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Family Systems
Kandace L. Stocke
Liberty University
Family systems are the classrooms of life for children. Children observe behavior then apply thoughts, actions, and emotions to their own little worlds based on those observations. How different the world would be if high importance was placed on valuing the family? Good emotional health in childhood leads to whole, healthier choices in adolescence and adulthood. How we are raised, how we are nurtured in the formative years which, I have heard is infancy to 5 years because of how critical they are in development. These are some of the most vital years in self-identification which have the strongest bearings on who we become as adults. Therefore the family system is complex; we will discuss the development of healthy family systems and some of the characteristics of them in relationships. The four major parenting styles and their responses will be introduced and the impact those discipline styles have on children. We will also touch on how family systems affect development in the physical, emotional, spiritual, and social development of children. Lastly, a brief discussion of unhealthy family systems and the poor, as well as, damaging repercussions they have on the lives of their victims, the children.
Healthy Family Systems
A family is a unit made of parents, or a parent, and a child or children. The perspective of that has changed over the years especially since the 1950’s model of a father who is the provider and leader of the home; a mother who is responsible for being home with the children while the father leaves the home for work. We now have daycare, stay home dads, working moms, single parent homes, and grandparents functioning primary careg...
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...tion, September 2008) This thought is the reason why family therapy can bring a paradigm shift and stop the cycle of unhealthy parenting by shedding light on new pathways of connection between parents and their children. Remember we are all resilient, we can change.
References
Brown, Jenny. (2008, September). Is Bowen Theory Still Relevant in the Family Therapy Field? Journal of the Counsellors and Psychotherapists Association of NSW Inc 3. Retrieved from http://www.familysystemstraining.com/papers/is-bowen-theory-still-relevant.html
Feldman, R.S. (2014). Development across the life span (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River,
New Living Translation Bible.
Roehlkepartain, E. C., King, P.E., Wagener, L., & Benson, P.L. (2006). The handbook of spiritual development in childhood and adolescence. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications NJ:Pearson Education.
Family used to be a single unit, consisting of a husband, wife and children. This unit was widely thought as a group based on marriage and biological parenthood as sharing a common residence and united by ties of affection, obligations, care, support, and a sense of common identity. However, due to the change in values, laws, family structure and social trends, the definition of family has been defined as a married or cohabiting couple with or without children living under one roof, children may be dependent or independent. (Office for national statistics) (2006)
One definition is “a significant social group in society typically consisting of one or two parents and their children.” While such definition is a good starting point, some modern family structures are excluded by such definition. In her essay, “Family: Idea, Institution, and Controversy,” Betty Farrell apparently assumes that the traditional family has dramatically changed, and the dynamics of change—altered the definition of a “family.” A family is no longer a picture of a particular image of the mythic past, referring to the golden days of the “1950s.” It is no longer a father, mother and their biological children living together under one roof (and certainly not with the a breadwinner father and a stay-at-home mother). In today 's modern society, it is now common to see women raising their children by themselves without their husbands’ help; unmarried couples living together; and gay and lesbian couples—while far from being universally accepted—adopting and raising children to complete their families. Therefore, despite the children living in one-parent households, or they do not live with their “married-heterosexual-biological-parents” under the same roof—does not necessarily mean they are not families. Farrell states that “a family is defined not so much by a particular set of people as by the quality of relationships that bind them together.” In other words, Farrell believes that a “family” is more than just a collection
The humanistic theory had much influence after the time of World War II toward the late 1950’s (Hansell & Damour, 2008). According to Dombeck, (2006), the humanistic approach was defined to be consciously reflective, allowing one to have the ability to experience self-determination. The humanistic approach combines philosophy, existentialism, and the hierarchy of needs that motivates every individual person on a unique level of growth potential; it worked to find the importance of life’s true meaning’s in an individual’s life for human characteristic (Dombeck, 2006). For obsessional-compulsion disorder, the goal of humanistic therapy is to create a suitable environment for the patient that will allow him or her to develop, mature, and evolve
Family systems have been studied since psychologists began studying people and their behaviors. The family is a dynamic system—a self-organizing system that adapts itself to changes in its members and to changes in its environment (as cited in Sigelman & Rider, 2009). Allowing the focus of a family system to grow beyond the mother and child relationship did not happen overnight. For many years, there was no connection made between other members of the family and the developmental issues of the children involved.
