Family Structural Theory with Second Marriage
Using the family structural theory developed by Salvador Minuchin over fifty years ago, he believed that a person’s behaviors are a function of our relations with others. “Matrix of identity” is how we develop ourselves into who we are, as we interact with others (spouse, parents, kids, and extended family members). Family structure refers to family composition, including roles and relationships, how they develop overtime as they accommodate each other. Minuchin’s Family structural theory was created with subsystems that changed all the time as they were adapting to external (job, school, and relocation) and internal (divorce, domestic violence, illness) influences.
Characteristics of Family System: * External and Internal family boundaries * Rules with in the family * Family role organization * Distribution of power among the family members * How they communicate
“Divorce and remarriage involve a complex transition that requires the disintegration of one family structure and organization of another “(Afifi & Keith, 2004; Clark 2007) pg181. When creating or merging families into a second marriage, new unions need to be formed and a set of integrated values and beliefs need to occur. Depending upon the developmental levels of the children, there temperaments, and the quality of their environmental support, are all factors in how the family’s responses will be. When merging two separate families, obviously there will be external stressors (removed parents) and, internal stressors (step-parents, new living situation). There needs to be a good support system to help the children through the changes (especially if there was domestic violence, or infidelity in original marriage), and boundaries that all adults must abide by. The adult’s first need to set rules and guidelines that they want and agree upon regarding the family and what is expected of all members in the family. They need to follow the rules, and be a bit flexible, but support
Characteristics of Family System: * External and Internal family boundaries * Rules with in the family * Family role organization * Distribution of power among the family members * How they communicate
“Divorce and remarriage involve a complex transition that requires the disintegration of one family structure and organization of another “(Afifi & Keith, 2004; Clark 2007) pg181. When creating or merging families into a second marriage, new unions need to be formed and a set of integrated values and beliefs need to occur. Depending upon the developmental levels of the children, there temperaments, and the quality of their environmental support, are all factors in how the family’s responses will be. When merging two separate families, obviously there will be external stressors (removed parents) and, internal stressors (step-parents, new living situation). There needs to be a good support system to help the children through the changes (especially if there was domestic violence, or infidelity in original marriage), and boundaries that all adults must abide by. The adult’s first need to set rules and guidelines that they want and agree upon regarding the family and what is expected of all members in the family. They need to follow the rules, and be a bit flexible, but support
References: T.D. Afifi, S. Keith: A risk and resiliency model of ambiguous loss in post-divorce stepfamilies. Journal of Family Communication. 4(2), 2004, 65–98. K.L. Borell: Family and household. Family research and multi-household families. International Review of Sociology. 13(3), 2003, 467–480. About structural family therapy. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.minuchincenter.org