Family Developmental Theory

family Developmental Theory evolved in three phases Phase I – Theorists Focused on The Family Life Cycle
 Process of birth, growth, maintenance, shrinkage and death Phase II - contemporary theory – Theorists Focused on Roles and Relationships within the family
 Family is composed of social roles and relationships that change with each stage of the family Phase III – Theorists critique the theory
 Look at the limitations and strengths of the framework.
 One criticism is that the framework is biassed towards intact nuclear families, only one of many different types of family structures

Major Constructs

 Family developmental theory includes two basic concepts
1. the life cycle
 The family life cycle divides the family experiences into stages over the life span and describes changes in family structure and roles during each stage. 2. developmental task.
 Developmental tasks are the growth responsibilities that arise at certain stages in the life of the family.  To be successful, family members need to adapt to changing needs and demands and to attend to tasks that are necessary to ensure family survival.

Definitions  Family life cycle – Set of predictable steps or patterns and developmental tasks families experience over time. o The family life cycle concept facilitates studying the family from beginning to end.  Family stage – A time period in the life of a family that has a unique structure. o For example consider Duvall’s Stages of the Family Life Cycle, Families with preschool children  Transition – The shift from one family stage to another o Consider the Intact Family Life Cycle. The transition, for example, from Families with Adolescence to Launching Children is what occurs in the family as all