Chapter Four: Fundamental Changes of Adolescence: Families Flashcards
Adolescence in the Family System
. Family systems approach
. Dyadic relationships
. Each subsystem influences every other subsystem.
. Change in any member or subsystem creates disequilibrium.
. Adjustments in family required to restore equilibrium.
Parents’ Development During Midlife
. Decline in energy, physical health, creativity.
. Increase in wisdom, competence, psychological health, job satisfaction.
. Gender roles less restrictive.
Empty-Nest Syndrome
Marital and life satisfaction improve in parents.
Patterns of Sibling Relationships
. Five patterns - Caregiver relationship. - Most common in traditional cultures. - Buddy relationship. - Critical relationship. - Rival relationship. - Casual relationship. . Less conflict and rivalry in emerging adulthood.
Extended Family Relationships
. Traditional cultures
. Young men remain in family home after marriage.
. American minority cultures.
. Extended family households common.
. American majority culture.
. Contact with extended family infrequent.
Parenting styles: Authoritative
Parents are supportive and show interest in their kids’ activities but are not overbearing and allow them
to make constructive mistakes.
Parenting styles: Authoritarian
• The traditional model of parenting in which parents make the rules and children are expected to be
obedient.
Parenting styles: Permissive
Parenting involves holding expectations of children that are below what could be reasonably expected
from them.
Parenting styles: Uninvolved
Parents are disengaged from their children. They do not make demands on their children and are non-responsive.
Effects of Parenting Styles on Adolescents: Authoritative:
- Independent
- Creative
- Self-assured
- Socially skilled
Effects of Parenting Styles on Adolescents: Authoritarian
- Dependent
- Passive
- Conforming
Effects of Parenting Styles on Adolescents: Permissive
- Irresponsible
- Conforming
- Immature
Effects of Parenting Styles on Adolescents: Disengaged
- Impulsive
- Delinquent
- Early sex, drugs
Reciprocal or bidirectional effects
Adolescents may evoke certain behaviors from their parents.
Differential parenting
. Non shared environmental influences.
. Affected behaviour and psychological functioning.
Attachments to Parents (John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth’s attachment theory)
- Secure attachment
- Insecure attachment
- Primary caregiver in infancy forms foundation for other attachments.
- Internal working model
- Attachment in adolescence.
- Secure attachment has favourable outcomes.
- Balance between autonomy and relatedness.
Attachments to Parents: Studies on attachment theory
. Predictive power weakens with time.
. Fades by late adolescence and emerging adulthood. . Establishes tendencies modified by later experiences
Parent-Adolescent Conflict
. Adolescents and parents agree on most important aspects of life.
. Arguments are generally over minor issues.
. Conflict increases sharply in early adolescence.
Parent-Adolescent Conflict: Sources of conflict with parents
. Parents seem less physically imposing.
. Sexual issues.
. Increased cognitive abilities – better at arguing.
. Difference in defining autonomy.
. Indirect arguments
Parent-Adolescent Conflict: Culture and conflict with parents
. Traditional cultures:
- Less petty conflicts.
- Economic independence and beliefs about parental authority.
. Western cultures
- Independence is ultimate goal.
Leaving the Nest/ Coming Back Emerging Adults Relationships with Parents
. Relationships improve
- Appreciate their parents more.
- No day-to-day friction.
. Returning home
- Bridge transition to post college life.
- Burden of paying own bills.
- More successful if parents treat them as adults.
. Staying home more common in Europe
Main changes that have taken place in adolescents’ family lives in Western countries over the past 200 years: Patterns over two centuries
. Major changes
- Lower birth rate
- Longer life expectancy
- Movement from rural to urban residence
- Social institutions have taken over many functions
Changing Functions of the Family
Table 7.3
Slide 30
Historical Changes and the Family in the Padt 50 years
. Rise in the divorce rate.
. Rise in the rate of single-parent households.
- Mother typically custodial parent.
. Rise in the rate of dual-earner families.
Effects of Divorce
. Higher risk of negative outcomes. . Drug and alcohol use. . Sexual intercourse at earlier age. . Depressed or withdrawn. . Less likely to attend college. . Not as significant for adolescents as for younger children.
Divorce: Family structure versus family process
. Exposure to conflict
. Parenting practices
. Economic stress
Divorce: Combatting negative effects
. Good relationship with mother.
. Consistency in parenting.
Conflict
Exposure to conflict between parents leads to a
variety of problems in children and adolescents.
Negative Outcomes of Remarriage
. Depression, anxiety, conduct disorders.
. Lower academic achievement.
. Delinquent activities.
. Adolescents adjust worse than younger children do.
Causes of Negative Outcomes in Remarriage
. Disrupts family structure.
. Disrupts family process.
. Stepfather attempts to exercise authority.
Dual-Earner Families
. There are few substantial effects.
. Considerations
. Number of hours worked
. Quality of parent-adolescent relationships
Physical and Sexual Abuse in the Family: Physical abuse Causes/ Effects
. Causes:
- Family stresses or problems in parents’ lives.
- More likely in poor or large families.
. Effects in adolescents:
- More aggressive.
- Antisocial behaviour.
- Substance use
- Depression, anxiety.
- Poor academic performance.
Physical and Sexual Abuse in the Family: Sexual abuse Causes/Effects
. Causes:
- Fathers insecure and socially awkward.
- Not expression of affection.
. Effects in adolescents:
- Difficulty trusting others.
- Depression, anxiety, social withdrawal.
- Highly avoidant of sexual contact or sexually promiscuous.
- Substance abuse.
- Suicidal thoughts and behaviours.
Leaving Early: Runaways
. Running away from home
. High conflict with parents
. Vulnerable to exploitation
. Shelters for runaways
Leaving Early: Street Children
. Family dysfunction, poverty, war, family breakdown.
. Work – beggars, vendors, shoe shiners, car cleaners.
. Vulnerable to diseases and abuse.
. Form bonds with other street children.
