FAMILIES

Family Interactions Reciprocal Socialization. The process by which children and adolescents socialize parents, just as parents socialize them. Synchrony. The carefully coordinated interaction between the parent and the child or adolescent in which, often unknowingly, they are attuned to each other’s behavior. General Systems Theory and the Family

Family Dynamics and Interaction Oftentimes, the quality of the family systems influence parent/child interactions –Studies reveal that in many single-parent households, mothers are not always able to provide the same level of nurturing interaction with their children than in traditional households. –Adolescents generally have more problems in single-parent families and tend to direct more anger and frustration to the mother.

Developmental Construction of Relationships Developmental construction views are the believed that as individuals grow up, they acquire modes of relating to others. –Continuity view. Emphasize the role of early parent-child relationships in constructing a basic way of relating to people throughout the life span. Child rearing interactions are a guide to determine future interactions with peers, intimate partners, community roles. Early experiences are critical. –Discontinuity view. Emphasize change and growth in relationships over time. Children acquire different roles/ different boundaries in their relationship with others. Children move from family settings where expectations are passed to them to peer settings where they exhibit more control in their life.

Maturation and Adolescent Perceptions Puberty Expanding Logical Reasoning Changes in School Peers/friendships Dating Independence Period of Stress and Storm. Increasing conflict with parents. Children become highly emotional and begin to interpret basic feedback as personal attacks. David Elkind: The imaginary audienceThe personal fable –Preadolescents are often compliant. However, by late adolescents they become more assertive (Maccoby, 1984). –Children also begin to spend more time with peers and less time with parents.

Parent and Child Dynamics Parent/child expectations begin to change and children begin to redefine their role in society. Question: –Considering family stress as a catalyst change, would children ever really be motivated to leave in the absence of stress or changing expectations? –Could adolescent role development be a function of the cumulative internalization of the expectations of society handed down by parents and significant others? If so, do we really need to define maturation and adulthood from the standpoint of age?

Parental Changes Rise of nontraditional families. Marital satisfaction. Marital dissatisfaction increases when offsprings become adolescents. WHY? Economic burdens. Parents feel greater economic stress in rearing adolescents. Career reevaluations. Time perspective. Health and body concerns. Parents of adolescents begin to develop a preoccupation with health and physical/sexual attractiveness. Generative vs. Stagnation Age of parents at childbearing. Today, with the onset of teen pregnancy, parents are parenting while still working to define themselves. Identity, Occupational commitments, Intimate commitments. In contrast, considerable # of families delay until their thirties. These families tend to be more stable and tend to be traditional

Sociocultural and Historical Changes Influence of social events like war, famine, depression affected the family Great Depression produced economic turmoil, discontent, clinical depression, marital conflict, inconsistent child rearing and unhealthy lifestyles (drinking, demoralized attitudes) The role of the elderly grandparents began to change Migration trends Technological changes. Media influence. Busy parents lead to children being socialized by TV

Parent Child Dynamics Parents need to understand that the road to maturity is a long process. Change does not occur overnight. Parents, especially mothers, play a vital role towards accounting with kids. Ensuring that children follow appropriate routine and guidelines.

Diana Baumrind Parenting Styles –Authoritarian. Restrictive, punitive style in which the parent exhorts the adolescent to follow the parent’s directions and to respect work and effort. Firm limits and controls are placed on the adolescent, and little verbal exchange is allowed. This style generally produces socially incompetent behavior in adolescents. –Neglectful. Parents are very uninvolved in the adolescent’s life. Associated with adolescents’ social incompetence, especially a lack of self-control. –Indulgent. Parents are highly involved with their adolescents but place few demands or controls on them. This is associated with adolescents social incompetence, especially a lack of self-control –Authoritative. Encourages adolescents to be independent but still places limits and controls on their actions. Extensive verbal give and take is allowed, and parents are warm and nurturant towards adolescent.

Exploring Parent/Adolescent Conflicts Conflicts between parents and adolescents may be due to the generation gap. –Biological Predisposition –G. Stanley Hall. –S. Freud –Cultural Context –Margret Mead. Somoa study –Larson (1999). India study

Adolescent Runaways Although adolescent runaway is not always motivated by parent/child conflict, many leave due to abuse and neglect issues in the home. –Drugs –Sexual exploitation Many adolescents hit the streets in search of emotional needs…This is often a setup for unhealthy outcomes and risk-taking behaviors.

Bowlby’s Attachment Secure. Infants use their primary caregiver, usually the mother, as a secure base from which to explore the environment. This type is an important foundation for psychological development Insecure. Infants either avoid the caregiver or show considerable resistance or ambivalence toward the caregiver. This type related to difficulties in relationships and problems in later development Dismissing/avoidant. Individuals deemphasize the importance of attachment. This category is associated with consistent experiences of rejection of attachment needs by caregivers Preoccupied/ambivalent. Adolescents are hypertuned to attachment experiences. This is thought to mainly occur because parents are inconsistently available to the adolescent. Unresolved/disorganized. Adolescent has an unusually high level of fear and is disoriented. Generally due traumatic experiences such as parent’s death or abuse by a parent.

Divorced Families 40% of children born to married parents will experience their parent’s divorce. EFFECTS ARE ENORMOUS: –Psychological adjustment is compromised –Academic performance/competence is compromised –Delinquency is prevalent –Depression/anxiety is increased –Diminished self-esteem –Poor social responsibility/school dropout –Drug usage becomes a factor –Poor decisions regarding sexual activity/intimate relationships Given what appears to be significant consequences for divorce, should struggling spouses stay together for the sake of the children?

Gay and Lesbian Parents –20% of lesbians and 10% of gay men are parents, most of whom have children from a heterosexual marriage that ended in a divorce. –Gay and lesbian parents may make up as many as one million parents in the United States today. QUESTION Does the sexual orientation of parents affect a person’s ability to parent or positively role model through adoption? Should the sexual orientation of parents be a factor of consideration in custody decisions?