THE FAMILY

1
THE FAMILY AS A SYSTEM

• Parents influence children
• Children influence parents

2
CHANGES IN FAMILY SYSTEMS (in the latter half
of this century)

• More single adults
• Postponement of marriage

3
CHANGES IN FAMILY SYSTEMS (in the latter half
of this century)
American Cohabiting Couples by Presence of
Children (1960 1998)
4
CHANGES IN FAMILY SYSTEMS (in the latter half
of this century)

• More single adults
• Postponement of marriage
• Less childbearing
• More females in labor force

5
CHANGES IN FAMILY SYSTEMS (in the latter half
of this century)

• More single adults
• Postponement of marriage
• Less childbearing
• More females in labor force
• More divorce

6
CHANGES IN FAMILY SYSTEMS (in the latter half
of this century)

• More single adults
• Postponement of marriage
• Less childbearing
• More females in labor force
• More divorce
• More single-parent families

7
THE FAMILY

• The single-parent, post divorce family is a
  common phenomenon of the past two decades now,
  however, the number of children living with
  single parents who never married is almost equal
  to the number living with single parents who are
  divorced. In 1970, just 7 of American children
  in single-parent homes had a never-married
  parent. Source U.S. Census data 1994.

8
THE FAMILY
9
CHANGES IN FAMILY SYSTEMS (in the latter half
of this century)

• More single adults
• Postponement of marriage
• Less childbearing
• More females in labor force
• More divorce
• More single-parent families
• More children in poverty

10
THE FAMILY
11
CHANGES IN FAMILY SYSTEMS (in the latter half
of this century)

• More remarriage

12
THE FAMILY
13
THE FAMILY
14
SIBLING RELATIONSHIPS

• Sibling rivalry
• Siblings
• comfort and secure base
• role models
• teachers
• equal-status playmates
• managers/caretakers

15
THE NON-TRADITIONAL FAMILY

• Adoption
• Gay and Lesbian Families

Sexual orientation of adult children raised by
lesbian mothers, gay fathers, and single-parent
heterosexual mothers. Adapted from Bailey et al.,
1995 Golombok Tasker, 1996.
16
THE NON-TRADITIONAL FAMILY

• Adoption
• Gay and Lesbian Families
• Divorce
• Effects on Children

17
THE NON-TRADITIONAL FAMILY
The Effects of Divorce on Children
18
THE NON-TRADITIONAL FAMILY
Factors Mediating the Effects of Divorce on
Children
19
THE NON-TRADITIONAL FAMILY

• Adoption
• Gay and Lesbian Families
• Divorce
• Remarriage and Blended Families

20
THE NON-TRADITIONAL FAMILY

• Remarriage and Blended Families
• Mother Stepfather families
• Father Stepmother families
• Age and family Constellation
• Handout article on abuse stepfamilies

21
THE NON-TRADITIONAL FAMILY