Family development theory focuses on the systematic and patterned changes experienced by families as they move through their life course. The term family as used here represents a social group containing at least one parent-child relationship. The family group is organized and governed by social norms. The general notion of a family life-cycle has a long history that dates back to 1777 (Mattessich and Hill 1987). A more conscious formulation known as family development theory began after World War II with work on family stress by Reuben Hill (1949) and a later textbook by Evelyn Duvall (1957). The first systematic statement of the approach characterized family development as proceeding through life-cycle stages (family stages) such as early marriage, families with young children, the launching of children out of the home, and the empty nest (Hill and Rodgers 1964). These family stages can be studied on three levels of analysis: the individual-psychological, the interactional-associational, and the societal-institutional.
In the decades following the initial formulation of family development theory, there has been a conscious departure from the life-cycle concept. Roy H. Rodgers (1973) suggests abandoning the family life-cycle concept in favor of a more life-course-oriented concept that he calls the family career. Joan Aldous (1978) argues that the family career contains subcareers, most notably the sibling career, the marital career, and the parental career. These, in turn, are strongly influenced by careers external to the family, such as educational and occupational careers. Paul Mattessich and Reuben Hill (1987) maintain that family development unfolds through invariant, universal stages, a conception that is very similar to the aging process. However, the conception of invariant and universal family stages continues to attract criticism (e.g., White 1991; Bengston and Allen 1993). Aldous (1990) believes that the major difference between the life-course and family development perspectives is that the life-course perspective focuses on the individual, whereas the family developmental approach focuses on the family as a group. She maintains that neither approach can properly be called a scientific theory.
In contrast to Aldous's position, James M. White (1991) proposes that family development is a scientific theory because it offers general propositions and can be formulated as a mathematical model that describes the process of family development. Rodgers and White (1993) suggest that the old perspective of families moving through deterministic, invariant stages invites a stagnant and less-productive understanding of family dynamics. Family development theorists Rodgers and White have revised and simplified some of the following key concepts.
Basic Concepts and Propositions
Position is a term denoting a person's place in the kinship structure that is defined by gender, marriage or blood relations, and generational relations. The basic positions within the family are husband, wife, father, mother, son, daughter, brother, and sister.
Norms are social rules that govern group and individual behavior. For example, the incest taboo is a strong and pervasive social rule forbidding mating between family members.
Role is defined as all the norms attached to one of the kinship positions. For instance, in most societies the role of mother entails the norm of nurturing of the young. However, because the positions are defined structurally, the content of a role (the norms) may change from society to society or ethnic subculture to subculture.
Family stage is defined as the period of time in which the structure and interactions of role relationships are noticeably distinct from other periods. The stage is usually inferred from the events that indicate a change in the membership of the family or the way in which members of the family are spatially and interactionally organized. For example, launching a child does not mean the end of the parental role but a change based on the spatial and interactional organization of the family members.
Transitions from one family stage to another are indicated by the events between stages. Family stages are experienced as on time or off time in terms of the expected timing for these events. For instance, having another child when postadolescent children are leaving home would be "off time."
Family career (family life course) is composed of all the events and periods of time (stages) between events traversed by a family. At the societal level, the stage-graded norms are indicated by the sequence of events followed by most families. For example, a premarital birth is considered out of sequence for most people. Variations in families indicate the strength of the norms within any given birth cohort and historical period.
Deviation by large numbers of families from a career sequence is viewed as a source of social change. Social change comes about because families seek to align their sequencing of stages with the sequencing and timing norms of nonfamily institutions (e.g., education and occupation). For instance, as the time required for education rises, the age at which a person marries rises, and the period of fertility available to a couple is reduced. Cross-institutional norms, such as finishing one's education before marriage, create the need for systemic deviation in family career and, hence, social change.
Basic propositions proposed by Aldous (1978) lead to the definition of the process of family development. Rodgers and White (1993), in defining the process, claim the probability for a family to move to a new stage of family development is dependent on the old stage they were in and how long they had been in that stage. They further suggest that the process can be mathematically modeled as a semi-Markov process (Coleman 1981; Tuma and Hannan 1984). Two examples of propositions derived by Rodgers and White are that "normative demands of any given institution must be in line with the stage of the family, otherwise the family is strained" and "institutional normative adaptation is preceded by systematic behavioral deviance" (1993, p. 244).
