Family Systems theory Essay

Why study families?Traditional psychology job an individual one Externalise di focus act out interiorize distress withdrawTheorists Psychoanalytic e.g Freud fixated at a phase receivable to trauma and regress to this level Behaviourists e.g learn inappropriate response chemical bond insecure primary attachmentSociological perspectiveBronfenbrenners computer simulation ecological approacha)Life cycle stressesb)Stresses related to cultural expectationsc)Stresses related to diachronic timed)Random fatee)Stress reactions which create more stressDoes research sustenance the sociological viewpoint?YES Distress related to lack of social foul Overcrowded housing, father in gaol, depressed mother Parental stress & agnate negativity plus tyke temperament PovertyWhat is familys point in the sociological model? most influential part of childs social context buffer between child and external world serves to protect or expose child usually coerciveDo families need support? Bro nfenbrenners model less applicable now? Less sense of community Increased fragmentationHow do families work?Can be seen as a system stress - distress child most likely to be the distressed someone as most powerlessBasic premisesCirculatory actor interactive modelNon-summativity whole more than sum of parts parley feeling and contentGoverned by rules spoken or understoodHomeostasis in some sort of balanceMorphogenesis flexibility to respond to changeHow do you measure family relationships?Research relies on two dimensions Affection (aka crankyth, acceptance, cohesion, closeness)Disengaged-OK-EnmeshedAcceptance mesh (aka power, autonomy, flexibility)Neglect-OKRigidAutonomyWhat happens when families get stressed?Timberlawn studies (Walsh 1993)Optimal familiesStrong, warm relationships especially marital oneSee causes and effects as circulativeSee events as multi-causative.Actively involved in world exterior familyNegotiate effectivelyFeelings and thoughts expressed and acc eptedLittle blame or personal attackSee human nature as benignant do best in a situationFlexible congeal to new situationsADEQUATE FAMILIESSeek control rather than intimacy sensory(a)Rule boundEnmeshedPower battlesScapegoatingSevere eg sectsCentrifugal more comfortable with negative feelingsBlame and attackChildren expected to be commutative earlyMaterial wealth takes preference over relationshipsExtreme chaotic, intimidating, genuinely unstableHow can early childhood educators help?Recognise difficultiesemotionally supportingReferring onInformationHelping with children if in crisis