FCS 441 Ch. 13-16 (TEST 4)
Joint custody
"One child, two homes" refers to which type of family?
Domestic Violence
"The home is actually a more dangerous place for American women than the city streets" -Dr. Antonia Novello
Divorce in Middle Age Years
--Rise in divorce rate among long term marriages -Causes of divorce for women Spousal abuse Alcohol or drug abuse Cheating -Causes of divorce for men Fell out of love Cheating Different values, lifestyles
Alzheimer's
-10% of people over 65, 50% of people over 85 have Alzheimer's -Caring for someone with this disease can be overwhelming physically, emotionally, and financially -Care often happens at home by family members
Hetherington and Kelly
-30 year longitudinal sample of 1,400 who experienced divorce -Six styles of adjusting to divorce 1. Enhanced (20%) 2. Competent Loners (10%) 3. Good Enoughs (40%) 4. Seekers (13%) 5. Libertines (6%) 6. Defeateds (11%)
Treatment Options
-Alcoholics Anonymous -Detoxification -Residential Treatment -Family/Couples Treatment -Individual Counseling
Universal Principles
-All couples and families experience stress -Stressors begin or end in the family -Resources must be found to cope -All couples and families have internal strengths -Internal resources tend to be used before external resources
Causes of Divorce
-Amato & Previtti, 2003 Infidelity Incompatibility Alcohol and Drug Use Growing Apart -Whisman, Dixon & Johnson, 1997 Poor Communication Power Struggles Unrealistic Expectations Sexual Relationship Problems Decision Making
Family Life in the Middle Years
-Approaches to Defining Middle Years Time between 35-65 Shift from years lived to years left to live Time after last child left home to retirement -Baby Boomers Most Baby Boomers are into their 60s now In the next 25 years, 1 in 5 Americans will be 65 years or older
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
-Can result from combat or other traumatic events -Estimated that 10% of soldiers may have PTSD -Domestic violence 5.4 times greater than those without disorder
Sandwich Generation
-Caretaking of children + caretaking of aging parents -Daughters more likely to engage in caretaking role -Time of challenge and potential growth
Sexuality in Middle Age: "Male Menopause"
-Change in hormone production -Experience of orgasm changes
Child Maltreatment
-Child Abuse Physical or mental injury, sexual abuse, or negligent treatment of children under age 18 -Crosses all social, economic, and ethnic classes -Seven times more likely among low- income families
Family Coping Strategies
-Cognitive -Emotional -Relationship oriented -Community -Spiritual -Individual Development
Stepfamilies
-Complex stepfamilies: Both spouses bring children from prior marriages -Simple stepfamilies: Only one spouse brings children from a previous marriage
Family's Reaction to Alcohol Abuse
-Deny the problem -Attempts to eliminate the problem -Family disorganization -The family makes a first attempt at reorganization -The family attempts to escape the problem -The family makes a second attempt at reorganization -The family reorganizes with the substance abuser seeking help
Losing a Spouse
-Difficult transition...devastating for some -Women more likely to lose spouse -Grieving process: Lasts up to 2 years Still feel intimate connection to deceased spouse
Community Divorce
-Divorce shocks beyond nuclear family -Involves changing social relationships -Potential loss of relatives and social network
Warning Signs
-Drinking alone or secretively -Using alcohol as method of coping -Feeling discomfort when alcohol not available -Alcohol use in risky situations -Drunk regularly or more frequently -Drinking in the morning or at unusual times -Escalating alcohol consumption pattern
Risk Factors for Child Abuse
-Economic distress -Inadequate parenting skills -Parental personality problems -Chemical abuse -Social isolation -Special needs child -Large family size -Domestic violence exposure -Violent subculture -Violent marriage -Single parent -Stepparent Greater the number of risk factors—greater the likelihood of abuse
The Family Nest...
