Family Issues: Marital Conflict, Divorce, Abuse, Neglect

1. Family Issues:Marital Conflict, Divorce, Abuse, Neglect

2. Family Systems Model • Primary Assumptions • Reciprocal: individuals shape their environment as well as are shaped by their environments • Dynamic: constant interactions among individual and their environments • Hierarchical structure: defined by boundaries and subsystems

3. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model Exosystem Macrosystem Microsystem Mesosystem

4. Microsystem: actual settings in which the individual experiences day to day reality Mesosystem: relationships between microsystems Exosystem: situations that have a bearing on child’s development but in which the child does not actually play a direct role Macrosystem: institutional patterns and shared assumptions of a particular culture Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model

5. Marital Conflict: Types and Child Outcomes • Physical (Domestic Violence) • Most linked with externalizing problems in children • Traumatic symptoms • Verbal Aggression • Both externalizing and internalizing problems • Withdrawal (Stonewalling) • Most linked with depression, anxiety, and social withdrawal in children • Mutually respectful, emotionally regulated conflict resolution • Well-adjusted children with social problem solving skills

6. Other Outcomes • Childhood • Lower academic achievement • Poorer self-concept • Poorer social competence • Adulthood • Lower SES • Poorer self-concept • Increased marital problems • Greater likelihood of divorce

7. Direct Repeated exposure to conflict undermines children’s capacity for regulating their emotional and behavioral functioning Indirect Spillover hypothesis: Impact on parenting leading to changes in emotional availability (rejection, hostility) and control (lax monitoring, inconsistent or harsh discipline) Direct and Indirect Effects

8. Divorce: A Bad Thing? • Reading: Peris, Emery 2004 • Prospective study of adolescents in intact vs disrupted homes • Discussion

9. Divorce • Children’s post-divorce adjustment affected by • Magnitude and nature of divorce stressors • Examples? • Interpersonal and intrapersonal resources • Interaction between divorce stressors and resources

10. Divorce Models • Crisis • Acute stress with transition • Gradual adjustment • Protective factors/Stress buffers • Adults: education, employment, social support • Children: active coping skills, social support, access to therapeutic intervention • Parent-child • Maternal Acceptance • Consistency of Discipline

11. Divorce Models • Chronic Strain • Persistent long-term problems • Risk factors • Disruptions in parent-child relationships • Inept/neglectful parenting • Continuing discord among spouses • Loss of emotional support • Economic hardship • Negative life events (moving, changing schools)

12. Coping with Divorce • Components of Effective Treatments • Improve mother-child relationship quality • Praise, • Reflective listening • Positive activity scheduling • Improve effective discipline • Structure and consistency • Logical consequences • Decrease physical punishment • Co-parenting: Increase father’s access to child • Reduce interparental conflict

13. Co-parenting • People who separate but continue to work cooperatively as parents • Respectful (no criticism) • Resolve conflicts privately • Discuss major issues together and arrive at mutual understanding before speaking with children • Don’t make child “confidant” • Don’t make child “messenger”

14. Co-parenting • Points to consider • Be clear that divorce is final and NOT child’s fault • Remember to problem-solve • Education • Visitation schedule • Finances • Medical needs • Discipline • Holidays/special events • Not recommended for all families

15. Coping with Divorce • Components of Effective Treatments • Coping skills training • Emotion labeling and expression • Positive cognitive reframing to reduce negative thoughts about divorce stressors • Effective communication “I” messages • Interpersonal problem solving • Identify ways to find social support

16. Child Abuse and Neglect

17. Florida Statute - Chapter 415: Definitions • Sexual Abuse • Any penetration, no matter how slight by penis or any object • Any sexual contact of any genital area by person’s genitals, mouth, tongue, hand, etc. • Intentional masturbation • Sexual exploitation (engaging in sexual acts or prostitution)

18. Florida Statute - Chapter 415: Definitions • Mental Injury/Emotional Abuse • Injury in intellectual or psychological capacity as evidenced by a discernable and substantial impairment in person’s ability to function within the normal range of performance • Physical Harm • Acts including punching, beating, kicking, biting, burning, and shaking

19. Correlates of Child Abuse • Parents have little exposure to positive parental models and support • Greater degree of stress in family environment • Information processing disturbances may cause parents to misperceive child’s behavior or intent • Lack of awareness of developmentally appropriate expectations • Conflict and marital violence

20. Emotional Anxiety and depression Low self esteem Increased anger/conflict Guilt and Shame Social Withdrawn Inappropriate sexual behavior Vulnerability for re-victimization Behavioral Runaway behavior Self destructive behavior Substance abuse Physical Medical problems Somatic complaints Injuries Sequelae of Child Abuse

21. Mediating Factors of Child Abuse • Age of child • younger children are more vulnerable and have not developed good coping skills, however, older children are more aware of social stigma associated with abuse • Psychological condition of victim • child with prior emotional problems or an unstable home environment may experience more pronounced problems • Not being believed or supported • especially from others they trust

22. Mediating Factors of Child Abuse • Stranger vs. Known person • more damaging effects if assaulted by a trusted person • Sexual knowledge or experience • child with no prior sexual experience may be more vulnerable • Type of assault • amount of bodily harm or penetration; • does child belief body has been damaged? • Repeated assaults • more harm of repeatedly being abused

23. Mediating Factors of Child Abuse • Therapy • more likely to recover if they have individual therapy and when they are ready, support group

24. Child Neglect • Physical: inadequate attention to clothing, food, and health care needs • Emotional: inadequate attention to child’s emotional and developmental needs • Educational: failure to enroll a child in school in violation of state law, permitting chronic truancy, or refusing to allow needed attention to a diagnosed educational problem

25. Correlates of Child Neglect • Poverty – *most significant • Unemployment • Housing instability • Single parenthood • High risk neighborhoods • Household crowding

26. Correlates of Child Neglect • Family interaction style and stability • Lack of affect/apathetic • Impulsive parents with poor planning and organization • Lack of knowledge about childrearing • Social isolation • Conflict • Infrequent and critical parent-child interaction • Children with medical or developmental problems

27. Emotional Insecure attachment Low self esteem Increased anger/conflict Social Passive Withdrawn Aggressive with peers Cognitive Impaired development due to lack of stimulation Poor academic success Physical Medical problems Malnutrition Sequelae of Child Neglect

28. Resiliency and Adaptation • Positive relationship with at least one important and consistent person who provides support and protection • Positive self-esteem and sense of self

29. Prevention and Treatment • Early prevention is key! • However, difficult if parents cannot acknowledge maltreatment • Parent and family focused interventions • Training in child rearing • Stress management • Address anger patterns/distorted beliefs • Address parenting expectations • Household management skills

30. Prevention and Treatment • Interventions for Children • Address child’s need for safety • Emphasize emotional expression • Address cognitive distortions regarding “world as a scary place” • Stay tuned…PTSD lecture

31. Other Family Issues • Siblings • Stepfamilies • Single Parent Families • Maternal Employment • Gay/Lesbian Parents • Adoption