Handbook of Family Development and Intervention

by Nichols, William C.; Pace-Nichols, Mary Anne; Becvar, Dorothy S.; Napier, Augustus Y.

• ISBN13: 9780471299677
• ISBN10: 0471299677
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-02-25
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

Like all complex living systems, a family, during its life course, proceeds through predictable stages of development. Yet every family is different, its uniqueness defined and continually redefined by an open-ended array of structural, biological, and sociocultural variables. And, as with all living things, a familys continued well-being depends upon its ability to adapt to changes arising from both within the family system and without. First postulated in the 1940s, these basic ideas constitute the conceptual core of modern family development theory. From them has blossomed an impressive body of knowledge about family health and illness, without which much of the progress occurring in family therapy over the past half-century would not have been possible. This book does much to promote continued progress in the practical application of family development theory by affording family therapists an unparalleled opportunity to acquaint themselves with the most important trends in family development theory to emerge over the past decade. In it you will find contributions from leading theorists, researchers, and clinicians, arranged so as to provide a systematic treatment of the latest thinking on family development seen from both the systemic viewpoint and that of individual members of the system. Comprehensive in scope, this book explores the patterns, processes, and dynamics inherent in "traditional" families, as well as in important structural variants?such as single-parent and gay and lesbian families?and families with special needs and problems, including divorce, physical abuse, and disabilities. Since progress in the social sciences is as much about formulating viable new ways of seeing as it is about determining quantifiable facts, the editors offer equal time to an array of influential and sometimes radically conflicting schools of thought, including sociobiology, social psychology, constructionism, multiculturalism, postmodernism, and feminism. Mainstream family therapists will find much in this handbook that they will consider controversial. In some cases readers may even be outraged by the views expressed. Yet, thanks to the high caliber of scholarship, intellect, and professionalism evidenced throughout, none of the ideas advanced in Handbook of Family Development and Intervention can be easily dismissed, and all have something of value to offer the thoughtful, dedicated family therapist. Handbook of Family Development and Intervention is a valuable professional resource for all couples and family therapists. It is also must reading for graduate students in family psychology, family therapy, social work, and counseling. "In this magnificent volume, the editors make a major contribution that integrates individual and family development concepts and therapeutic applications by bringing together scholarly yet fresh contributions. The inclusion of various family forms and of families with special needs makes this volume especially relevant to the treatment of contemporary families as we enter the new millennium. This superb Handbook should be mandatory reading and an excellent reference for teachers, researchers, and therapists at all levels of development."?Celia J. Falicov, PhD President, 19992001 American Family Therapy Academy

Author Biography

WILLIAM C. NICHOLS, EdD, is President of the International Family Therapy Association and author of several books on family psychology.

Table of Contents

Foreword	xvii
Lee Combrinck-Graham
Part I Theories of Family Development
Family Development and Family Therapy	3	(20)
William C. Nichols
Mary Anne Pace-Nichols
Evolutionary Psychology	23	(18)
W. Todd DeKay
The Limits of Change: Heredity, Temperament, and Family Influence	41	(24)
Jay S. Efran
Mitchell A. Greene
Human Development as a Process of Meaning Making and Reality Construction	65	(20)
Dorothy S. Becvar
Part II The Larger Social Context
Socialization of Gender Roles	85	(24)
Carol L. Philpot
The Development of Children and Families of Color: A Supplemental Framework	109	(20)
Kenneth V. Hardy
Tracey A. Laszloffy
Socialization of Socioeconomic Status	129	(16)
Mark R. Rank
Part III Family Stages, Patterns, Processes, and Dynamics
Making a Marriage	145	(26)
Augustus Y. Napier
Childless Married Couples	171	(18)
William C. Nichols
Mary Anne Pace-Nichols
Families with Young Children: A Developmental-Family Systems Perspective	189	(19)
Nadine J. Kaslow
Greta Griffith Smith
Shannon S. Croft
The Midlife Family: Dealing with Adolescents, Young Adults, and the Marriage in Transition	208	(27)
Ellen Berman
Augustus Y. Napier
Aging and the Family: Dynamics and Therapeutic Interventions	235	(20)
Adam Davey
Megan J. Murphy
Sharon J. Price
Part IV Variations in Family Structure
Families by Choice: Adoptive and Foster Families	255	(24)
Lita Linzer Schwartz
Gay and Lesbian Families	279	(20)
Jerry J. Bigner
Diversity of New American Families: Guidelines for Therapists	299	(24)
Raksha Dave Gates
Sylvia Acre de Esnaola
Georgi Kroupin
Ciloue Cheng Stewart
Manfred van Dulmen
Blong Xiong
Pauline G. Boss
Single-Parent Families: Dynamics and Treatment Issues	323	(18)
Craig A. Everett
Sandra Volgy Everett
Families Experiencing Divorce	341	(30)
Florence W. Kaslow
Part V Families with Special Needs and Problems
Remarried Families of 2000: Definitions, Description, and Interventions	371	(20)
Roni Berger
Families Experiencing Violence	391	(24)
Michele Harway
Families with Learning Disabilities, Physical Disabilities, and Other Childhood Challenges	415	(24)
Sandra A. Rigazio-DiGilio
Darci Cramer-Benjamin
Families with Chronic Physical Illness	439	(14)
Joan C. Barth
Families Experiencing Death, Dying, and Bereavement	453	(18)
Dorothy S. Becvar
Index	471