A Study of the Complex
Family Structures & the
Problems that Exist
Table of
Contents
Strategies for addressing conflict in
relationships
Positive and negative aspects of divorce
Comparing types of love relationships
Individual and societal influences of singleparent homes
Challenges attributed to blended families
Strategies to assess and intervene in the family system
Strategies for addressing conflict in relationships
Structural Family
Theory:
Focuses on the substructures within the family unit.
Family Systems
Theory:
Focuses on the group rather than individuals that make up the family.
Theories for the Family
Structural Family
Theory
Conflict is an essential component of family
interaction.
Barriers may exist among the professional and family.
Learn the families’ structure and roles.
What are the rules? Are they overt or covert?
Observe interaction.
View the family as a collection of roles.
Boundaries between subsystems. Are there boundary violations occurring?
Are the roles complementary/mutually supportive? Do members respect each other’s individuality?
Is there compromise among each other?
Is there cross-generational influence that may be affecting the family?
Family Systems Theory
What are the emotional/intellectual processes?
What intergenerational influences are present?
Is there internal conflict between thoughts and
feelings?
Are members of the family dependent on the other? Is there co-dependency among the family? Is there flexibility/adaptability present?
Is the person capable of learning from experience? Can this individual separate emotions of others?
What are the adaptive levels of functioning?
Can they function under stress?
The ability to reason, analyze, and bring selfawareness is crucial.
Know if there is a third party involved, this can complicate resolution of the conflict.
Divorce
Terminating the Marital
Union
Dissolving the Bonds of
Matrimony
("Divorce," 2015)
Aspects of Divorce
The Negative
Risk of behavioral problems
among children.
Adjust to a new residence.
Visitation restrictions.
Loss of economic support
Damaged parental relationships. Children become possessions. Children blame themselves.
One parent instead of two.
The Positive
Children removed from conflict.
Co-parenting eases adjustment
Children may gain positive
relationships through extended family or stepparents
Children no longer feel in the middle of the conflict or blame themselves Negative influences such as alcohol abuse or drug use removed Seven Types of Love
Non-Love
Let’s be friends
Infatuation
Love at first sight
Empty Love
Fading love
Romantic Love
Drunken love
Companionate Love
Faithful love
Fatuous Love
Blind love
Consummate Love
True love
(Psychologytalks, 2011)
The Single-Parent Paradigm
Marriage is becoming
obsolete in our society.
Forty percent of new mothers are unmarried.
Single-parent households are far more socially acceptable than in the past.
Women no longer think it is practical to be contingent on the men in their lives
Bad behavior has caused distrust between partners.
The Blended Family
A stepfamily or blended family is a family where one parent has children, from a previous relationship, that are not genetically related to the other parent. ("Blended Family (Step Family)," 2014)
The Challenge’s of Being a Blended
Family
The Child’s Mother/Father
The Ex-Wife/Husband
The Conflicting Children
Divide & Conquer
Who’s Money Is It Really?
Pool the money to run the
new house
Prepare For The Future
Don’t fight over an
inheritance
Seek Help When Needed
All couples have problems
("Mining For Gold Marriage", 2014)
Strategies on Intervening With the
Family
Accommodation: the adjustments a
therapist may make to achieve a therapeutic alliance with the family.
Boundary marking: the therapist reinforces appropriate boundaries and diffuses inappropriate