-Empty nest Feelings of malaise, emptiness, lack of purpose when children leave home -Spacious nest Term which noting the potential positive aspects of the time -Boomerang kids Adult children who return home after being on their own -Cluttered nest Adult children who return home to live while establishing themselves professionally or financially
Sexuality in Middle Age: Female Menopause
-End of monthly menstrual periods: Time of silent distress for some For others, a time of transition -Hormonal changes leads to other physiological changes
Strengthening Marriage in Middle Years
-Establish marriage a priority early -Be alert to warning signs of problems -Strive for equality -Grow as individuals and as a couple -Develop social network -Evaluation and enrichment of marriage -Avoid boredom or frustration at work -Lifestyle change over partner change -Attend to happiness of spouse
Strengths of Single-Parent Families
-Family members show appreciation and affection for each other -Commitment to family -Positive communication skills -Spend enjoyable time together as a family -Spiritual well-being -Ability to manage crises and stress effectively
Factors Contributing to Domestic Violence
-Family of origin -Low self esteem -Youth -Economic stress -Isolation -Culture -Animal abuse -Alcohol -Male dominance -Financial dependency
Strong Families...
-Find the positive -Pull together -Communicate clearly -Keep things in perspective -Adopt new roles in flexible manner -Look at big picture -Find meaning and purpose -Address challenges head on
Grandparenthood
-For adults 65 years or older, grandchildren commonly found (75%) -Highly valued relationship -Grandparent role has several dimensions -Many grandparents taking on parenting role with grandchildren
Challenges of Middle Years
-For men: Thriving at work while staying connected with family Routinization -For women: Balancing work and family Moving from career at home to career in work world
Potential Benefits of Stepfamily to Children
-Gain Multiple Role Models -Exposure to New Ideas and Values -Stepparents May Act as Sounding Board to Children's Concerns -May Gain Additional Siblings -May Gain Additional Extended Kin -Network -Economic Situation May Improve -May Gain Parents Who are Happily Married
Stress and Life Events
-Holmes and Rahe Social Readjustment Rating Scale -Scale of life events that require change of behavior or readjustment: Personal events Family events Financial events or issues Occupational stressors -Relationship between life events and physical and emotional health
Family Life in Later Years
-Increasing "aged" society: Average life span for women—79.8 years Average life span for men—74.4 years -Married older men report: Greater happiness than younger men Greater emotional regulation than younger men Greater ability to maximize the positive
Psychological Divorce
-Involves redefining the self -No longer a part of a couple -Many go through a mourning process -May involve questioning the direction desired in relationships
Economic Divorce
-Involves the settlement of property Assets Liabilities -Downward economic impact for both Feminization of Poverty
Boundary Ambiguity
-Lack of clarity about whether a person is in or out of the family -High ambiguity associated with increased stress -Forms: Psychological presence but physical absence Physical presence, but psychological absence
Seeking Family Assistance
-Marriage and Family Therapists -American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) www.aamft.org
Trends
-Marriage remains popular Yet approximately 50% end in divorce 60% of second marriages end in divorce -Marriage longevity Average length of marriages that end is 7 years By 5 years 19% divorce, by 10 years, 14% percent more are divorced, and by 15 years another 7% are divorced
Long-Term Marriages
-Marriages that have lasted 50+ years -Three categories of couples -Blissfully in love and happy Approximately 20% of total -Very unhappy, but continue marriage out of habit or fear Approximately 20% of total -In between couples
Marital Violence Marital Violence Correlates
-More common among young couples -Low occupational status -Income and job dissatisfaction -Socially isolated couples -Family of origin violence -Larger families
Retirement
-Most adults adjust well -Difficulties associated with: History of difficulties with transitions Shyness or loneliness Limited instrumental or communal abilities -Positive adjustment associated with: Good health Economic security Supportive social network
Custody Experiences
-Mother Custody Financial stress Loneliness in parenting Parenting freedom Potential of quality co-parenting with father -Father Custody Limited finances Work-family conflict Potential of greater closeness to children
Marital Violence National Survey of Spouse Abuse
-National Sample of 20,951 married couples -Four groups: 1. Nonabusive (61%) 2. Wife abusive only (8%) 3. Husband abusive(17%) 4. Volatile—both abusive (13%) -Nonabusive couples had stronger marriages: Lower levels of alcohol use and abuse Less family of origin abuse Higher levels of positive communication Higher levels of cohesion and flexibility
