Family stress can be caused by many things. Loss of a job, a serious illness, the death of another family member or substance abuse can all create havoc within a normal family structure. Family configurations are becoming more complex as are societal stressors, so how families adapt and cope has become increasingly important. Sociologists McCubbin and Patterson in 1983 developed a theory of family stress and adaptation that first evolved from a theory used after World War II.
History
In 1949, social scientist Reuben Hill began studying families who had members returning from the Second World War. According to Hill, a family experiencing stress had two basic ways they could protect their families from the destructive forces of stress. One was social relationships, and the other was perceptions. Social relationships were defined as being inside as well as outside the home, and perceptions were how the family moved from despair to hopefulness.
Significance
From this theory evolved the McCubbin and Patterson model called the Double ABCX Model, which added survival techniques to explain how particular families remain resilient. In their Double ABCX Model, McCubbin and Patterson noted a family's goals, values, problem-solving skills and outside assistance organizations helped the family in its adaptation to long-term stress and crisis.
Considerations
The Resilience Theory has been around for 70 to 80 years, according to Major A.D. Van Breda of the Military Psychological Institute in South Africa. However, it has reemerged with a shift toward your strengths rather than your weaknesses in the face of crisis. This model emphasizes the validity of social support systems and how communities can and should work to change policies within their local government to help address these issues.
Types
Families that adapt the best to stress often have traits in common. Some of these traits are: they accept what has happened to them, they don't blame anyone, they exercise patience, they try to keep control over the things they know they can control and the parents focus on helping the children handle the stress--i.e., they don't break down and allow the family structure to fall apart.
Expert Insight
The National Ag Safety Database has published online exercises that are fun and help guide families through various difficulties. The first exercise has to do with coping mechanisms; the second exercise has the family draw a Family Coat of Arms. They also include suggestions and tips on how to build self-esteem in one another, reach out to the community for support, do things together, exercise, relax and practice a positive outlook.
References
- Children and Their Families: The Continuum of Care
- Hill's Theory of Family Stress and Buffer Factors: Build the Protective Factor of Social Relationships and Positive Perception with Multi-Family Groups
- Family Resiliency: Building Strengths to Meet Life's Challenges
- Resilience Theory: A Literature Review
- University of Delaware: Surviving a Family Crisis