Critiques
Debate continues as to the usefulness of concepts such as developmental tasks and the amount of emphasis on structure rather than interaction. Family researchers using family development concepts have produced only modest empirical correlations with dependent variables such as marital satisfaction. Developmental scholars argue that these disappointing results are due to a lack of appropriate measurement of the concepts. Critics respond that this is because the concepts are too vague or ambiguous. In addition, the focus on the modal (center point of all variations) career has been criticized as concealing variations that are due to age cohort, ethnicity, race, and gender.
Research
Despite criticisms, family development theory and its associated concept of family life-cycle stages remains one of the most internationally popular academic approaches to the study of the families. Researchers have applied this theory to such diverse topics as work-family interface (White 1999), family computer uses (Watt and White 1999), blended families (Baxter; Braithewaite; and Nicholson 1999), and sexual orientation (Friedman 1998). This approach has also proved useful to international researchers; examples include the study of German families (Vaskovics 2000), Eastern European families ( Judge 1999), and families of India (Desai 1993).
In addition to the academic research, this theory has been useful to practitioners and therapists in several areas. For example, applications of the theory have been undertaken in the study of stress (e.g., Klein and Aldous 1988), traumatic brain injury (Moore, Stambrook, and Peters 1993), alcoholism (Rotunda; Scherer; and Imm 1995), and schizophrenia (Stromwall and Robinson 1998). The practical applicability of this theory has greatly benefited from the substantial literature on using family development theory as a therapeutic tool to assist in the analysis of on-time careers and events (Carter and McGoldrick 1988; Falicov 1987).
Conclusion
Future improvements of family development theory may bring the possibility of integration between the life-course perspective and family development theory (Aldous 1990; Bengston and Allen 1993). White (2000) suggested that such integration might pave the way for ever-wider scope and application and explanatory power for this popular approach. There is little doubt that international scholars will continue to use the family development approach to assist in descriptive and cross-cultural comparative analysis of family stages and the family life course.
See also:Adulthood; Childhood; Elders; Family Life Education; Family System Theory; Family Theory; Retirement; Stress; Transition to Parenthood
Bibliography
aldous, j. (1978). family careers. new york: john wiley& sons.
aldous, j. (1990). "family development and the lifecourse: two perspectives." journal of marriage and the family 52:571–583.
baxter, l. a.; braithewaite, d. o.; and nicholson, j. h.(1999). "turning points in the development of blended families." journal of social and personal relationships 16:291–313.
bengston, v. l., and allen, k. r. (1993). "the life courseperspective applied to families over time." in sourcebook of family theories and methods: a contextual approach, ed. p. boss; w. doherty; r. larossa; w. schumm; and s. steinmetz. new york: plenum.
carter, e. a., and mcgoldrick, m., eds. (1988). the changing family cycle: a framework for family therapy. 2nd edition. new york: gardner press.
coleman, j. s. (1981). longitudinal data analysis. newyork: basic books.
duvall, e. m. (1957). family development. philadelphia:lippincott.
falicov, c., ed. (1987). family transitions. new york:guilford.
friedman, r. c. (1998). "on sexual orientation and family development." american journal of orthopsychiatry 68:653–653.
hill, r. (1949). families under stress. new york: harper& row.
hill, r., and rodgers, r. h. (1964). "the developmentalapproach." in handbook of marriage and the family, ed. h. t. christensen. chicago: rand mcnally.
judge, s. l. (1999). "eastern european adoptions: currentstatus and implications for intervention." topics in early childhood special education 19:244–252.
klein, d. m., and aldous, j., eds. (1988). social stress andfamily development. new york: guildford.
mattessich, p., and hill, r. (1987). "life cycle and familydevelopment." in handbook of marriage and the family, ed. m. b. sussman and s. k. steinmetz. new york: plenum.
