Midterm families #1 Flashcards
(26 cards)
key changes over the past 50 years
-gay and lesbian families are generally accepted
-ethnic diversity and interracial marriages are now common
-many families are led by single parents
-both men and women are employed
-can get divorced if a marriage is not working
Societal shifts created new definitions of family: impact
Legalization of the birth control pill, ‘no fault’ divorce, women in education, paid labour work force
-impacted the nature of families contributing to; delayed family formation, smaller family size, and an increase in diversity of family structures.
Impact of technology on families
the glue that once held families together may no longer be present
*Parents preoccupied by cellphones while ‘supervising’ their children
*Family members texting rather than interacting face to face
*Parents and children sitting at computers, watching tv, staring at screens for long periods of time
Importance of Resilience on families
Resilience refers to the ability of families to cope with challenges and adapt in healthy ways.
It helps families bounce back from adversity, protecting children from potential mental health issues as they grow older.
5 Protective factors:
*Parental resilience
*Social connections
*Concrete support in times of need
*Knowledge of parenting and child development
*Children’s social and emotional competence
are strengths, supports, or conditions that help kids overcome challenge
standardized tool for assessing and evaluating strengths, measuring the emotional and behavioral strengths of children and adolescents Across 5 domains:
Behavioral & Emotional Rating Scale
1*Interpersonal strength (emotional regulation in social settings)
2*Family involvement (quality of family relationships)
3*Intrapersonal strength (perception of the child’s own competence
and accomplishments)
4*School functioning (ablity to prefrom in school)
5*Affective strength (ability to express feelings and accept affection from others)
Strategies to promote resilience:
5
1- teaching children values Helping parents to reflect on whether or not they are transmitting the values they want their children to have is critical
2- surround children with social supports
and promote their friendships with others
3- offering encouragement and helping families to** identify their strengths and abilities**that are adaptive and functional
4- discouraging catastrophizing and replacing it with more positive or optimistic thinking to promote emotional regulation
5- helping families learn from mistakes and focus also on accomplishing positive experiences.
6-encouraging families to play together and enjoy fun activities.
7- teaching communication skills that are supportive of others and avoiding common communication pitfalls that shut down interaction
strategy: Empowerment Framework
Focus on allowing families to decide the agenda in a discussion of idenfitying their strengths :
Open-ended questions to identify family strengths:
“What have you accomplished together?”
“How do you help each other through tough times?”
“What do you like most about each other?”
This empowers families by positioning them as experts on their lives.
strategies:
-Mistakes as Learning Opportunities
-Having Fun Together
-Encourage families to discuss mistakes without blame.
Promote “I” language when discussing mistakes (e.g., “I felt…”).
Reframe mistakes as opportunities for growth.
-Importance of Play:
Families that play together strengthen bonds.
Encouraging family activities and shared fun can help relieve stress and promote healthy relationships.
Five stages of the Family Life Cycle
1-independence
2-Coupling or marriage
3-Parenting from infancy through adolescence
4-Launching adult children
5-Retirement or senior years
The Independence Stage
-occurs when young individuals leave home and establish themselves emotionally, financially, socially, and physically.
-They develop their adult personality, form relationships outside their family of origin, make decisions about education, careers, and future family life.
-If a person was overprotected in childhood, they may face a crisis of confidence, struggling with skills like assertiveness, time management, and problem-solving.
The Coupling Stage
Individuals formintimate relationships, Couples must decide on key life factors: lifestyle, finances, boundaries, future family planning.
-Challenges if early childhood attachment was insecure, leading to fear of commitment or unhealthy coping styles.
-couple must learn effective communication and compromise to build a successful partnership.
-Families of origin may have different values, causing tension (e.g., differing financial habits or cultural expectations).
Example:
A couple from different cultural backgrounds must navigate differing expectations around gender roles and family involvement. If unresolved, these conflicts can create long-term marital stress.
Parenting from Infancy through Adolescence
-The most challenging and transformative stage,where couples transition into parents.
-Parents mustbalance responsibilities, develop a parenting style, and adjust their relationship dynamics.
-Sleep deprivation, financial stress, and role changes may cause tension between partners.
-Parents in the “sandwich generation” may also care for aging parents, adding stress.
EX-Teens may challenge authority, balance independence and guidance.
- Launching Adult Children
-“Empty Nest” stage, when children leave home for work, college, or to form their own families.
-Parents must adjust their roles from active caregivers to supportive mentors.
-parents struggle with their identity, feeling a loss of purpose.
