Dysfunctional Family Case Study

How to Manage Conflict in Dysfunctional Families

Family conflict is something that can’t be prevented. Often times it can be covered and prettied up with superficial exchanges; it may look front, and center with every interaction; or it may be dealt with in ways that bring healthy growth or c hange. Sometimes we are emotionally embedded in the family system that it becomes difficult to determine how family conflict impacts us and our relationships outside of the home. Some studies shown that those who have experienced healthy family relationships in their family-of-origin are more likely than those who do not, to have higher relationship satisfaction as Minnotte et al (2015) clarifies. If we understand how to better manage family conflict,

However, those are some of the clear cases. Sadly, individuals tend to believe that because their family is not like that then they do not have a dysfunctional family. That however maybe not be the case. Before a family even gets to the physical abuse, there has to be emotional abuse. What some individuals may not be aware of is the emotional abuse in a family can exist without it becoming physical abuse. Because emotional abuse is not expressed as a physical thing, some individuals may not realize that they are living within a dysfunctional family. A family may look and seem great on the outside to those looking in, but they may really be hiding the disfunction to those who are are on the outside looking

According to Gurman (21-33), several patterns have been identified to give instance of dysfunctional families. First when parents have addictions or compulsions like drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, gambling, overworking, that have strong influences on family members. Children may have to witness violence, may be forced to participate in punishing siblings, or may live in fear of explosive outbursts. Either parents exploit the children and treat them as possessions whose primary purpose is to respond to the physical and/or emotional needs of adults for instance protecting a parent or cheering up one who is depressed. Finally, when either parent is unable to provide, or threaten to withdraw, financial or basic physical care for their children. Similarly, one or both parents fail to provide their children with adequate emotional support and also when one or both parents exert a strong authoritarian control over the children. Often these families rigidly adhere to a particular belief like religious, political, financial, and personal. Compliance with role expectations and with rules is expected without any