1. Slide 1 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. LIFE-SPAN DEVELOPMENT 14 A Topical Approach to John W. Santrock Families, Lifestyles, and Parenting

2. Slide 2 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Families, Lifestyles, and Parenting Analyzing Family Life The Diversity of Adult Life Styles Parenting Other Family Relationships

3. Slide 3 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. The Family Life Cycle Analyzing Family Life Fig. 14.1

4. Slide 4 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Multiple Developmental Trajectories Different trajectories for children and adults – timing of changes –Children: timing of child care and middle school entry –Adults: timing of family tasks and changes Planned such as delayed marriage Unplanned such as job loss and divorce Extensive variability today; traditional stage sequence less relevant and common Analyzing Family Life

5. Slide 5 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Family Processes Recalling Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory Microsystem level — reciprocal socialization –Bidirectional: children socialize parents just as parents socialize children Family as a social system Sociocultural and historical changes –Effects on family processes Analyzing Family Life

6. Slide 6 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Direct and Indirect Interactions Between Parents and Children Analyzing Family Life Fig. 14.2 Marital relationship Parenting Child behavior and development

7. Slide 7 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Single Adults Being single –Dramatic increase; tripled from 1970 to 2005 –Single stereotypes –Advantages and disadvantages –Common problems Forming intimate relationships with other adults Loneliness Finding niche in marriage oriented society The Diversity of Adult Life Styles

8. Slide 8 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Percentage of Single Adults 30 to 34 Years of Age The Diversity of Adult Life Styles Fig. 14.3 Percent 30 2000 Year 1970 25 20 15 10 0 30

9. Slide 9 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Cohabiting Adults Dramatic rise in cohabiting before marriage –Higher in countries other than the U.S. –Cohabiting tends to be short-lived in U.S. –Comparing cohabitation to marriage –Advantages and disadvantages of cohabiting The Diversity of Adult Life Styles

10. Slide 10 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Increase in Cohabitation in the U.S. The Diversity of Adult Life Styles Fig. 14.4

11. Slide 11 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Cohabiting Adults Dramatic rise in cohabiting older adults –More for companionship than love –Expected to continue increasing –Separate assets best when one needs expensive care –More stable, positive relationship than young cohabitating couples –More depressed than married counterparts The Diversity of Adult Life Styles

12. Slide 12 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Married Adults Marital trends –Changing male-female equality in marriage has created more fragile, intense marital relationships –More adults remain single longer –U.S. still a marrying society; divorce rates slowing –Culture influences marriage –International comparisons in marriage The Diversity of Adult Life Styles

13. Slide 13 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Increase in Age at 1 st Marriage in U.S. The Diversity of Adult Life Styles Fig. 14.5 2002199019801970 21 1960 19 24 23 22 Year 25 27 20 1950 26 Age (years)

14. Slide 14 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. What Makes Marriages Work Establishing love maps Nurturing fondness and admiration Turning toward each other instead of away Letting your partner influence you Solving solvable conflicts Overcoming gridlock Creating shared meaning The Diversity of Adult Life Styles

15. Slide 15 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. What Makes Marriages Work Premarital education –Improves quality of marriage –May reduce risk of divorce –Linked to higher level of commitment to spouse and lower level of destructive marital conflict Benefits of a good marriage –Healthier lives –Lower levels of depression, anxiety, anger The Diversity of Adult Life Styles

16. Slide 16 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Marriage in Middle and Late Adulthood Middle Adulthood –Most marrieds express considerable satisfaction Late Adulthood –Widowhood and adjustment –Adjustments needed at retirement –Happiness affected by each partner’s coping with aging Divorced adults The Diversity of Adult Life Styles

17. Slide 17 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Divorced Adults If divorce occurs, it usually happens early in marriage –Stress of separation and divorce pose risks for psychological and physical difficulties Psychiatric disorders and hospital admission Clinical depression and alcoholism Psychosomatic disorders –Custodial and non-custodial parents: economics and gender have varying effects The Diversity of Adult Life Styles

18. Slide 18 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Divorce Rate in Relation to Number of Years Married The Diversity of Adult Life Styles 2535201510 Years married 3050 6 8 10 2 4 Percent of divorcees Fig. 14.6

19. Slide 19 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Dealing With Divorce A chance for personal growth Make decisions carefully Focus more on the future than on past Use your strengths and resources Don’t expect success, happiness in all you do You’re never trapped by one pathway The Diversity of Adult Life Styles

20. Slide 20 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Divorced in Middle and Older Adults Main reason for staying married: children Main causes of divorce The Diversity of Adult Life Styles –For men No obvious problems, just fell out of love Cheating Different values, lifestyles –For women Verbal, physical, emotional abuse Alcohol or drug abuse Cheating

