Family Systems theory Essay

Why pick up families?Traditional psychology problem an individual hotshot Externalise distress act out impute distress withdrawTheorists Psychoanalytic e.g Freud fixated at a phase due to trauma and regress to this take Behaviourists e.g learn inappropriate response Attachment insecure primary attachmentSociological perspectiveBronfenbrenners model ecological approacha)Life cycle stressesb)Stresses related to cultural expectationsc)Stresses related to historical timed)Random batche)Stress reactions which create more stressDoes research harbour the sociological viewpoint?YES Distress related to leave out of social support Overcrowded housing, father in gaol, depressed mother Parental stress & maternal electronegativity plus sister temperament PovertyWhat is familys position in the sociological model? to the highest degree influential part of childs social context buffer between child and external universe serves to protect or expose child usually positiveDo famili es need support? Bronfenbrenners 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 person as most powerlessBasic expositCirculatory causation interactive modelNon-summativity whole more than sum of partsCommunication musical note and contentGoverned by rules spoken or understoodHomeostasis in some sort of balanceMorphogenesis flexibleness to respond to changeHow do you measure family relationships?Research relies on two dimensions Affection (aka warmth, acceptance, cohesion, closeness)Disengaged-OK-EnmeshedAcceptance hold back (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 circulatorySee events as multi-causative.Actively involved in world outside familyNegotiate effectivelyFeeli ngs and thoughts expressed and acceptedLittle blame or personal ack-ack gunSee human nature as benign do best in a factFlexible adjust to new situationsADEQUATE FAMILIESSeek control rather than intimacyCentripetal territorial dominion boundEnmeshedPower battlesScapegoatingSevere eg sectsCentrifugalMore comfortable with negative feelingsBlame and feelerChildren expected to be independent earlyMaterial wealth takes preference over relationshipsExtreme chaotic, intimidating, actually unstableHow can early childhood educators help?Recognise difficultiesEmotionally supportingReferring on developmentHelping with children if in crisis