Examinesfamilies - their challenges and successes - as they move through the life course. Family Interaction takes a family systems and a multigenerational, developmental framework. This text looks at the major conceptual models used to understand the patterns and interactional dynamics that operate in families. It provides readers with an overview of the basic tasks that all families must execute regardless of their particular composition or living situation and, at the same time, offers readers an appreciation of the variety and uniqueness in the ways in which each family develops its patterns of interaction.
IN THIS SECTION: I. BRIEF TABLE OF CONTENTS II. COMPREHENSIVE TABLE OF CONTENTS I. BRIEF TABLE OF CONTENTS: Preface PART I. Defining Families 1. The Family as a System 2. Family Strategies PART II. Models of Family Functioning 3. Structural Models 4. Intergenerational Models 5. Contextual Models: Family Diversity PART III. Family Developmental Stages Section 1. Early Adulthood and Marriage 6. The Transition from Adolescence to Adulthood 7. Mate Selection and Family Development 8. The Transition to Marriage: The New Marital System 9. Communication and Intimacy 10. Conflict in Marriage Section II The Parenting Years 11. Families with Young Children: The Transition to Parenthood 12. The Parent-Child Relationship System Section III The Middle and Later Years of Family Development 13. Family Tasks during Middle Adulthood 14. The Family in Later Life PART IV. Alternative Family Developmental Pathways 15. Death, Loss, and Bereavement 16. Divorce 17. The Single-Parent Household 18. Remarriage and Step-Parenting II. COMPREHENSIVE TABLE OF CONTENTS: *All chapters begin with "Chapter Overview" and conclude with "Conclusions" and "Key Terms." Part I Defining Families Chapter 1 The Family as a System The Family as a System The Difficulty of Defining the Family The Characteristics of Family Systems Structural Properties of Families Strategies and Rules The Tasks That Families Must Execute First-Order Tasks Second-Order Tasks The Politics of the Family Chapter 2 Family Strategies Family Strategies Identity Strategies Boundary Strategies Maintenance Strategies Strategies for Managing the Familys Emotional Environment Strategies for Managing Stress: Adaptability as a Second-Order Task Part II Models of Family Functioning Chapter 3 Structural Models Structural Models of Family Functioning The Structural Model Mapping the Family Structure Chapter 4 Intergenerational Models Intergenerational Models of Family Functioning Core Concepts in the Bowen Model Managing Unresolved Issues with the Family of Origin The Genogram: Insight into Intergenerational Processes Chapter 5 Contextual Models: Family Diversity Ethnicity A Metaperspective on Cultural Diversity The Broader Racial and Ethnic Context Class, Socioeconomic Status, and Family Diversity Poverty, Racism, and Family Life Acculturation and Family Diversity Ethnicity, Race, and Family Strategies Part III Family Developmental Stages Section I Early Adulthood and Marriage Chapter 6 The Transition from Adolescence to Adulthood The Transition from Adolescence to Adulthood The Individuation Process The Individuation Process and Subsequent Development and Adjustment Individuation Difficulties and the Problems of Youth Problems of Forced Individuation Chapter 7 Mate Selection and Family Development Mate Selection and Family Development Selecting a Lifetime Companion Comparison Levels: The Uniqueness of Our Filters The Impact of Family of Origin Experiences on Mate Selection Mate Selection and Relationship Dynamics Chapter 8 The Transition to Marriage: The New Marital System A Post-Modern Perspective on Marriage The Tasks of the Newly Married Couple Chapter 9 Communication and Intimacy Communication and Intimacy Defining Communication Conversational Styles Communication and Intimacy within Marriage Chapter 10 Conflict in Marriage Conflict in Marriage Areas of Conflict The Underlying Sources of Conflict in Marriage The Dynamics of Managing Conflict Interactional Patterns Leading to Marital Success and Failure Marital Violence Section II The Parenting Years Chapter 11 Families with Young Children: The Transition to Parenthood Parenthood as Just One Developmental Pathway The Changing Context of Parenthood The Structural Diversity Found Within Families with Children The Challenges Confronted by the Family with Young Children Chapter 12 The Parent-Child Relationship System The Parent-Child Relationship System Dimensions of Parenting Style Determinants of Parenting Style Gender and Parenting Styles Ethnic and Minority Parenting The Effectiveness of Parenting Styles: Child Abuse and Neglect Section III The Middle and Later Years of Family Development Chapter 13 Family Tasks During Middle Adulthood Family Tasks During Middle Adulthood The Marriage Relationship During the Middle-Adult Years Parent-Child Dynamics During Middle Adulthood The Demands of Being in the Middle Chapter 14 The Family in Later Life The Family in Later Life Marriage During the Later-Adult Years Intergenerational Dynamics During the Later Years Family System Dynamics and the Caregiving/Care-Receiving Relationship Part IV Alternative Family Developmental Pathways Chapter 15 Death, Loss, and Bereavement Death, Loss, and Bereavement Death Within the Family System Factors Mediating the Family Systems Response to Death A Multigenerational, Developmental Perspective on Death Unresolved Grief and Family Strategies Chapter 16 Divorce Divorce Divorce as a Family Process Adaptation Following Divorce An Intergenerational Systems Perspective on Divorce Chapter 17 The Single-Parent Household The Single-Parent Household Diversity within Single-Parent Systems Single-Parent Family Systems: Prevalence and Challenges Challenges in Meeting Basic Tasks within Single-Parent Systems Adaptation to Single-Parenthood: Sources of Social Support Chapter 18 Remarriage and Step-Parenting Remarriage and Step-Parenting A Developmental Model for Remarried Family Systems Problematic Family System Dynamics in Remarried Step-Families