Families, Transitions & Attachments Essay

A. Overview Families are interesting and challenging to both teach and research because of their variability and proposing new theories and conclusions derived from the thousands of experiences. By trying to centralize an ideology or understanding of one’s unique family, it becomes challenging to interpret or draw a universal conclusion or pattern of behavior that causes certain things throughout the other family unit. * What are the ways in which the relationship between Angela and her father has changed from childhood to adolescence? * Emotionally distant nor physically close or affectionate * Uses a different tone with her father—â€Å"silent contempt† * Envious of the mutual adoring relationship her father shares with her younger sister * â€Å"When someone compliments your parents it’s like nothing to say.† – Angela * Gives her Dad the cold shoulder and unappreciative * Quick to criticize and judge him B. Family Life Cycles 1) John Hill- described a systems perspective on adolescent development * In order to understand the changes in an adolescent, one must observe the parent changes, too * Parents are going through â€Å"middle age† — dealing with more responsibility at work, making them more stressed and distracted * Parents are facing the end of the child-bearing years * As kids reach adolescence and gains all these cognitive capacities, they become a force within the family (i.e. â€Å"a new roommate or adult moving into the family†) causing a need for adjustment, thus dramatically changing the family system 2) Beyond storm and stress * Not universal * Most adolescents do not go through this intense period of storm and stress; a good relationship with the emerging adolescent between their parent can lessen the intensity * More stressful for parent b/c they’ve invested so much time and energy into their child to then let it lead to conflict and arguments * With age and a teenager’s unlikeliness to just go along with what they’re told illicit more persistent and louder conflict (i.e. temper tantrum of an 8-year-old and a 15-year-old is completely more ‘storm and stress’ at different ages) C. Adolescent Autonomy and Relatedness (Initial Overview) 1) Seesaw Model * There needs to be a healthy balance between autonomy and relatedness (or dependence) relationship with parents and friends 2) Multi-dimensional Mode * There’s connection and individuality coexisting when the two aren’t in opposition with one another D. Goals of Attachment Theory 1) Beyond â€Å"Loving† Parents * Problem with this statement: every parents loves their children no matter the circumstances or their treatment towards them, therefore love isn’t enough 2) Everyone (almost) gets attached – Humans are hardwired to get attached to other people/mammals (due to our long period of gestation out of all the species) * Not everyone who is attached is securely attached [think of three different types of attachment and basis on the childs’ needs vs. the parents’ needs] 3) Assessment, Correlates & Predictions — Can predict popularity, success in romantic relationships, and attachment type when you have your own child