Our families are one of the most important things in our lives. Researchers have observed that in all the societies they have studied, family plays a crucial role in the success of individuals. The influence of a family on young children can last a lifetime in many ways. Healthy families are the building blocks of a healthy society.
What is Family Psychology?
Family psychology is a specialty in professional psychology that is focused on the emotions, thoughts, and behavior of individuals, couples, and families in relationships and in the broader environment in which they function. It is a specialty founded on principles of systems theory, with the family as a system being of most central focus. The premise of practice in this specialty is that family dynamics play a vital role in the psychological functioning of family members.
Understanding Family Dynamics
Close family relationships afford a person better health, as well as lower rates of depression and disease throughout a lifetime. However, in many families, getting along is not a given. The interaction between various members is at the core of these complicated dynamics. We may joke about the stereotypical sources of disharmony – the obnoxious uncle and hyperactive son – but factors like the environment and sibling rivalries do emerge when considering the viability and stability of family networks.
In a functional family, parents strive to create an environment in which everyone feels safe and respected. A positive home requires parents to set and uphold rules, but not resort to overly rigid regulation of behavior. In a healthy household, slights and misbehaviors are readily addressed, and boundaries are clear and consistent, all of which help avoid disharmony in the longer term. While this sounds easy, it can be hard to achieve in practice.
Alternatively, growing up in a dysfunctional family can leave children emotionally scarred and can affect them throughout their lives. Hurtful family environments may include the following:
- Aggression: Behaviors typified by belittlement, domination, lies, and control.
- Limited affection: The absence of physical or verbal affirmations of love, empathy, and time spent together.
- Neglect: No attention paid to another and discomfort around family members.
- Addiction: Parents having compulsions relating to work, drugs, alcohol, sex, and gambling.
- Violence: Threat and use of physical and sexual abuse.
Family therapy addresses the entire family. Family therapists work collaboratively with parents as a team. Each family member is not just an individual – they are part of their family system. The behavior of any family member, hence, is influenced by the family, including both the parents and the siblings. Not every member of the family attends every session. The therapist may see the parents without a child, a parent and a child, a teenager and a sibling, or other variations. This allows the therapist to see the full picture.