Adjustment Factors Following Divorce
-Non-initiators have greater difficulties -Those with young children have greater difficulties or challenges -Those with physical custody have greater difficulties or challenges -Those lacking support network experience higher stress
Differences with Stepfamilies
-Nuclear Members present Parents present Marriage may predate children Roles clearly defined Bonding to parents and family -Stepfamily Relationship loss One biological parent lives elsewhere Children predate marriage Roles ambiguous Bond often greater to one parent
Legal Divorce
-Officially end the marriage and gives former partners right to remarry -Approaches: Attorney - Adversarial Divorce Mediation
Myths of Old Age
-Over the hill at 65 -Prevalence of poverty -No sex drive nor activity -Sickness dominates life -Senility inevitable -Nursing home inevitable -Loneliness prevails -Isolation from family -Such Myths often Foster Ageism, a Form of Prejudice
Physical and Psychological Abuse
-Physical abuse almost always accompanied by psychological abuse -Psychological abuse can occur without physical abuse: Damaging by itself Predictor of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder -Abuse as a process: Start with psychological—progressing to include physical
Process of Aging
-Psychological Phenomenon Mental attitude toward the past Outlook for the future -Biological Reality Genetic influence -Social Phenomenon Influence of social standing and status -Family Process Occurs in context of relationships
Emotional Divorce
-Questioning the relationship -Withdraw emotionally -Loss of mutual respect, trust, and affection -Anger and pain -Actual steps to divorce reviewed; as one may not want divorce yet
Recommendations to Those Dealing with an Alcoholic
-Recognize alcoholism is a disease -Learn about alcoholism -Do not become an enabler -Avoid home treatments -Get help for self
Adult Reactions to Divorce
-Rediscovering feelings of self worth -Sense of failure about the marriage -Concern for future intimacy -Depression and alienation -Changes in lifestyle
Types of Custody Decisions
-Sole Custody: One parent has complete responsibility -Split Custody: One parent has sole custody of 1 child; the other parent sole custody of the other child(ren) -Joint Custody: Two aspects: Physical care of child Legal decisions about child Better outcomes for children: When parents can co-parent effectively Seen as standard by many courts
Stress and Family Life
-Stress can emerge as a result of common life and family events e.g. having a child -Stress can occur as a result of unexpected events e.g. death of a child -Stress can occur when common life events happen at unexpected time e.g. teenage daughter having a child
Nature of Stress
-Stressors—external events that cause an emotional or physical reaction -Stress—body's reaction to demand -Curvilinear—nature of stress in which too much, too little stress is problematic -Distress—unhealthy feelings or reaction to event -Eustress—positive response to event
Prevalence
-Third leading cause of preventable death -More than half of American adults exposed to alcoholism -More common in men than women -Linked with family violence -Linked with sexual assaults
Traditional vs. No Fault Divorce
-Traditional Gender division of responsibilities Fault Based Adversarial Proceedings Settlement linked to fault -No Fault Divorce Redefinition of responsibilities Elimination of Fault Based Grounds Amicable Proceedings Equity, Equality, and Need Based
Common Events Across Stages of the Life Cycle that Produce Stress
-Uncompleted tasks -Emotional difficulties in family life -Unstable economic situation -Economic investments -Medical and/or dental expenses -Money for basics -Change in jobs or career
Categorizing Old Age
-Young old Between 55 and 65 Peak of social and vocational status -Middle old Between 65 and 75 Retired Good health Leisure time commonly present -Old-Old Over age 75 Frailest, loneliest, and poorest -Frail-Old Found across groups Signifies variation in how individuals age
male menopause.
A decrease in androgen levels leads to:
Problems sharing leadership equally.
A national survey of married couples identified which of the following to be the number one issue facing couples?
Al-Anon
A support group for partners of alcoholics is:
have greater levels of alcohol use.
According to a national survey, compared to non-abusive couples, abusive couples:
Children's Adjustment As Adults
Amato and Booth Longitudinal Study: -Parent's marital quality related to adult children's relationship quality -Low conflict marriages ending in divorce had negative impact on adult children's relationships -High conflict marriages ending in divorce had positive impact on adult children -Adult children of divorce had higher cohabitation rates
single-parent family.
