Student’s  Prayer  (St.  Dominic)  

Lord,

True source of light and wisdom,

Give me a sharp sense of understanding,

A retentive memory,

And the ability to grasp things correctly.

Grant me the talent of being exact in my explanations

And the ability to express myself,

With thoroughness and charm.

Point out the beginnings,

Direct the progress,

And help in the completion.

Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Family  Life  Cycle  MICHAEL J. DIZON, RMT, IMT(ASCPi), MD

Specific  Learning  Objectives  

Ê  At  the  end  of  this  lecture,  you  must  be  able  to…    

Ê  …understand  the  different  definitions  of  FAMILY;  

 

Ê  differentiate  the  types  of  family  structures;  

 Ê  discuss  the  basic  functions  of  a  family;  

Ê  enumerate  the  stages  of  the  family  life  cycle;  

 

Ê  and,  understand  the  characteristics  of  the  family  life  cycle  stages.  

“Family”  Definitions  

Ê  Systems  in  which  the  members  interact  with  one  another  

Ê  Members  influence  each  other  and,  in  turn,  are  influenced  by  each  other  

Ê  Because  of  this  mutual  interaction,  a  family  is  greater  than  the  sum  of  its  parts  

Ê  Family  structures  vary  across  cultures  and  are  constantly  evolving  

Ê  Universal  and  unique,  each  family  having  its  own  set  of  rules,  hierarchy  and  organization.  

 

Classifications  of  Families  

Ê  Nuclear  Family  Ê  Parents  and  dependent  children  Ê  Separate  dwelling  

Ê  Economically  independent  

Ê  Extended  Family  Ê  Parents,  children  and  relatives  Ê  Aggregate  of  families  or  part  of  families  from  2  or  more  

generations  occupying  a  single  or  adjacent  dwellings  

Classifications  of  Families  

Ê  Single-­‐Parent  Family  Ê  Children  below  17  years  old  living  with  a  single  parent,  another  

relative  or  non-­‐relative  

Ê  Possible  causes:  loss  of  spouse  by  death,  separation,  imprisonment,  desertion;  out  of  wedlock  birth  of  a  child;  adoption;  one  parent  working  abroad  

Ê  Blended  Family  Ê  Includes  step-­‐parents  and  step-­‐children  Ê  Due  to  divorce  /  annulment  with  remarriage  

Classifications  of  Families  

Ê  Communal  or  Corporate  Family  Ê  Different  families  formed  for  specific  ideological  or  societal  

purposes  

Ê  Frequently  considered  as  alternative  lifestyle  for  people  who  feel  alienated  from  a  predominantly  economically  oriented  society  

Ê  Examples:  Amish  Communities  

Basic  Functions  

Ê  FIVE  Basic  Areas  Ê  Biologic  Ê  Economic  

Ê  Educational  Ê  Psychological/Affection  Ê  Socio-­‐Cultural  

Basic  Functions  

Ê  Biological  Ê  Reproduction;  care  and  rearing  of  children  Ê  Nutrition;  maintenance  of  health  

Ê  Recreation  

Ê  Economical  Ê  Provisions  of  adequate  resources  Ê  Determine  allocation  of  resources  

Ê  Ensure  financial  security  of  members  

Basic  Functions  

Ê  Educational  Ê  Teach  skills,  attitudes,  knowledge  and  values  in  preparation  for  

their  interaction  on  society  

Ê  Psychological/Affection  Ê  Development  of  personalities  

Ê  Ability  to  form  relationships  with  people  within  the  family  circle  

Ê  Serves  an  integrating  function  between  the  family  and  the  community  

Family  Life  Cycle  

Ê  “Life  Cycle”  is  used  to  describe  the  continuous  development  of  people  over  time  

Ê  Individuals  and  families  experience  predictable  events  and  development  crisis  which  are  often  sequential  

Ê  Life  cycle  stages  require  some  level  of  success  at  each  stage  before  proceeding  to  the  next  stage  

 

Different  Personalities  

Ê  Erik  Erikson  Ê  A  pioneer  in  the  area  of  human  growth  and  development,  

described  human  life  in  terms  of  stages  or  sequential  developmental  occurrences.  

