I ntroduction into Pediatric Care 3/24/14

Family
Whatever a person considers it to be
Consanguineous: blood relationship
Affinal: marital relationship
Family of origin: family unit born into
Household is used frequently to accommodate an increasing variety of family styles

Family Systems Theory
General systems theory:
o The family is a system that continually interacts with its members and the
environment
o Emphasis on interaction
o Problems do not lie in any one member but in the type of interactions used
by the family

Family Stress Theory
Families encounter stressors, both predictable and unpredictable
With too many stressors for family to cope adequately, a crisis ensues
Adaptation requires a change in family structure and/or interaction

Developmental Theory
Addresses family change over time
Duvalls family life-cycle stages
Family is a semiclosed system that interacts with larger social system
Age of oldest child marks stage transitions

Stages of the Family Life Cycle
Stage 1: Married couples