Another term for binuclear family is:
25%
Approximately what is the percentage of therapy clients who got divorced within two years of therapy?
New-life stage
At which stage of grief does a widow or widower develop a sense of identity apart from his or her dead partner?
true
Building strong marriages begins with being proactive about your relationship skills.
True
By age 50, a man may require up to 24 hours between an orgasm and his next erection.
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 16
sandwich generation
Caring for their own children and their parents has caused people in their middle years to be called the:
true
Catharsis theory argues that venting anger verbally can prevent physical violence.
true
Children in stepfamilies experience multiple stressors and challenges.
Coparental Divorce
Co-parenting Plan Established Considering: -Custody -Visitation Schedule -Financial Responsibilities -Legal Responsibilities
Common Couple Challenges
Conflict resolution Couple flexibility Personality issues Communication Leisure activities Parenting
true
Couple and family therapy is most helpful when it is begun before problems become severe and chronic.
false
Couple enrichment programs last 3-4 weeks.
True
Couples with smaller families tend to have happier marriages.
true
Custodial fathers have feelings very similar to those of custodial mothers.
Problems Confronting Families
Divorce Rate Intimate Partner Violence Child Abuse and Neglect Sibling abuse Elderly abuse Alcoholism
true
Divorce rates have increased for military personal, with military women divorcing more than military men.
Human Betterment...One Goal
Economic Adequacy Justice Freedom Peacefulness
Premarital Programs
Effective programs have: -Premarital inventory -Skill-building component -Small group discussion format
Bohannon's Six Stations of Divorce
Emotional Legal Economic Co-parental Community Psychological } May Overlap Varying Sequences Varying Intensity
Keys to Family Resiliency
Family Communication Processes: -Clarity -Open emotional expression -Collaborative Problem Solving
true
Family members often have different perceptions of the issues, events, and dynamics in the family.
true
Family programs can be useful if only one person from the family attends them.
False
Few parents enjoy having an "empty nest."
When there is a disagreement over flexibility.
For which problem might a couple therapist recommend that the couple try reversing roles at home?
false
Generally, after divorce, children do not want to have contact with their father.
true
Half of first marriages end in divorce.
true
Having a 5-10 minute discussion daily about what is happening with each family member helps to build a strong family.
Common Consequences of Divorce
Health problems Loneliness Social adjustments Sexual adjustments
True
Health symptoms associated with old age are more likely to be the result of disease than of the normal aging process.
Children's Adjustment
Hetherington and Kelly Longitudinal Study: -Large sample of 2,500 children -75-80% doing well after six years -First year most difficult Boys rebel against mothers Girls greater stress; some sexual issues -20% had emotional problems
marriage and couple education classes.
High school students would most likely be found in:
-By developing good communication skills. -By developing family rituals. -By meeting challenges head on.
How do the authors suggest we build an intentional family?
true
If research focuses on problems in families, it will find only family problems and not family strengths.
Boomerang nest
In an effort to save money to move into their own apartments or homes, some adult children return home to live for a while. Which term refers to this type of situation?
Negative attitude
In regards to resources that single parent families rely on, which of the following is NOT a resource?
true
Marital violence is twice as likely among couples under 30 years of age than those over 30.
stability
Middle age often brings an increase in:
True
Most sibling relationships remain strong and positive and are important to well being in older adults.
Forms of Maltreatment
Neglect (Most common) Physical abuse Emotional abuse Sibling abuse Sexual abuse Child-to-parent abuse
California
No-fault divorce law was first instituted in which state in the United States?
false
No-fault divorce laws contributed to the leveling off of divorce rates.
True
Older Americans engage in dramatically less sexual activity than younger Americans.
False
Older Americans that are romantically involved but keep separate households are considered living together apart.
40%
Over _____% of all children in the U.S. will live in a single parent home at some point in their lives.
false
Professional help should be sought if parents are still grieving two years after the death of a child.
is almost always present when there is physical abuse.
Psychological abuse:
true
Reported child abuse has decreased since 1993.
false
Research findings on stepfamilies are generally negative.
true
Roughly 70% of divorced couples feel they are doing as well or better than before the divorce.