-If the couple neglected their relationship during child-rearing, they might struggle to reconnect.
-Parents must respect their adult child’s autonomy
Example:
A mother who devoted all her time to raising her children may feel lonely when they move out, leading her to explore hobbies or strengthen her relationship with her spouse.
- Retirement/Senior Years
The final stage brings both freedom and challenges, including grandparenting, health concerns, financial changes, and potential loss of loved ones.
-finding purpose after leaving the workforce.
-Adult children may take on a caretaker role
The Importance of Communication in Families and Couples
-Communication is subject to intergenerational transmission, meaning the way parents communicate affects how their children will communicate in future relationships.
-Healthy communication in families leads to clear, interactions, preventing misunderstandings and fostering emotional closeness.
The Four Communication Styles
4
-Assertive Communication
Begins with “I” statements.
Expresses thoughts and feelings clearly without denying another’s right to do the same.
Encourages openness and respect.
-Passive Communication
Withholding thoughts or feelings out of fear of rejection or conflict.
Leads to poor self-esteem and emotional distancing.
-Aggressive Communication
Aims to control or hurt another person.
Creates fear, fuels anger, and results in unsatisfying interactions.
-Passive-Aggressive Communication
Indirectly expresses anger through sulking, sarcasm, procrastination, or avoidance.
Can damage relationships causing resentment and long-term emotional wounds.
The Four Types of Communication
4
-Clear & Direct
Both the message and the recipient are obvious.
Example: “I feel frustrated when you leave dishes in the sink.”
-Clear & Indirect
The message is obvious, but the recipient is unclear.
Example: “It would be nice if someone did the dishes…” (Implying a request without directly addressing the person.)
-Masked & Direct
The intended recipient is clear, but the message is vague.
Example: “You never think about others!” (The frustration is directed at a specific person but lacks clarity.)
-Masked & Indirect
Neither the message nor the recipient is clear.
Example: “Some people are just inconsiderate…” (No direct communication, leading to misunderstandings.)
Ways Individuals and Families Communicate
Verbal & Nonverbal Communication
-Verbal: Words convey content (factual information).
-Nonverbal: Body language, tone, facial expressions, and gestures convey process (emotions, intent).
Example: A parent saying “I’m fine” with a cold tone and crossed arms sends a mixed message.
-Affective Communication: Focuses on emotions and feelings.
Example: A child sharing their fears with a parent.
-Instrumental Communication: Focuses on facts and practical needs.
Example: Discussing a family’s grocery list.
Listening & Attunement
-Active listening (suspending judgment, showing empathy) builds trust and intimacy.
Example: A partner listening without interrupting or dismissing concerns.
-Meta-Communication
Discussing the reasons behind communication styles and patterns to improve understanding.
Example: A couple discussing why one partner avoids conflict rather than addressing issues directly.
Family Roles
1-Definition & Assignment of Roles:assigned based on cultural, social, and individual family dynamics.
EX- caregivers, breadwinners, decision-makers, and educators within a family.
2-Influences on Family Roles:
cultrual traditions, Personal beliefs and values, shaped by spirituality, education, and upbringing.
3-Understanding & Function of roles
A balanced family dynamic promotes emotional, social, and psychological well-being.
4-Examples of Family Roles in Different Context
-Indigenous families: Traditional roles such as knowledge keepers and healers maintain cultural continuity.
-LGBTQ2S+ Navigating societal challenges while redefining traditional family structures.
-Single-parent families One parent assumes multiple roles, balancing economic and emotional responsibilities.
Decolonization
-The process of restoring Indigenous worldviews, traditions, and history.
-Aims to replace Western narratives with Indigenous perspectives.
-Encourages reassess their historical and cultural understanding.
Risk and protective factors for children/youth of immigrant families:
identify and explain each describing influences, impact, and providing specific examples to illustrate
Language barriers that make school difficult
Discrimination that affects self-esteem
Financial struggles that limit opportunities
*Economic immigrants will have a different experience of integrating into Canadian Society than refugee families who have likely suffered trauma in their countries of origin and will require higher levels of support as a result.
Professional’s Role in Working with Indigenous Families
Understanding pre-colonial Indigenous values and cultural strengths.
Recognizing the importance of spirituality in healing.
Familiarity with Indigenous traditions, including ceremonies, art, and the Medicine Wheel.
The Medicine Wheel
A foundational Indigenous teaching representing balance and connection.
Includes four aspects of self: physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental.
Represents life stages from infancy to elderhood.
Emphasizes interconnectedness in community and the natural world.
