Families

Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems View

provides the most systematic analysis of environmental/contextual features

The Microsystem

all activities and interactions that occur in the individual’s immediate surroundings

• e.g. family, schools, friends, sports club

The Microsystems Important Characteristics

• each person influences and is influenced by all other persons in the system

• a temeramentally difficult child/adolescent can create friction between parents

• mothers who have supportive relathionships with their parents are more patient and sensitive with their children

What is Mediated by Microsystems

all effects of higher-order environmental systems

The Mesosystem

mesosystems are connections among microsystems

• e.g. home, school, peer groups

Connections are Created By

other people, relathionships and communicatipn

The Mesosystem Important Characteristics

• development is optimized by strong, supportive mesosystems

• child’s ability to learn in school depends on family’s support

The Exosystem

context that children and adolescents are not part of but that has an impact on their development

• parents workplace, TV, mass media, school board, government, health services

The Macrosystem

typical cultural, subcultural or social class contexts in which micro-, meso- and exosystems are embedded

Societies Have Different Macrosystems

• capitalists societies vs. communist/socialist societies

• individualistic cultures vs. collectivistic cultures

Everything Coming From Outer Layers Is

“filtered” through the microsystems

Families With Good Relationships

dealt well with COVID, some family systems are more capable than other to navigate crisis

Families

the closest, longest lasting and more important developmental context

Family From Latin ‘Familia’

originally meaning household

What Defines a Family

at least 2 generations: a parent generation caring for the offspring generation

Adolescents Cause

changes and reorganization in family relathionships

Family Systems Theory

changes in one family member can disrupt the whole family’s balance

Biggest Relationships Changes Occur Around

• 11-12 for girls

• 13-14 for boys

Parent-Adolescent Conflict

most arguments are about everyday issues

• curfews, chores, clothing, cleanliness of bedroom

Adolescents are More Willing to Accept Parental Rules Involving

moral and saftey issues

What Kind of Parenting Negatively Affects Adolescent Mental Health

psychological/overally controlling parents

Diversity in Family Life

more single parents, divorces, stepfamilies, same sex couples raising children

Diversity in Families - Problem in US

child poverty and absence of fathers

What % of Children Grow up With 2 Parents

76%

Divorce Stats

18% of children aged 1-17 had experienced the seperation or divorce of their parents

Who is More Likely to Experience Parental Divorce or Seperation

older children

• 1-4 (8%)

• 5-11 (19%)

• 12-17 (24%)

Adolescents and Divorce Possible Difficulties

school problems, behaviour problems, anxiety

Problems Associated With Divorce are Often Related to

marital conflict, disrupted parenting, increased household stress, loss of income

Father Present is Good

• for children: academic, social life (peers), mental health

• for mother/couple: better parenting, better physical/mental health

Families Are

embedded systems

Social Factors External to the Family Influence Family Life

economic crises, unemployment

Family Structures & Parenting are Subjected to Social Change

• decrease in childbearing in western societies

• increases in single parent families

• increase in remarriages, blended families

• changes in dominant ideologies and beliefs about parenting

Familes Are Complex Social Systems

• reciprocal relationships between members

• indirect third party effect

• every person and relationship affects every person and relationship in the family

Indirect Third Party Effect

relationship between 2 people in the family influenced by third family member

Integrating a Second Child As a Process

6 dyads and 2 subsystems

Factors in Transition to Stepfather Family

• good biological mother-child relationship

• adjustment of child (delinquency/feeling depressed)

• problem: ownness effect

Family Systems Develop

family as a “whole” living thing - needs to reorganize at each developmental transition

Change is Triggered By

change or individual members

Types of Change

• normative change: forseealbe

• non-normative change: unforseeable

Family Developmental Tasks

• families progress through a series of phases

• face transitions, and need to make similar adjustments

• specific challenges in each phase need to be considered

• families differ how well they master tasks at each stage

Couple (Without Children) - Developmental Tasks

• developing a good spousal relationship

• integrating couple into extended families

Childbearing Families - Developmental Tasks

• caretaking for young baby

• taking role as parent

Families with School-Aged Children - Developmental Tasks

• providing optimal support for children

• integrating school-life into family-life

Families with Teenagers - Developmental Tasks

• transformation of parent-child relationship

• accepting increased autonomy of children

Families as Launching Centres - Developmental Tasks

• first child gone to last child leaving home

• maintaining supportive relathionships towards children

Middle-Age Parents - Developmental Tasks

• empty nest to retirement

• integrating children’s partners into family

Aging Family Members - Developmental Tasks

• retirment to death of both spouses

• coping with loss/deaths of relatives

Most Parents Are

in their early 40s

Midlife Crisis

a psychological crisis over identity believed to occur between 35-45

During Midlife Crisis Parents Experience

increased concern about their bodies, attractiveness, and sexual appeal

Parents Feel That

possibilties for change are limited, while children are looking toward the future

Occupational Plateau

point at which adults can tell how successful they will be

2/3 Of Parents Describe Adolescence As

the most difficult stage of parenting

Parent Poor Mental Health Problems

• negatively affect the way they interact with children

• does not decline with an “empty nest”

• less affective parenting → adolescent behaviour problems

Family Conflict Can Contribute To

mental health problems, emotional distress, poorer mood, increased cortisol, problems with school and freindships

Vygotsky’s Law of Development

interpersonal to intrapersonal

Family Interaction Patterns

change in early adolescents

Negative Family Interaction Patterns

have an influence on child’s development

Parental Warmth/Responsiveness

• how warm, accepting and suppotive parents are

• praising, encouraging children for their accomplishments

Low Responsiveness Parents

punishment, little warmth and concern for children

Demandingness

• how much parents expect mature and responsible behaviour

• set rules, criticize, communicate expectation

Authoritative Parenting

warm + fit

Authoritative Parenting - Parent Are

child-centered, democratic, flexible, engage in decision making, firm guidelines, verbal give and take, psychological autonomy

Authoritative Parenting - Effect on Child

more mature and responsible, self asured, creative and curious, socially skilled, academically successful

Authoritarian Parenting

high demandingness + low responsiveness

Authoritarian Parenting - Parents Are

adult-centered, rigid, strict rules, open communication discouraged, punitive punishment

Authoritarian Parenting - Effect on Children

dependent, passive, less socially skilled, less self-assured, less curious

Indulgent Parenting

high responsiveness + low demandingness

Indulgent Parenting - Parents Are

child-centered, no guidelines, nurturing, warm, overinvolved, blurred roles, few rules

Indulgent Parenting - Effect on Children

less mature, less responsible, more influenced by peers

Indifferent Parenting

low responsiveness + low demandingness

Indifferent Parenting - Parents Are

adult-centered, passive, few demands, poor communication, distant, withdrawn or absent

Indifferent Parenting - Effects on Children

impulsive, delinquent behaviour, earlier experimentation with sex, drugs and alcohol

Small But Consistent Advantages of Authoritative Parenting

• higher academic and social acceptance

• higher self-esteem, self confidence

• less problem behaviour

Good Parenting Summary

• What you do matters 

• You cannot be too loving 

• Be involved in your child’s life

• Adapt your parenting to fit your child 

• Establish rules and set limits

• Help foster your child’s independence 

• Be consistent 

• Avoid hard discipline 

• Explain your rules and decisions 

• Treat your child with respect