Since the 20th century, researchers have sought out solutions to help assist families and the individual components that make up family systems overcome the challenges and schisms that can inhibit individuation and stability. Two theoretical perspectives, the family-systems theory and the family-development theory, were conceived to gain as Balswick & Balswick (2014) noted, gain “a wide-angle view of family life” (p. 22). Though these two theories have merit, one I found to be more advantageous in gaining a better understanding of the family as an actively metastasizing organism, which needs to be approached more adaptively.
For Precious, I have used a Systems theory/ Family Systems approach to evaluate and summarize her needs and interventions. One of the crucial aspects that I have addressed is that being removed from the abusive environment is crucial for her and her two children. At the moment she is able to stay at a half-way house that can accommodate her and her children. She is able to also utilize childcare while she attends her alternative school. I have spoken with Precious, and she states that she wants to get her own place and raise her children. Being that she is 17, she is still considered a minor so we spoke about how certain obstacles may bar her from leasing an apartment right away. I have made a referral for her
Families are becoming more diverse and they come in all shapes and sizes. Some people consider families to be strictly biological, while others consider people they love to be their family. Although two-parent families, also known as a nuclear family are the majority, one-parent families are becoming more common in today’s society. A sole-parent is considered to be a parent without a partner or spouse who is the primary care giver of one or more children in a household (Ministry of Social Development, 2010). From the age of 14 onward I was raised by m...
When looking at family systems, you must begin by looking at Murray Bowen’s family systems theory and “his views on the eight interlocking forces that shape family function,” (Haefner, 2014). Within Bowen’s family psychotherapy research, he noted that “family patterns and problems often repeat over generations, he also noted that families make up their own emotional systems, and within these systems they try to maintain stability and reduce conflict,” (Haefner, 2014). The eight interlocking forces noted by Bowen through (Haefner, 2014)
The family structure is made up of individuals living together in intimate groups with the purpose of caring and supporting each other. Rules and boundaries, spoken and unspoken, are developed by the family members. Family rules and boundaries change and shift over time in order to evolve and grow as a family unit. Some changes are subtle, but some events force major change within the family system. This paper applies the concepts of systems theory to the family system in the movie Sweet Home Alabama. Reese Witherspoon (Melanie Smooter) and Josh Lucas (Jake Perry) star in this heart-warming film telling a story of a young woman who flees from Alabama to reinvent herself in New York City as a high fashion designer. She leaves behind her redneck husband and white-trash upbringing. Melanie finds herself engaged to the cities most eligible bachelor and has to return to Alabama to request a divorce from her first love and confront her past ("Alabama," 2002).
According to Richard Charles (2001) “the effectiveness of family systems theory rests not much on empirical research but on clinical reports of positive treatment outcomes, the personal benefits experienced by the families that underwent this kind of treatment, and the elegance of Bowen’s theory” (p. 279). Bowen’s family systems theory views the family as an emotional unit and is a theory of human behavior. Systems thinking are used to describe the complex interactions in the unit. However, the client’s ability to differentiate himself/herself from the family of origin is the basis for Bowen’s family systems theory. In addition, the primary focus for growth within the emotional system is differentiation of self. Differentiation of self will be explored as well as how it relates to a church congregation.
Family, as defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary is, “a group of individuals living under one roof and usually under one head” (Merriam-Webster, n.d). The family is the first and primary agent of socialization. This is where children learn about love, acceptance, security, and companionship (Kendall, 2017).
The sociological definition of the family is “a set of people related by blood, marriage or some other agreed-upon relationship, or adoption, who share the primary responsibility for reproduction and caring for members of society” (Schaeffer, 2009, p. 288). While the nuclear family (a man, a woman, and their children) was once the primary definition of family, now it refers to many familial configurations. Single-parent families, blended families, same-sex couples, traditional nuclear families and single-parents who have adopted are just a few of the configurations that society in general now views as a family. A healthy family will provide a place of unconditional love, acceptance and support.
There are many types of family that exists in today’s society, each important to the upbringing of any children of which may be apart of it.
I began this program during the spring semester of 2014 at which time I enrolled in the working with family’s course. Unaware how much I would relate to the family systems theory in regards to my personal life. Moving forward I have been able to connect many situations during my practicum experience to this theory as well.
Everyone is born into some form of family, with the family taking the responsibility of nurturing, teaching the norms or accepted behaviors within the family structure and within society. There are many types of families, which can be described as a set of relationships including parents and children and can include anyone related by blood or adoption. Family is the most important, “for it is within the family that the child is first socialized to serve the needs of the society and not only its own needs” (Goode, 1982).