moore a.; stambrook, m.; and peters, l. (1993). "centripetal and centrifugal family-life cycle factors in long-term outcome following traumatic brain injury." brain injury 7:247–255.
rodgers, r. h. (1973). family interaction and transaction: the development approach. englewood cliffs, nj: prentice hall.
rodgers, r. h., and white j. h. (1993). "family development theory." in sourcebook of family theories and methods: a contextual approach, ed. p. boss; w. doherty; r. larossa; w. schumm; and s. steinmetz. new york: plenum.
stromwall, l. k., and robinson, e. a. r. (1998). "when afamily member has a schizophrenic disorder: practice issues across the family life cycle." american journal of orthopsychiatry 68:580–589.
tuma, n. b., and hannan, m. t. (1984). social dynamics.new york: academic press.
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white, j. m. (1999). "work-family stage and satisfaction with work-family balance." journal of comparative family studies 30:163–175.
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james m. white
FAQs
Family development theory focuses on the systematic and patterned changes experienced by families as they move through their life course. The term family as used here represents a social group containing at least one parent-child relationship. The family group is organized and governed by social norms.
What is family development theory quizlet? ›
family development theory proposes that family relationships are not static but rather change over time. the catalysts for change can either be internal (biological growth) or external (through interaction with the environment) transitions.
What are the 7 stages of family development? ›
The developmental phases of a family are referred to as the stages in a family life cycle. They include: unattached adult, newly married adults, childbearing adults, preschool-age children, school-age children, teenage years, launching center, middle-aged adults, and retired adults.
What is the basic assumption of family development theory? ›
Historically, family development theorists assumed that families move through deterministic, invariant numbers, types, and timing of stages over time consistent with ontogenetic stage theories of individual child development (e.g., Piaget's stages of cognitive development).
What is family theory summary? ›
The Family Systems Theory assumes that a family is understood best by examining the family as one whole system. This one system is a complex, deeply-connected changing collection of parts, subsystems and family members, where each member has a known purpose or function.
What is family system theory PDF? ›
Family systems theory places primary focus on exchanges of behavior that take place in a. given moment of interaction between members of the family. The theory maintains that. patterns of interaction between family members call forth, maintain, and perpetuate both.
What is family development theory used for? ›
Family development theory is a framework for studying family functioning and its relations across time.
What are the tasks of family development theory? ›
Socializing, educating and guiding children. Assessing and adjusting parenting roles as children age and more children join the family. Families with school-age children. Providing guidance to children while collaborating with outside resources (e.g., school, extracurricular activities).
What is a weakness of family development theory? ›
With respect to traditional family development theory, a strength involves its focus on how families change over time and how they experience stress during developmental transitions. A weakness is its assumption of universality and the bias toward an individualistic or single generational focus.
What is a major strength of family development theory? ›
The ease of understanding the stages and development tasks and the challenges families have to face.
Most families go through five stages: 1) family founding; 2) child bearing; 3) child rearing; 4) child launching; and 5) empty nest.
What are the five 5 stages of development? ›
The 5 Stages of Child Development are Newborn Development, Infant Development, Toddler Development, Preschooler Development, and School-Age Development.
What is systemic family development theory? ›
The Systemic Family Development Theory asserts that families are (a) complex, (b) extremely diverse related to the types, numbers, and timing of transitions and stressors, and (c) multigenerational systems. It also assumes that. Figure 1. Extended family members of multiple generations celebrating at an event. (
What is an example of a family system theory? ›
Family Systems Theory Examples
The first concept is the triangle. Bowen defines it as a three-person relationship structure that forms a triangle. An example of a triangle relationship in a family includes a parent, child, and sibling. Each individual is linked to the other.
What are the 3 main dimensions of family systems theory? ›
The Circumplex Model focuses on the three central dimensions of marital and family systems: cohesion, flexibility and communication.
Why are family theories important? ›
When understanding the family, the Family Systems Theory has proven to be very powerful. Family Systems Theory claims that the family is understood best by conceptualizing it as a complex, dynamic, and changing collection of parts, subsystems and family members.