21. Slide 21 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Remarried Adults Complex histories and multiple relationships make adjustment difficult –Men remarry sooner than women –Stepfamilies face unique tasks –Many remarry for financial reasons, not love –Strategies: have realistic expectations and develop new positive relationships within family Remarriage and Aging The Diversity of Adult Life Styles

22. Slide 22 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Gay and Lesbian Adults Similar in satisfactions and need to find balance as heterosexual couples –Satisfactions: loves, joys, conflicts –Needs: romantic love, affection, autonomy, equality –More flexible in gender roles than heterosexuals –Prefer long term, committed relationships –Lesbians usually do not have open relationships –Increasingly creating families with children The Diversity of Adult Life Styles

23. Slide 23 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Amount of Same Sex Couples with Children The Diversity of Adult Life Styles Fig. 14.7

24. Slide 24 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Parental Roles Many plan to be parents; others are startled Needs and expectations stimulate myths Timing of parenthood –Advantages of having children early and later Transition to parenting requires adapting –Choices of how to become parents –Career and role decisions Parenting

25. Slide 25 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Parents As Managers Provide opportunities, monitor, act as social arrangers for children Teach child to be independent, make competent decisions Serve as regulators of children Effective management produces best outcomes Parenting

26. Slide 26 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Power Assertion, Induction, and Withdrawal of Love Power Assertion: intended to stop undesirable behavior though physical or verbal enforcement of parental control; includes demands, threats, withdrawal of privileges, spankings. Generally induces fear. Least effective. Induction: encourage desirable behavior (or discourage undesirable behavior) by reasoning with child; includes setting limits, demonstrating logical consequences, explaining, discussion, getting ideas from child about what is fair. Most effective.

27. Slide 27 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Power Assertion, Induction, and Withdrawal of Love Withdrawal of Love: may include ignoring, isolating, showing dislike for child. Psychological Aggression Verbal attacks that may result in psychological harm; yelling, screaming, swearing, threatening to spank, threatening to kick out of house. Occurs in at least 2/10 households, likely 4-5/10 20% parents of toddlers engage in 50% among parents of teens

28. Slide 28 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Parenting Styles Authoritarian High on control but low on responsiveness Characterized by low warmth Little positive involvement with their children Set rigid rules Discipline harshly Expect obey because of parental authority

29. Slide 29 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Parenting Styles Authoritative Show warm, responsive involvement Set appropriate and clear standards Communicate openly Provide rationale for rules Show respect for children’s rights and opinions Encourage autonomy and independence, resulting in social competence

30. Slide 30 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Parenting Styles Permissive-Indulgent Highly warm and responsive Place few demands or expectations Rules that exist are not clearly communicated or enforced so children left to make own decisions and regulate own behavior

31. Slide 31 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Parenting Styles Permissive-Indifferent Leave children alone to make their own decisions and control own behavior Place few demands, neglectful Appearing emotionally detached, show little or no involvement in their children’s lives

32. Slide 32 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Consequences of Parenting Styles (Baumrind) Authoritative: Self-reliance Social responsibility Higher levels of achievement Authoritarian: Social incompetence Anxiety about social comparison Failure to show initiative Poor communication skills Lower school performance Lower self-esteem

33. Slide 33 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Consequences of Parenting Styles (Baumrind) Permissive-indulgent: Expect to get their own way Show little respect for others Never learn to control their own behavior Lower school performance Permissive-Indifferent: Social incompetence Lack of self-control Lower school performance However, no one right way to raise children. Cause-effect not demonstrated (e.g., parent style causing child’s incompetence- consider innate factors, temperament)

34. Slide 34 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Baumrind’s Parenting Styles Parenting Authoritarian Authoritative Neglectful Indulgent Restrictive, punitive style; parents exhort child to follow their directions and respect their work and effort Encourages children to be independent but still places limits and controls on their actions Parent very uninvolved in child’s life Parents very involved with children, place few demands/controls on them

35. Slide 35 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Classification of Parenting Styles Fig. 14.8 Parenting

36. Slide 36 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Parenting Styles in Context Authoritative parenting linked to competence across wide range of –Ethnic groups –Social strata –Cultures –Family structures –Most associated with positive child outcomes in ethnic studies Parenting

37. Slide 37 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Punishment and Discipline Historically, corporal punishment considered necessity and desirable for disciplining child –Legal in all states; used by majority of parents –Favored most in U.S. and Canada –Few research studies on physical punishment –Strong emotional support by parents reduced link between spanking and children’s problems Parenting

38. Slide 38 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Punishment and Discipline Corporal punishment by parents associated with –Higher levels of immediate compliance –Increased aggression among children –Lower levels of moral internalization and mental health Sweden outlawed physical spanking of a child in 1979 –Youth rates of delinquency, alcohol use, rape, and suicide dropped Parenting

39. Slide 39 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Factors Linked to Child Abuse Marital conflict and individual hosility linked to physical punishment Co-parenting – poor coordination places child at risk Child maltreatment –Almost 900,000 in 2002 –84% abused by parents –Mandatory reporting for professionals Parenting

