Family Life Cycle Theory By Carter And Mcgoldrick

The purpose of this paper is to discuss one of the tasks of family development and the life cycle theories. The task I chose was assuming mutual responsibility for child care and nurturing.

Smith and Hamon, chapter 5, discussed Family Systems Theory (FST), which I found to be not only insightful, but also beneficial to me as I assess my patients and their families, but also as I reflect upon my own family. FST addresses eight assumptions which I found to be engaging and shine light on how families function and how we as APNs might begin to look at the family dynamic in order to better assist these families cope with the stressors of life while at the same time address their family needs in a productive and meaningful way. The following are the eight assumptions of the FST, 3 of which I will briefly discuss for the purpose of this forum discussion: (a) “the whole is greater than the sum of the parts,” (b) “the locus of pathology

It comes down to focusing on what is the cause of the problem and what needs to be done to resolve it. Some assumptions that are related to this theory can include families normally related to one another in “patterned ways that are observable and predictable” (Linblad-Goldberg & Northey, 2013), most families have rules that each must follow and roles they are to play in the family unit, when they get off balance then dysfunction can and normally does occur. It is important that families have boundaries which include both inside and outside of the family. Families also have subsystems which can be based on either generation or genders.

Families, as units, are extremely complex and vary drastically from one another. A person might be under the impression that his or her own family is nothing special, especially if they are accustomed to their family’s routines. After analyzing my own family through the sociological lenses of an assortment of scholars, it is now clear that it is not as simple as it seems. Sociologically analyzing my family through the divorces that have occurred in my life makes it clear that divorce can have an impact on a variety of family dynamics, such as my parents and their jobs and domestic duties, the amount of involvement they have with their friends and family, as well as my financial dependence on my parents.

In today’s world, families are dynamic and interdependent systems. The developmental processes of the children in the family are deeply affected by how the family system operates. However, a family’s structure does not determine whether it is a healthy family system or not. Today, families consist of single parents, stepparents, divorced parents, remarried parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. They are all able to contribute to a healthy functioning family system by meeting each family member’s needs and encouraging positive communication (Jamiolkowski, 2008). Unhealthy family systems have negative and possibly

Reconstruction and change are essential for the family system to facilitate the homeostatic process, as explained by the fourth principle of the theory (Minuchin, 1985). It includes family questioning current methods, evaluating and developing potential arrangements. While earlier principles analyse the wholeness of the family system, the fifth principle explains that families can be examined in various segments such as the parent-children subsystem, sibling subsystem and spousal subsystem (Minuchin, 1985). Within the family, relationships between members are formed, and the interactions between each subsystem are regulated by unspoken rules and arrangements, and this is the final principle of family systems theory (Minuchin, 1985). Each subsystem operates independently, and it may encounter changes in the relationship due to various determinants.

Based on the theories and models I reviewed the first non-developmental theories that have helped assist me in understanding my family is the Structural- Functional Theory. According to Friedman, Bowden, and Jones (2003), the Structural- Functional framework is built on the basis that family represents a social system and therefore you must examine a families interactions within their societal construct (p.70). Identifying how a family interacts with one another and how their relationships with healthcare providers, schools, family, members of society, and other organizations, which can help a nurse determine what areas may need strengthening. According to Friedman et al., (2003) “this approach characterizes the family as open to outside influences, yet at the same time, is concerned with maintaining its boundaries”(p.70). Thus, allowing adaptability among the family units as an individual institution in their society. The theories primary assumptions include a family as a social system that has functional requirements and that function similarly to most small groups, as families are social

After looking through the different stages of McGoldrick’s Stages of the Family Life Cycle, there are many different stages that the McCandless fit into. However, one stages that really stuck out to me was the leaving home: emerging young adults. This stage was very important for the family because a event happening through this stage completely shifted their entire family dynamic (McGoldrick, Carter, & Garcia-Preto, 2011). During this stage, Chris went off to college, became dependent on his, graduated, disappeared from his life to complete his grand adventure, and passed away. Growing up, Chris and Carnie had to live in a hostile environment where their parents were always fighting over one another. He was able to break away from that poisonous

The eight key concepts Bowen family system theory is used to help understand the social system and provide effective ways to solving problems in those areas (Kerr, 2000). The triangle concept is explained as a three-person relationship where it is used to understand the action and emotion of others (Kerr, 2000). Differentiation of self can be explained on how one view themselves in social groups and families (Kerr, 2000). Depending on how someone handles the interaction in social groups and families can affect how a client think and feels about oneself. The nuclear family emotional process focuses on relationship patterns that develop problem in the family. The four basic relationship patters include marital conflict, dysfunction in one spouse, impairment of one or more children, and emotional distance. The family projection process focuses on the process of which parents transmit their emotional problems to their child or children (Kerr). The multigenerational transmission process describes the level

to stress and therefore more susceptible to having problems with anxiety, trauma, depression, and many other issues. Attachment theory suggests that the quality of the parents' attachment system that was first established in infancy will affect their ability to form healthy attachments to their own children and with other adults (Lander, L., Howsare, J., & Byrne, M, 2013). Family systems theory produced out of the biologically based general systems theory. General systems theory focuses on how the portions of a system relate with one another. In family systems theory the family is essentially its own system (Lander, L., Howsare, J., & Byrne, M, 2013). When one person in a family begins to transform his or her behavior, the change will affect

Dr. Murray Bowen, a psychiatrist, offered us the family systems theory. This theory views the family as an emotional unit, further providing a thinking systems approach to describe the complex interactions in the unit. Bowen offered, “A change in one person’s functioning is predictably followed by a reciprocal change in the functioning of others” (Kerr, 2000). If one person within the family unit is having a difficult time, it effects everyone within the family unit. An example of this would be a father who is the primary breadwinner for his family suddenly loosing his job. Prior

Families over the course of life face hardships and changes as a natural and predictable aspect of family life.

The Family Systems Theory is based on the work of Dr.Murray Bowen as well as other theorists (Chen,2004). Dr. Bowen was a psychiatrist from Georgetown University, it was his research and experience that led to a great understanding of the family and its role. According to Bowen every family member has a fixed role that they play (Bradshaw,1995). These roles are consistently maintained within families, so that the system may strive for

This goes hand in hand with infants and the exploratory system. Adolescents are exploring the ideas of being independent, but when independency becomes too overwhelming, they can turn to their parents, the secure base, for help. Adolescents who exhibit seeking types of behaviour usually have a positive relationship with their parents, indicating that they feel comfortable exploring because they know their caregivers will be there for them. Interestingly, Haan, (1981) thought that it Is the self-regard of people in the later periods of adolescence that would be a greater support to make adolescences more established as they continue to grow with the family, which gives conditions that serve to deliver self-improvement and advancement as adolescence is a period of life that would require; self-awareness to merge their new personalities. This exhibits that, adolescents use utilize their caregivers as subconscious boundaries as it gives them strength to realize that they are physically secure. However, there are also traits of their emotionally connections which makes them aware for the need to understand their thoughts and feeling during this crucial period to regulate their self-regulation whether they are at home, school or starting new relationships to be able to gain deeper understanding as to who they are, their secure base and most importantly what they are capable

Begins with first child leaving home, continues until all kids left, ends with retirement. Middle generation take on a more active role in the family. The elderly generation are faced with major challenges of retirement, widowhood, becoming grandparents, loss of independence. Elderly couples are more martially then parentally oriented as they spend more time with one another and less time being responsible for children. With adequate leisure time, income, good health – the couple can enjoy each other as much as the honeymoon phase. Illness and pending degeneration due to age – cause depression; middle generation left to decide if parent can still care for themselves; financial burden