Ê  Influential  eight  stage  model  of  individual  development  

Ê  First  five  stages  focus  on  individual  skill  and  identity  development,  the  last  three  are  more  interpersonally  based  

Different  Personalities  

Ê  Evelyn  Duvall  Ê  First  proposed  a  family  life  cycle  model  based  on  the  intact,  

middle  class  nuclear  family  in  1956.  

Ê  This  model  has  lost  influence  due  to  the  decrease  in  number  and  percentage  of  nuclear  families  in  the  United  States  

Different  Personalities  

Ê  Carter  &  McGoldrick  Ê  Proposed  a  six-­‐stage  life  cycle  model  of  the  intact  middle  class  

nuclear  family  (1999)  

Ê  Begins  with  the  unattached  adult  and  continues  through  retirement  

Ê  Each  stage  in  this  model  requires  key  adjustments,  tasks,  and  changes  for  the  individuals  to  survive  and  thrive  

Stages  of  the  Family  Life  Cycle  

Ê  Stage  1:  Single  Young  Adult:  Leaving  Home  

Ê  Stage  2:  The  New  Couple:  Joining  of  Families  Through  Marriage  

Ê  Stage  3:  Families  with  Young  Children  

Ê  Stage  4:  Family  with  Adolescents  

Ê  Stage  5:  Launching  Children  and  Moving  On  

Ê  Stage  6:  Families  in  Later  Life  

Stage  1:  Single  Young  Adult:    Leaving  Home  

Ê  Emotional  Process  of  Transition:  Key  Principle  Ê  Accepting  parent-­‐offspring  separation  

Ê  Numbers  of  single  young  adults  is  increasing    

Ê  Traditional  family  oriented  activities  are  being  reshaped  to  accommodate  singles  cohabitation  (living  together  without  being  married)  is  increasing  

Ê  Singles  are  the  second  happiest  group  (married  couples  being  the  happiest)  

Ê  Society  continues  to  promote  marriage,  creating  internal  and  external  pressures  on  singles  to  marry  

Ê  singles  typically  seek  family  therapy  due  to…  

Ê  …a  weak  sense  of  self  

Ê  …inability  to  separate  from  their  family  of  origin  

 

Ê  …a  lack  of  social  skills  to  establish  significant  relationships  with  others  

Stage  2:  The  New  Couple:  Joining  of  Families  Through  Marriage  

Ê  Emotional  Process  of  Transition:  Key  Principle  Ê  Commitment  to  the  new  system  

Ê  Individuals  test  their  compatibility  and  tend  to  idealize  the  relationship  

Ê  Individuals  tend  to  be  most  comfortable  with  others  at  the  same  or  similar  developmental  level  Ê  (e.g.,  secure  men  tend  to  be  involved  with  secure  women;  anxious  women  

may  be  attracted  to  less  committed  and  more  disengaged  men)  

Ê  A  period  of  adjustment  and  accommodation  and  requires  time,  energy,  good  will,  and  the  ability  to  compromise  

Ê  “Make  or  Break”  

Ê  New  couples  typically  seek  family  therapy  due  to…  Ê  …the  inability  to  adjust  to  living  as  a  couple  instead  of  

individually  

Ê  …difficulty  with  relatives  (in  laws  and/or  family  of  origin)  

Ê  …inability  to  develop  effective  communication  and  problem  solving  skills  

Ê  …differences  over  whether  and  when  to  have  children  

Stage  3:  Families  with  Young  Children  

Ê  Emotional  Process  of  Transition:  Key  Principle  Ê  Accepting  marital  system  to  make  space  for  children  