40. Slide 40 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Types of Child Maltreatment Parenting Physical abuse Child neglect Sexual abuse Emotional abuse Infliction of physical injury Failure to provide basic needs Fondling child’s genitals, sodomy, intercourse, incest, exhibitionism, rape, and commercial exploitation Acts or omissions by parents or other caregivers that have caused, or could cause, serious behavioral, cognitive, or emotional problems

41. Slide 41 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Context of Abuse No single factor is total cause –Violence in American culture through media, etc. –Family member interactions –Perpetuating history: parents abused as children Developmental consequences –Emotional and relational/attachment problems –Personality problems and risk of suicide –Aggressive behaviors and substance use/abuse Parenting

42. Slide 42 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Autonomy and Attachment between Adolescents and Parents Good parenting takes time and effort –Conflict when adolescents push for autonomy; gradual release of control is best –Gender and culture affect seeking and granting autonomy –Parent-child attachment remains important Parenting

43. Slide 43 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Parent-Adolescent Conflict Conflict with parents escalates in early adolescence –Biological changes of puberty –Cognitive changes and idealism –Social changes and independence –Maturational changes –Violated expectations Some cultures marked by less conflict Parenting

44. Slide 44 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Competent Adolescent Development Enhanced when the parents… –Show them warmth and mutual respect –Demonstrate sustained interest in their lives –Recognize and adapt to their cognitive and socio-emotional development –Communication high standards and expectations –Deal constructively with conflict and problems Parenting

45. Slide 45 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Emerging Adult Development Relationships with parents improve –Grow closer psychologically –Share more –Some emerging adult decisions may be troublesome for parents –Advantages and disadvantages to living in parents’ home Parenting

46. Slide 46 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Working Parents Work has positive and negative effects on parenting –Effects of mother working in first year on child’s later development is still debated –Parents over-investing in children can have negative effects –Division of time for more chores and children –One- versus two-parent household –Latchkey children and out-of-school programs Parenting

47. Slide 47 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Effects of Divorce on Children Children –More likely to show poorer adjustment –More likely to have academic and behavioral problems –Overall adjustment affected by social maturity, gender, temperament, custody situation, SES Adjustment improves if –conflicts reduced by divorce –parents harmonious and authoritative Parenting

48. Slide 48 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Single-Parent Families in Different Countries Parenting Fig. 14.10

49. Slide 49 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Communicating with Children About Divorce Explain separation Separation not child’s fault May take time to feel better Keep door open for further discussion Provide as much continuity as possible Provide support for children and yourself Parenting

50. Slide 50 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Divorce and Children’s Emotional Problems Fig. 14.11 Parenting

51. Slide 51 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Stepfamilies Divorce and widowhood creates stepfamilies –Stepfather –Stepmother –Blended or complex In stepfamilies, children show more adjustment problems Gay Male and Lesbian Parents –Adjustment from heterosexual union to gay union –Extensive debate on effects of gay/lesbian families Parenting

52. Slide 52 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Sibling Relationships and Birth Order Sibling relationships –Difficult to generalize as relationships vary –Persist over entire lifespan; closer in adulthood Birth order –Higher expectations for first-born children –First born more adult-oriented, helpful, conforming, anxious, and self-controlled –Only child often achievement-oriented and displays desirable personality Other Family Relationships

53. Slide 53 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Grandparenting and Great Grandparenting Highly satisfying for most –Easier than parenting; enjoy frequent contact –Grandmothers have more contact –Functions of role varies in families, ethnic groups, and cultures; support, advice, child care Rewards of Grandparenting –Biological continuity and reward –Emotional fulfillment, companionship Other Family Relationships

54. Slide 54 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Changing Profile of Grandparents Increasing number are raising their grandchildren due to –Divorce –Adolescent pregnancies –Drug use by parents In 2000: 5.6 million children Stress linked to raising grandchildren Grandparents and great grandparents are living longer Other Family Relationships

55. Slide 55 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Grandmothers and Grandfathers Grandmother –Maintained family ties across generations –Have more contact with grandchildren than grandfather Grandfathers –Few expectations for role, more voluntary Changing profiles of grandparents Little research done on great-grandparenting Other Family Relationships

56. Slide 56 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Intergenerational Relationships As children age, think more positively of their parents –Mother-daughter conflicts lessen over life course –Family members maintain considerable contact –Parents and young adult children describe their relationship differently; relationship related to nature of earlier relationship Other Family Relationships

57. Slide 57 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Grandparents and Great Grandparents Intergenerational relationships vary among cultures and ethnic groups Common conflicts arise –Communication and interaction style –Habits and lifestyle choices –Childrearing practices and values –Affected by earlier family experiences –Affected by gender, education, and age –‘Sandwich generation’ issues Other Family Relationships

58. Slide 58 © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. The End 14