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Concept Paragraph
The goal of this assignment is to take a well-thought-out stand on how families grow and
change. Throughout history, the way families work has changed, as have social norms. This is
thought to have affected how families have grown. People used to think that a family was just a
man, a woman, and a child. In this paper, I'll talk about what family means to me and how I see
it. Family is not defined by blood ties, but by how people interact with each other, how they live
their lives, how they treat each other, and what the relationship is for. It will be shown how to
understand the effects of both history and current trends on the family. This paper will talk about
how family life gives people their first impressions of the world, other people, religion, and
spirituality, as well as a sense of belonging to a group. Families today can choose from several
different therapies. This paper will go into detail about a preferred theory of family therapy,
explaining how it works and what its benefits are.
Introduction
In the twenty-first century, it is vital to have an understanding of both the meaning of the
term "family" and how families evolve to provide effective assistance to families that need
counseling. According to Garland (2012), the swirling debates about families may be traced back
to the fundamental lack of clarity on a definition of the concept of family. When compared to the
conditions that emerged with families in the past, the ones that arise with families in the twenty-
first century are far more complicated.
Marriage and Family Development
My own experiences and observations on the institution of marriage and its function in
the formation of families have led me to the conclusion that marriage is not the defining factor of
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CONCEPTS PARAGRAPH AND OUTLINE
a family. Those individuals who believe that they have not married by a particular age are placed
under a lot of stress when this assumption is made, and it makes it difficult for them to find other
methods to indicate that they have become adults (McGoldrick et al., 2016). When I was
younger, the biological distinctions between the sexes dictated one's place in the workforce
(Balswick, 2014). According to johnson2001) In the United States, both the rate of divorce and
the rate of remarriage are on the increase. An estimated one million children are impacted
directly or indirectly by divorce.
Religion and Spirituality in Family Development
In my thoughts about religion and spirituality, I've noticed that society doesn't seem to
agree on how religion and spirituality should or need to be the main focus in families.
Köstenberger and Jones (2010) say that the consequences of ignoring God's plans for marriage
and the family are felt not only in the world but also in the church. Research shows that children,
teens, and adults of all ages do better when they have religious beliefs, practice spirituality, and
are involved in a faith community (Dollahite & Marks, 2018).
Sexuality and Family Development
A personal reflection on sexuality and how families grow is that society doesn't know
enough about the subject. Historically, boys are taught to feel good about their bodies from a
young age, but girls are taught the exact opposite (McGoldrick et al., 2016). This stays with them
as adults and in their marriages. (McGoldrick et al., 2016) says that there is a lot of concern
about how much younger people know and have experienced sex than older people. Russell et al.
(2020) say that sexual values, behaviors, and health are important parts of the well-being of both
individuals and their families.
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CONCEPTS PARAGRAPH AND OUTLINE
Parenting and Family Development
The responsibility of parental involvement in how a family grows and changes has a big
effect on the family now and on future generations. Balswick (2014) talks about how important it
is to teach parents about how children grow and develop and how to be good parents. He also
encourages parents to think critically about the information and compare it to biblical principles.
For example, chaos in the home was linked to more conflict between parents and children, less
closeness between parents and children, less supportive parenting, less positive parenting, and
more negative parenting. It was also linked to less positive co-parenting and less emotional
availability at bedtime (Marsh et al., 2020).
Later Life
In older life, there are substantial problems, possibilities, and the ability to bounce back
for individuals, couples, and families (McGoldrick et al., 2016). The improvements that have
been made in medical treatment throughout the years have resulted in a significant rise in the
average lifespan. In later life, one faces obstacles associated with death and the loss of loved
ones, as well as retirement, becoming a grandmother, may be coping with a chronic condition,
and providing caregiving services to members of one's own family. These are conditions that
may make a family feel completely helpless and defeated. The study that has been done thus far
suggests that older persons, when confronted with significant challenges, are both eager and able
to win (Manning & Bouchard, 2020).
Preferred Theory of Family Therapy
In my professional and personal experience, cognitive-behavioral family therapy has
emerged as the most effective model for treating families. This treatment raises awareness of
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CONCEPTS PARAGRAPH AND OUTLINE
how ideas impact behavior and encourages research on the relationship between the two
(Yarhouse & Sells, 2017). When families seek assistance, it is often because one of its members
is engaging in troublesome activities. Yarhouse and Sells (2017) state that the therapists lead to a
rise in good relationships while simultaneously leading to a decrease in negative interactions.
The ideas, images, beliefs, and attitudes of the patient, as well as the connection between those
things and their behavior, are the primary emphasis of this kind of treatment. According to the
findings of Washington et al. (2014), the ideas that individuals have about situations in their lives
may be a greater contributor to psychological discomfort than the actual life circumstances
directly.
Conclusion
Many things affect how a family grows and changes, and these things change throughout
a person's life cycle. Having strong faith is a key part of being able to deal with the changes and
problems that come up in life. Understanding what family development means is important if
you want to help families who seek counseling well.
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References
Balswick, J. O., & Balswick, J. K. (2014). The family: A Christian perspective on the
contemporary home, (4th ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic
Carter & McGoldrick. (2016). The expanded family life cycle: Individual, family, and social
perspectives, (5th ed.). Columbus, OH:
Dollahite, D. C., & Marks, L. D. (2018). Introduction to the Special Issue: Exploring
Strengths in American Families of Faith. Marriage & Family Review, 54(7), 617–
634. https://doi-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1080/01494929.2018.1469569
Garland, D. (2012). Family Ministry: A comprehensive guide, (2nd ed.). Downers Grove, IL: IVP
Academic.
Johnson, P., Thorngren, J. M., & Smith, A. J. (2001). Parental Divorce and Family
Functioning: Effects on Differentiation Levels of Young Adults. The Family Journal,
9(3), 265–272. https://doi-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1177/1066480701093005
Kostenberger, A. J. (2010). God, marriage, and family: Rebuilding the biblical foundation, (2nd
ed.). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
Manning, L. K., & Bouchard, L. (2020). Encounters with adversity: A framework for
understanding resilience in later life. Aging & Mental Health, 24(7), 1108–1115.
https://doi-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1080/13607863.2019.1594162
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Marsh, S., Dobson, R., & Maddison, R. (2020). The relationship between household chaos and
child, parent, and family outcomes: a systematic scoping review. BMC Public
Health, 20(1), 1–27. https://doi-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1186/s12889-020-08587-8
Russell, S. T., Mallory, A. B., Bishop, M. D., & Dorri, A. A. (2020). Innovation and
Integration of Sexuality in Family Life Education. Family Relations, 69(3), 595–613.
https://doi-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1111/fare.12462
Washington, K. T., Wittenberg-Lyles, E., Parker Oliver, D., Baldwin, P. K., Tappana, J.,
Wright, J. H., & Demiris, G. (2014). Rethinking Family Caregiving: Tailoring
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies to the Hospice Experience. Health & Social
Work, 39(4), 244–250. https://doi-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1093/hsw/hlu031
Yarhouse, M. A. & Sells. (2017). Family therapies: A comprehensive Christian appraisal.
Downers Grove, IL:
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