Ê Dramatic  changes  in  lifestyle  which  stress  a  couple's  lifestyle,  marital  relationship,  create  new  parenting/maternal  demands  and  unbalances  the  patterns  and  interactions  previously  developed  

Ê  Although  marital  satisfaction  tends  to  decrease  in  this  stage,  strong  marital  bonds  can  mediate  the  stresses  associated  with  children  and  work  issues  

Ê  Families  with  young  children  typically  seek  family  therapy  due  to    

 Ê  inability  to  reorganize  and  restructure  following  the  arrival  of  children  

 

Ê  differences  over  how  to  raise  and  discipline  children  

Stage  4:  Family  with  Adolescents  

Ê  Emotional  Process  of  Transition:  Key  Principle  Ê  Increasing  flexibilities  to  include  children  independence  

Ê  Most  active  and  exciting  stages  that  can  be  very  stressful  and  demanding  for  many  families  

Ê  Stressors  may  include  Ê  difficulty  in  limit  setting  Ê  redefining  relationships  Ê  caring  and  supporting  one  another  Ê  decreasing  parental  influence  and  increasing  peer  influence  Ê  generational  and  gender  differences  Ê  maintaining  open  communication  

Ê  ‘Planful  competence'  assists  adolescents  to  develop  a  realistic  understanding  of  their  intellectual,  social,  and  personal  responses  in  their  relationships  with  others  

Ê  Couples  may  be  caring  for  aging  parents  in  addition  to  adolescent  family  members    

Ê  Sometimes  referred  as  the  'sandwich  generation’  

Stage  5:    Launching  Children  and  Moving  On  

Ê  Emotional  Process  of  Transition:  Key  Principle  Ê  Accepting  a  multitude  of  entries  and  exits  into  the  family  system  

Ê  ‘Empty  nest’  

Ê  Positive  time  for  couples  Ê  some  rediscovering  the  couple  relationship  and  enjoying  new  

freedoms  from  responsibility  

Ê  Negative  time  for  couples  Ê  Heavily  focused  on  their  children  

Ê  Children  who  leave  and  then  return  ('boomerang  children')  can  create  tension  among  family  members  

Ê  Families  in  the  launching  and  moving  on  stage  typically  seek  family  therapy  due  to..  

Ê  a  sense  of  loss  of  self,  the  marriage  or  the  child  who  has  left  

 

Ê  conflict  with  the  child  who  is  not  independent  enough  

 

Ê   frustration/anger  over  the  marriage  and/or  career  ambitions  

Stage  6:  Families  in  Later  Life  

Ê  Emotional  Process  of  Transition:  Key  Principle  Ê  Accepting  the  shifting  of  generational  goals  

Ê  •  within  this  stage  are  three  groups  Ê  Young  old  (65-­‐74)  Ê  Old  old  (75-­‐84)  Ê  Oldest  old  (85  and  after)  

Ê  Decline  in  finances,  health,  loss  of  spouse,  chronic  illness,  depression,  and  helplessness  

Ê  Positive  aspects  Ê  Interacting  with  grandchildren  Ê  Doing  what  one  wants  and  setting  one's  own  pace  Ê  Reflecting  on  important  life  activities  

Ê  Families  in  later  life  typically  seek  family  therapy  due  to…  

 

Ê  a  lack  of  meaning  or  enjoyment  in  life  

 

Ê  concern  over  the  aging  process    

Ê  the  lack  of  quality  relationships  with  family  members  

In  Summary…  

Ê  By  now,  you  should  be  able  to  accomplish  the  following:    

Ê  Discuss  the  Concepts  of  FAMILY.    Ê  Describe  the  types  of  family  structures;    Ê  Enumerate  the  basic  functions  of  a  family;  

Ê  Enumerate  the  stages  of  the  family  life  cycle;    Ê  And,  discuss  the  characteristics  of  the  family  life  cycle  stages.  

Thank  you    and  Have  A  Nice  Day!!!