Table of Contents

Contents

* About the Author
* Contributors
* Preface
* Acknowledgments
* Introduction
* Unit I: Getting Acquainted with The Family
* Chapter 1. Exploring the Family Structure
* What Is a Family?
* The Family Life Cycles
* Techniques for Focusing on the Family
* Self-Exploration: Discovering Your Family Life Space
* Self-Exploration: Using the Jack
* Unit II: Family Concepts-A Systems Perspective
* Chapter 2. Individuation
* Parents' Socioemotional Investment in Children: Precursors to Successful Individuation and Separation
* Theories of Individuation
* Generational Boundaries, Closeness, and Role Behaviors
* Individuation As a Lifelong Process
* Self-Expoloration: Individuation
* Chapter 3. Separation
* Infancy and Early Childhood
* Middle Childhood and Early Adolescence
* Late Adolescence and Leaving Home
* Divorce and Joint Custody
* Parental Death and a Child's Grief
* Self-Exploration: Separations
* Chapter 4. Cutoffs
* The Concept of Cutting Off
* The Painful Process of Cutting Off
* Reconstructing the Relationship
* Developmental Timing
* When Are Cutoffs Beneficial?
* Self-Exploration: Family Cutoffs
* Chapter 5. Triangles
* Vulnerability and Self-Protection
* The Universal Triangle: Father/Mother/Child
* Dysfunctional Triangles
* Triangles and Family Types
* Recent Research on Triangular Effects
* Self-Exploration: Family Triangles
* Chapter 6. Rituals
* Types of Rituals
* Positive Aspects of the Ritual
* How Family Rituals Evolve and Develop
* Altering Rituals and Establishing New Ones
* Rituals and the Family Life Cycle
* Self-Exploration: Family Rituals
* Chapter 7. Secrets
* Kinds of Family Secrets
* Adaptive versus Maladaptive Secrets
* Self-Exploration: Family Secrets
* Chapter 8. Multigenerational Effects
* Patterns of Multigenerational Transmission
* The Family Legacy
* Family Myths
* Appreciating One's Multigenerational Heritage
* Self-Exploration: Multigenerational Effects
* Chapter 9. Networks and Ecosystems
* Networks and In-Laws
* Networks and Childhood Resiliency
* Zones of Intimacy
* The Importance of Networks
* Networks and Elderly People
* Networks and Black Americans
* Using--and Not Using--Networks
* Self-Exploration: Networking
* Unit III: Family Concepts-Ecological Stressors
* Chapter 10. Family Resiliency and Poverty
* Poverty-Associated Risks
* The Resilience Model
* Multifamily Groups
* Professional Consultation and Training
* Self-Exploration: Family Resiliency and Poverty
* Chapter 11. Chronic Illness in Children: Stressors and Family Coping Strategies
* Prevalence and Nature of Psychological Disorders
* The Bad News About Prevalence
* The Good News About Prevalence
* A Family Systems Framework for Understanding Chronic Illness
* Illness Demands
* Family System Resources and Family System Dynamics
* Clinical Assessment of Family Meanings: The Meaning of Illness Evolves
* A Treatment Model for Medical Family Therapy: Strategies for Chronic Illness
* A Medical Family Therapy Toolbox
* Self-Exploration: Chronic Illness
* Chapter 12. Adoption and Infertility
* Types of Adoption
* Normative Processes and Developmental Issues of Adoptive Families
* Transracial Adoptions
* Conclusion
* Self-Exploration: Are We Ready to Adopt a Child?
* Unit IV: Family Concepts-A Cognitive Perspective
* Chapter 13. Communication Styles
* Individual Communication Styles
* Spousal Communication
* Communicating Intimately
* Parental Communication
* The “Ka” Solution: New Terms for Stepfamilies and the New Times
* Self-Exploration: Family Types
* Self-Exploration: Parenting Style
* Self-Exploration: Intimacy
* Chapter 14. Problem Solving
* Strategies for Reducing Conflict
* Hostility and In

About the Author

Linda Berg Cross