Family Systems theory Essay

Why study families? †¢Traditional psychology – problem an individual one – Externalise distress – act out – Internalise distress – withdraw Theorists – Psychoanalytic – e.g Freud – fixated at a phase due to trauma and regress to this level – Behaviourists – e.g learn inappropriate response – Attachment – insecure primary attachment †¢Sociological perspective Bronfenbrenner’s model – ecological approach a)Life cycle stresses b)Stresses related to cultural expectations c)Stresses related to historical time d)Random fate e)Stress reactions which create more stress Does research support the sociological viewpoint? YES – Distress related to lack of social support – Overcrowded housing, father in gaol, depressed mother – Parental stress & maternal negativity plus child temperament – Poverty What is family’s position in the sociological model? – most influential part of child’s social context – buffer between child and outside world – serves to protect or expose child – usually positive Do families need support? – Bronfenbrenner’s model less applicable now? – Less sense of community – Increased fragmentation How do families work? Can be seen as a system – stress -> distress – child most likely to be the distressed person as most powerless Basic premises Circulatory causation – interactive model Non-summativity – whole more than sum of parts Communication – feeling and content Governed by rules – spoken or understood Homeostasis – in some sort of balance Morphogenesis – flexibility to respond to change How do you measure family relationships? Research relies on two dimensions – Affection (aka warmth, acceptance, cohesion, closeness) Disengaged————-OK—————-Enmeshed Acceptance – Control (aka power, autonomy, flexibility) Neglect——————-OK—————–Rigid Autonomy What happens when families get stressed? Timberlawn studies (Walsh 1993) Optimal families †¢Strong, warm relationships especially marital one †¢See causes and effects as circulatory †¢See events as multi-causative. †¢Actively involved in world outside family †¢Negotiate effectively †¢Feelings and thoughts expressed and accepted †¢Little blame or personal attack †¢See human nature as benign – do best in a situation †¢Flexible – adjust to new situations ADEQUATE FAMILIES Seek control rather than intimacy †¢Centripetal Rule bound Enmeshed Power battles Scapegoating Severe – eg sects †¢Centrifugal More comfortable with negative feelings Blame and attack Children expected to be independent early Material wealth takes preference over relationships Extreme – chaotic, intimidating, very unstable How can early childhood educators help? Recognise difficulties Emotionally supporting Referring on Information Helping with children if in crisis