
Dynamics of single-parent families formed through death
·
death is a shock even when expected, important to appropriately
grieve
·
family members should talk to one another and with others
·
releasing feelings assists family members to see the deceased
person as mortal instead of ‘superhuman’
·
Dynamics of single-parent families formed through choice
o a large
and rapidly growing segment of the population
o cuts
across racial, social, and economic divisions
o three
major factors influencing this trend
o historical
tradition
o in
maternally oriented subcultures, many children have been raised by single
parent mothers and are inclined to avoid marriage and follow the same patterns
they grew up in
o racism,
ignorance, and socioeconomic crises contribute to this pattern
o such
patterns or cycles can be difficult to break
o change
and acceptance by society
o stigmas
and taboos have been broken down
o traditional
norms and patterns have eroded
o choice
o includes
women who are well educated and older
o dramatization
in books, movies, and television
o it is
more socially acceptable for single women to adopt babies
o women
who adopt can pick the time when they wish to become a parent
o women
who adopt tend to be affluent, not encumbered by a marital relationship, and
can provide more nurturance and time to the child(ren)
·
Dynamics of single-parent families formed through temporary
circumstances
o the parent
left in charge may be overloaded with extra duties and responsibilities with no
additional resources
o the
parent must prioritize tasks and decide what can be postponed and/or dropped
o can
be a period of disorganization and stress
o the
time period for functioning in this way is time-limited
Strengths and Challenges Connected with Single-Parent
Families
·
Strengths of single-parent families
o tendency
to be more democratic than most family types
o informal
style of relating
o the
needs of all parties are usually considered in decision making
o limited
resources may result in role flexibility in household tasks regarding which
members perform which tasks
o children
often learn how to take responsibility for their actions at an early age
o children
learn essential skills, such as find a bargain or saving money, faster than
most children
o increase
in creativity in locating and utilizing needed materials for their overall
well-being
o survival
skills are developed through being frugal as well as innovative
·
Challenges of single-parent families
·
defining and refining boundaries and roles
o problem
areas include boundary disputes between former spouses, absent spouses, and
between children and their custodial parent or joint custody parents
o boundary
issues with former spouses may focus on everything from visitation to sexuality
·
democratic nature of single-parent families may blur parent and
child roles, resulting in chaotic and confusing interactions
o children
more than twice as likely to have emotional and behavior problems than children
in intact families
o role
flexibility may add stress and work resulting in fatigue and burnout
·
academic difficulties are common for the first 18 months after a
divorce
o children
of divorced parents are less educated than others their age and are less likely
to graduate from high school than those from intact families
o the
academic gap between children in single-parent families of divorce and those in
two-parent families may be linked to the additional resources that are often
available to children in two-parent families
o difficulty
establishing a clear and strong identity and relating to the opposite gender
o children
of divorce leave home earlier than others
o children
of divorce are far more likely to cohabit before they marry
o children
of divorce more likely to divorce
o children
of divorce may not experience life to the fullest
o children
of divorce may come to resent growing up so fast and may consciously or
unconsciously display less maturity
·
single-parent families are financially less well off than other
family forms
·
six times more likely to be poor than are nuclear families
·
frequently lack child support
·
50% of children living in single parent families live below the
poverty line
·
emotional issues
·
common emotions are helplessness, hopelessness, frustration,
despair, guilt, depression, and ambivalence
·
unresolved issues with a significant other
·
lack of ready access to the needed person
·
over time, feelings may increase and stress intensify
·
unresolved emotions keep the person ‘hooked’ emotionally to historical
times and situations
·
usually takes 2 or more years for a single parent family to
resolve their emotions and to form into a functional unit
Approaches for Working with Single-Parent Families
·
Preventative approaches
o premarital
counseling results in couples who are more likely to seek marriage therapy more
often, had lower levels of stress, and benefited more from marriage therapy
than couple without premarital counseling
o programs
that help a spouse after a traumatic separation may be extremely beneficial
