Family Development Theory

"Normalizes" one type of family and invalidates others

Criticized by many as being too descriptive and broad; not research generating

Exploring Family Theories, p. 87

Exploring Family Theories, p. 88

Divorce

Stage 4: Families with adolescents

Divorce

• Emotional process of transition:

Stage 3: Separation

• Emotional process of transition

Stage 2: Planning the breakup of the system:

- Increasing flexibility of family boundaries to permit children's independence and grandparent's frailties

• Second order changes in family status required to proceed developmentally:

• Emotional process of transition

- Willingness to continue cooperative co-parental relationship and joint financial support of children

- Work on resolution of attachment to spouse

Stage 3: Families with young children

Stage 5: Launching children and moving on

- Supporting viable arrangements for all parts of the system

• Emotional process of transition

- Shifting of parent/child relationships to permit adolescence to move in and out of system

- Refocus on midlife marital and career issues

- Beginning shift toward caring for older generation

• Developmental issues

- Accepting new members into the system

- Accepting a multitude of exits from and entries into the family system

• Developmental issues

• Second order changes in family status required to proceed developmentally

Exploring Family Theories, p. 84

- Working cooperatively on problems of custody, visitation, and finances

- Dealing with extended family about divorce.

• Second order changes in family status required to proceed developmentally

- Realignment of relationships with extended family; staying connected with spouse's extended family

Exploring Family Theories, p. 85

Only describes the typical two-parent, heterosexual nuclear family

- Adjusting marital system to make space for children

- Joining in child rearing, financial, and household tasks

- Realignment of relationships with extended family to include parenting and grand parenting roles

Exploring Family Theories, p. 85

- Regeneration of marital system as a dyad

- Development of adult-to-adult relationships between grown children and their parents

- Realignment of relationships to include in-laws and grandchildren

- Dealing with disabilities and death of parents (grandparents)

Failed to include family identify factors such as race, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and family structure

Exploring Family Theories, p. 87

Exploring Family Theories, p. 84

Divorce

Exploring Family Theories, p. 84

The End

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Divorce

Exploring Family Theories, p. 88

Stage 1: The decision to divorce

Stage 4: The divorce

• Emotional process of transition

• Emotional process transition:

- More work on emotional divorce: overcoming hurt, anger, guilt, etc.

- Acceptance of inability to resolve marital tensions sufficiently to continue relationship

• Developmental Issues

• Developmental issues:

- Mourning loss of intact family; giving up fantasies of reunion

- Retrieval of hopes, dreams, expectations from marriage

- Staying connected with extended families

Critique of The Family Development Theory

Stage 6: Families later in life

- Acceptance of one's own part in the failure of the marriage

• Emotional process of transition

Exploring Family Theories, p. 85

Stage 2: The joining of families through marriage: the new couple

- Accepting the shifting generational roles

Carter and McGoldrick Model continued:

Exploring Family Theories, p. 85

• Second order changes in family status required to proceed developmentally

• Emotional process of transition

-Commitment to new system

• Second order change in family status required in order to proceed developmentally

Stages of the Family Life Cycle

- Maintaining own and/or couple functioning and interests in face of physiological decline

- Support for more central role of middle generation

- Making room in the system for the wisdom and experience of the elderly, supporting the older generation without overfunctioning them

- Dealing with loss of spouse, siblings, and other peers and preparation for death

• An additional phase was added for those families who were going through a divorce

- Formation of marital system

- Realignment of relationships with extended

families and friend to include spouse

Exploring Family Theories, p. 84

Betty Carter and Monica McGoldrick

In 1948, Duvall and Hill presented their version of the family life cycle in which they identified tasks that were accomplished by both parents and children.

Exploring Family Theories, p. 84

In 1964 Roy Rogers developed a version with 24 different stages. Its complexity completely overshadowed its usefulness.

• Two phases - Divorce and Post-divorce

Exploring Family Theories p. 70

Exploring Family Theories, p. 84

This model helps therapists consider how problems or symptoms develop over time. In addition to stages, it recognizes different levels such as the individual, immediate household, extended family, community and social connections, and larger society.

In 1978, Joan Aldous suggested that family development should be considered in four stages. She also recommended that the term family career be used instead of family life cycle.

Originated from the critique of the Psychology based theory which focused on the individual and the Sociology based theory which focused on society and culture.

Exploring Family Theories p. 70

Stage 6: continued ...

Stage 1: Leaving home - Single young adults

• Emotional process of transition

Exploring Family Theories p. 70

- Accepting emotional and financial responsibility for oneself

Exploring Family Theories, p. 83

• Second order changes in or family status required in order to proceed developmentally

Family Development Theory:

- Differentiation of self in relation to family of origin

- Development of intimate peer relationships

- Establishments of self in repect to work and financial independence

Exploring Family Theories, p. 84

A brief history

Post-divorce

Post-divorce

Single parent (custodial)

Single parent (non-custodial)

The Family Development Theory emerged in the 1940s and was unique because it was family-focused.

• Emotional process of transitions

In 1973, Wesley Burr said, "It has not yet been proved that the family life cycle will turn out to be very useful concept in deductive theories because they were not well defined and could not be properly tested in empirical research. Therefore, in 1991, James White approached these concerns in his book, Dynamics of Family Development: A Theoretical Perspective. White is still considered a proponent of the Family Development Theory today.

• Emotional process of transitions

Exploring Family Theories p. 70

- Willingness to maintain financial responsibilities continue parental contact with ex-spouse, and support contact of children with ex-spouse and his or her family.

- Willingness to maintain financial responsibilities and parental contact with ex-spouse and to support custodial parent's relationship with children

Exploring Family Theories, p. 70

• Developmental issues

• Developmental issues

- Making flexible visitation arrangements with ex-spouse and family

- Rebuilding own financial resources

- Rebuilding own social network

- Finding ways to continue effective parenting

- Maintaining financial responsibilities to ex-spouse and children

- Rebuilding own social network

Exploring Family Theories, p. 85