PREPARE Premarital Program
Six Goals 1. Explore relationship strengths and growth areas 2. Develop or enhance communication and assertiveness skills 3. Develop or enhance conflict resolution skills 4. Explore family of origin influences 5. Develop financial management skills 6. Develop personal, family, and couple goals
true
Stress is related to health; the strongest relationship is between work stress and cardiovascular disease.
false
Stress tends to cause families that are in balanced positions on the Family and Couple Map to become permanently unbalanced systems.
Susan thinking, "Mom has cared for us in the past, and now we have an opportunity to care for her."
Susan's elderly parent recently suffered a heart attack and needs additional care. In this situation, an example of reframing would be:
true
The ABC-X Family Stress Model includes an "angle of recovery" after a period of disorganization.
7
The average length of first marriages that end in divorce is about _____ years.
false
The divorce rate decreased after WWII and the Vietnam War.
increased and is leveling off.
The divorce rate:
false
The family strengths emphasized in the textbook are specific to White Americans.
false
The family strengths perspective supports the belief that the basic foundation of successful families is remarkably different from culture to culture.
True
The grand parenting role is generally pleasurable.
False
The middle years are more stressful than other periods in the life cycle, and this creates midlife crises.
Alzheimer's
The most common form of dementia is:
false
The number of single-parent families has decreased since 1970.
they expect difficulty with complex stepfamily issues.
The number one stumbling block in remarriage is:
biological social psychological
The phenomenon of aging is:
true
The three levels of stress are psychological, physiological, and sociocultural.
physical, emotional, or verbal abuse.
The top cause of divorce for women in their middle age is:
spouse
The top stressor for married couples is:
good enough's.
The vast majority of divorcees take an adjustment style that treats divorce like a speed bump that doesn't negatively impact their lives. They are considered:
true
There is evidence that a good premarital program can reduce a couple's chances for divorce.
false
Trying to reduce stress by reducing or managing our own stress is taking a problem-focused approach.
true
Typically, divorced women and their children experience a dramatic decrease in their standard of living.
Children's Adjustment
Wallerstein's Longitudinal Study: -Small clinical sample -Long term impact -After 5 years 1/3 of children showed signs of depression -After 10 years, underachieving adults and some emotional issues -After 15 years, adult children were having relational difficulties
Divorce Changes with Societal Events
War Recession Divorce law changes Women entering workforce Contraception options
Split custody
What is the rarest parenting option after divorce?
25-35%
What percent of parents who suffered child abuse go on to abuse their own children?
PTSD.
When soldiers are sent off to war, a common mental health issue is:
redeployment
When soldiers are sent off to war, families undergo emotional cycles in five stages. The stage just before the soldier returns is known as:
death of spouse
Which of the following has the highest stress points on the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale? A) Divorce B) Fired at work/lost job C) Death of a spouse D) Pregnancy
An effective educational delivery system.
Which of the following is NOT a cultural strength? A) A viable economy. B) A stable political process. C) Shared cultural meanings. D) An effective educational delivery system.
High self-esteem
Which of the following is NOT a factor that contributes to domestic violence? A) High self esteem B) Age C) Economic stress D) Alcohol
All of these
Which of the following is a myth about old age? A) Most old people lose their sex drive. B) Most old people are poor. C) Most old people are lonely
We each create the future in our own family.
Which of the following is the textbook's take on the future of families? A) The family will be unimportant in the future. B) The family is disappearing and needs to be protected by the government. C) We each create the future in our own family. D) We do not have to work on strengthening families.
Couple therapy
Which of these family services would best serve a couple with chronic problems? A) Informal networks B) Self-help groups C) Couple therapy D) Couple education course
False
Women experience a decline in hormone production in their middle years and older age, but men do not.
African American
_____ children are more likely to be raised by their grandparents than children of other cultural groups.
Kenneth Boulding believes that four great virtues make up the ultimate good. These four virtues are:
economic adequacy; justice; freedom; peacefulness.
Couple therapy and family therapy are recommended when:
relationship problems are intense.