Educational and Behavioral Approaches for Treating Single-Parent
Families
·
Various educational and behavioral strategies can help
strengthen aspects of single-parent families
o helping
family members communicate clearly and frequently
o weekly
family conference to talk about concerns, resolve problems and plan for the
future
o linking
family members to needed sources of social support (e.g., Parents Without
Partners)
o assisting
families with resolving financial matters so they can best utilize their
resources
o educational
methods such as reading books and newsletters
Role of the Therapist
·
Therapist must realize single-parent families, as with all
families, are socially, psychologically, and economically unique
·
Biases and personal prejudices about single-parent families
o therapists
must examine and set aside their own biases and personal prejudices about
single-parent families
o therapists
must resolve their own personal problems (e.g., a divorce) that might involve
the issue of a single-parent family
o family
therapists must deal directly with people, hierarchies, and circumstances of
these families, not myths and stereotypes
o family
therapists must assist single-parent families in giving up negative stereotypes
of themselves
·
Emotional volatility
o assist
clients to distinguish between emotional divorce issues and legal divorce
issues
o assist
clients to set aside emotional issues at times in order to make mature and
reasonable legal decisions
·
Accessing inner resources
o assist
families to tap into their inner resources and strengths
o encourage
families to utilize support groups
Process and Outcome
·
Single-parent families benefit from family therapy in four major
ways
·
more confidence and competence in themselves. Family members:
·
rely more on themselves and extended networks of family and
friends
·
function better with greater efficiency
·
have better knowledge of agencies or support networks
·
experience fewer behavior problems and less stress
·
increase their relationship skills, especially between parents
and children
·
clear and functional boundaries
·
new hierarchies, free of intergenerational enmeshment
·
parentified child’s role is no longer necessary and can be given
up
·
interactions between the new single parent family and others
·
ability to make informed decisions about remarriage
·
ability to examine the pros and cons of remarriage options
·
single parents can make better decisions
·
children can work through their feelings before instead of after
the marriage
·
utilization of resources
·
more use of community resources
·
better use of their own resources
·
financial and personal management improvement
·
reduction of negative feelings from past experiences
Blended Families
·
Terms for blended families include
·
stepfamilies
·
reconstituted families
·
recoupled families
·
merged families
·
patched families
·
remarried families
·
Blended families consist of two adults and step-, adoptive, or
foster children
·
Blended families have become a norm in American society
·
High divorce rates (approx. 50%) have contributed to a large
remarriage trend because 3 out or 4 divorced people eventually remarry
Forming Blended Families
·
Most commonly formed when a person whose previous marriage has
ended in death, divorce, or abandonment marries a previously married person or
someone who has never married
·
Common concerns of blended families
·
establishing a blended family is a complex process
·
complex kinship networks
·
ill-defined goals
·
new patterns of interaction
·
Carter & McGoldrick 3 stage model with developmental issues
·
Dealing with the death of a parent
·
before the twentieth century
·
one of every two adults died before age 50
·
less than a third of all marriages lasted more than ten years
·
50% of children lost a parent before reaching maturity
·
blending of families and use of kinship networks were common
responses
·
death was ‘real’ and rituals helped with mourning and moving on
with life
·
currently
·
death is covered up or denied in many families
·
death occurs in hospitals away from family members
·
funeral services may have closed caskets
·
those who have died are described in vague terms (e.g.,
departed, passed on)
·
result may be incomplete grief
·
in blended families, family members may have difficulty
accepting a new member who is seen as ‘replacing’ a deceased family member
·
no established guidelines for couples and their offspring to
follow in coming together
·
Dealing with the divorce of a couple
·
common reasons include affairs and conflicting role expectations
·
predictors include a husband’s unwillingness to be influenced by
his wife and a wife who starts quarrels ‘harshly’ and with hostility
·
two thirds of divorces occur in the first ten years of marriage
·
most vulnerable times for divorce are during the first seven
years and after 16 to 24 years of marriage
·
the birth of a child can also produce distress and disruptions
·
most people who divorce eventually remarry
·
ethnic groups experience the consequences of divorce differently