What are the characteristics of a family theory? ›
She summarized six key points for family systems theory: 1) family systems are an organized whole, and the elements within it are interdependent; 2) patterns in a family a circular rather than linear; 3) family systems maintain stability in their patterns of interactions (homeostasis); 4) family patterns change over ...
What are the frameworks of family theory? ›
The seven theoretical frameworks are: (1) the social exchange and choice frame work; (2) the symbolic interaction framework; (3) the family life course development frame work; (4) the systems framework; (5) the conflict framework; (6) the feminist framework; and (7) the ecological framework.
Is family systems theory evidence based? ›
Effectiveness. Research suggests that family systems therapy can be an effective treatment for a number of different conditions including substance use disorders, depression, child and adolescent behavior problems, and relationship issues.
What are the strengths of family systems theory? ›
In the end, family systems therapy doesn't just result in improved outcomes for one member of the family. Rather, it provides a space for honesty, empathy, and adjustment that can benefit every member of a family, providing a firm foundation for building and maintaining strong, supportive relationships.
What Are Family Rules. Family rules are boundaries that you put in place to create structure in your family. These rules should be specific in order for them to be most effective. Family rules need to be clearly stated, have consistent consequences when they are not followed, and be age appropriate.
What are the 5 functions of a family theory? ›
The basic functions of the family are to: (1) regulate sexual access and activity; (2) provide an orderly context for procreation; (3) nurture and socialize children; (4) ensure economic stability; and (5) ascribe social status.
What is an example of the family development perspective? ›
Example: retirement might encourage the individual to spend their time different, the retired couple may start a new chapter of life together, their expectations may change of the family group including adult children, at the institutional level norms will change and their behavior may change of retirees.
Are there five 5 stages in developmental task theory? ›
Havighurst's developmental task model includes six stages of life: infancy and early childhood from birth to age 5, middle childhood between ages 6 and 12, adolescence between ages 13 and 18, early adulthood between ages 19 and 30, middle adulthood from age 30 to age 60, and later maturity, which is after age 60.
Why is family development theory often criticized? ›
Critiques of the family developmental approach include current limitations associated with its empirical utility, as well as questions that have been raised about its generalizability to families with adolescents living both in contem- porary Western society and in other cultures.
What is the problem of family development? ›
There are four major issues in the development of a family: mate selection, spousal relationships, parenting, and change.
What is the criticism of family theory? ›
Critics argue that the utilization of family systems theory in this area can lead to the perception of a shared responsibility for violence between the victim and perpetrator and less accountability by the perpetrator for his or her actions (e.g. Whitchurch and Constantine 1993; Finkelhor 1984).
What is the best theory of development and why? ›
Freud's Psychosexual Developmental Theory
Freud proposed one of the best-known grand theories of child development. According to Freud's psychosexual theory, child development occurs in a series of stages focused on different pleasure areas of the body.
What are 3 factors that have shaped the development of family structures? ›
Factors like gender, age, race, and ethnicity are just some of the factors that influence the relationships, structures, and practices within each family. Shifting demographics also tend to affect family culture and sociologists seek to understand why and how.
What are 3 characteristics of strong families? ›
Six traits of strong families
- Strong families express appreciation and affection. ...
- Strong families have a strong commitment to each other. ...
- Strong families spend enjoyable time together. ...
- Strong families manage stress and crisis effectively. ...
- Strong families have a sense of spiritual well-being.
Stepfamily members encounter many positive experiences, but they are also faced with many challenges. These challenges include relationships between family members, unrealistic expectations, and cultural myths. Stepparent role Stepfamilies often have a difficult time defining the role of the stepparent.
What are the 6 stages of family development? ›
PIP: The 6 stages of the family life cycle are identified as: 1) family formation (marriage to first birth), 2) family expansion (first birth to last childbirth), 3) completion of expansion (child raising to departure of first child from home), 4) family contraction (through departure of last child from home), 5) ...
How step parents affect child development? ›
I find that living in stepfamily households, children are more likely to have anxiety issues, depression, behavioral issues, difficulty making and keeping friends, and repeated a grade in school relative to children who live with both biological parents.
What are the 5 principles of development? ›
Principles of Development
- 1. Development proceeds from the head downward. ...
- 2. Development proceeds from the center of the body outward. ...
- 3. Development depends on maturation and learning. ...
- 4. Development proceeds from the simple (concrete) to the more complex. ...
- Growth and development is a continuous process.
The Five Areas of Development is a holistic approach to learning for Cerebral, Emotional, Physical, Social and Spiritual development. The pace at which the world is changing and will change is unprecedented. During the Pandemic, we saw how quickly established norms of life disappeared.
What are the 5 domains of development? ›
A child's starting point at birth can be positively moulded and shaped by the quality of the environment through the five domains – physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and language.
What is Bowenian family theory? ›
Bowen developed the theory that family behavioral patterns persist through multiple generations through his work, allowing children to learn problematic behaviors from earlier generations and have similar conflicts within their own families.
What are the theories of family and child development? ›
They are (1) maturationist, (2) constructivist, (3) behaviorist, (4) psychoanalytic, and (5) ecological. Each theory offers interpretations on the meaning of the children's development and behavior. Although the theories are clustered collectively into schools of thought, they differ within each school.
What is the Stevenson family development model? ›
STEVENSON'S FAMILY DEVELOPMENT MODEL •basic tasks and responsibilities of families into four stages: • maintaining a common household, • rearing children, • and finding satisfying work and leisure •Tasks also extended to include •sustaining appropriate health patterns •providing mutual support •acculturation of family ...
What is the conclusion of the family system theory? ›
Conclusion. Overall, family systems theory understands human behavior through a complex web of emotional processes in one's family, work, and social systems. It describes how the emotional interdependence among family/society members impacts individuals' character and life choices.
The basic idea behind Systems Theory is, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” An easy example of this is baking a cake. If you were to lay out all of the ingredients of a cake, you would not have a cake. Instead, you would have the ingredients of cake.
What is the development of family systems theory? ›
Family systems theory also arose in the late 1950s (a time ripe for theoretical innovations in psychology) and staked its unique claim by proposing that psychopathology does not reside in the individual, but rather in a disturbed system of family relations.
What is Duvall's family development theory? ›
Duvall's theory is based on the traditional, nuclear, intact family. Families will move through each stage in order across time. A family will move from one stage to the next after all members successfully master the tasks within a stage.
What is Lev Vygotsky theory on family? ›
Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934)
His sociocultural theory declares that social interaction within the family and with knowledgeable members of the community is the primary means by which children acquire behaviours and cognitive processes relevant to their own society.
What are the three concepts of family systems theory? ›
The eight principles of family system theory are: triangles, differentiation of self, nuclear family emotional process, family projection process, multigenerational transmission process, emotional cutoff, sibling position, and societal emotional process.
What are the goals of family systems theory? ›
Its goal is to increase family functioning through adaptive development and positive change. This kind of approach is complex because it involves many interrelated concepts and applications. It implies that behavior is both caused by and inseparable from the functioning of the family.
What was Jerome Bruner theory? ›
He proposed a 3-tiered system of internal representations: enactive (action-based), iconic (image-based), and symbolic (language-based). Bruner also postulated that internal representations could be combined to produce different types of thought.
What are the main family theories? ›
In this chapter we will briefly discuss six such theories: Family Systems, Family Developmental, Life Course, Social Exchange, Ecological, and Feminist. When understanding the family, the Family Systems Theory has proven to be very powerful.
What is the theory of Piaget? ›
Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory
Piaget argued that children's cognitive development occurs in stages (Papalia & Feldman, 2011). Specifically, he posited that as children's thinking develops from one stage to the next, their behavior also changes, reflecting these cognitive developments.
What are the four models of family influence? ›
In this article, I distinguish between 4 models for thinking about how to balance the interests of parents, families, and a sick child: (1) the oxygen mask model; (2) the wide interests model; (3) the family interests model; and (4) the direct model.
A family dynamic is the scheme of family members' relations and interactions including many prerequisite elements (family arrangements, hierarchies, rules, and patterns of family interactions). Each family is unique in its characteristics; having several helpful and unhelpful dynamics.