·
African-Americans couples are more likely to separate and stay
separated longer before obtaining a divorce and less likely to remarry once
separated
·
a greater percentage of African-American children (75%) will
experience divorce than will European-American children (40%)
·
contact between nonresidential parents and their children
declines over the years
·
boys are negatively impacted without contact with
non-residential fathers, becoming less competent and having more behavioral
problems than children in other types of family arrangements
Dynamics Associated With Blended Families
·
“Blended families are born out of loss and hope”
·
Blended family members often carry a positive fantasy with them
about what family life can be like
·
Before a remarriage can develop, prior experiences with a former
family must be resolved
·
Without mourning and resolving prior issues, it is difficult to
emotionally join a new family
·
Structural characteristics of blended families include
·
a biological parent elsewhere
·
a relationship in the family between an adult (parent) and at
least one child that predates the present family structure
·
at least one child who is a member of more than one household
·
a parent who is not legally related to at least one child
·
a couple that begins other than simply as a dyad
·
a complex extended family network
·
The structure of most blended initially is a weak couple
subsystem, a tightly bonded parent-child alliance, and potential ‘interference’
·
Blended families are binuclear, that is, two interrelated family
households that comprise one family system
·
Blended families have quasi kin who are part of an extended kin
network of blended spouses’ families
Issues within Blended Families
·
Prominent issues center around
·
resolving the past
·
alleviating fears and concerns about stepfamily life
·
establishing or reestablishing trust
·
fostering a realistic attitude
·
becoming emotionally/psychologically attached to others
·
Finding time to establish the couple relationship
·
younger children (below the age of 9) bond more easily with
stepparents but are more physically demanding on parents than older children
·
adolescent identity development issues may complicate the
bonding process
·
Romantic and negative feelings must be sorted out in a timely
and appropriate way
·
partners may not have thought through feelings they bring into
the relationship until after it is formed
·
expectations may not be realized
·
unresolved mourning issues may not be adaptable or open to
changes
·
Integrating new members into a cohesive family unit
·
stepfamilies are less cohesive, more problematic, and more
stressful than first marriage families
·
stepparent/child and sibling relationships are less warm and
intimate than first marriage families
·
interpersonal connectedness and rapport requires much work
·
stepfather/stepdaughter interactions, especially with
preadolescent children, can be especially troublesome
·
2 to 5 years may be needed to form in-depth relationships with
stepchildren and to establish the primary parent role
·
Visher and Visher have identified eight tasks for stepfamily
identity development
Strengths and Challenges of Blended Families
·
Strengths of blended families
·
life experience
·
common interests or opportunities unavailable in the original
family of origin
·
survival of critical incidents from which they have learned
about themselves and others
·
assists in understanding environments in different and
potentially healthy ways
·
can increase empathy and influence individual and family
resilience
·
kin and quasi-kin networks
·
help reduce couple and family isolation and frustration
·
may provide moral support, guidance, or physical comfort
·
creativity and innovativeness
·
blended family members can offer new ideas, perceptions, and
possibilities for resolution of issues
·
appreciation and respect for differences
·
ability to appreciate and respect differences in people and ways
of living
·
mothering and fathering can take many different forms
·
new habits from stepsiblings may be helpful
·
making the most of situations
·
coping successfully with difficult situations strengthens
blended families
·
insights gained can be taught to other families
·
Challenges of blended families
·
loss of an important member
·
non-custodial parents may be physically absent but retain a
strong impact on the remaining family members
·
all members of the family may be affected by one individual’s
unresolved personal issues related to loss
·
establishment of a hierarchy
·
children can lose status regarding their ordinal position in the
family
·
loss of place and power are exacerbated if the children involved
don’t like their new stepsiblings or stepparent
·
until relationship issues are worked out, families may be
vulnerable to disruption and volatile emotional and/or physical outbreaks
·
boundary difficulties
o the
structure of a blended family is less clear than biological families
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