Family dynamics include a variety of topics such as family interaction, communication, role orientation, family adaptability, family cohesion, decision making, family life cycle etc.

1. 1
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By
Dr. A Daisy Evangeline

2. Family dynamics broadly comprise
family interactions and family
development as influenced by
socialization of family norms of
individual members.
2

3. 3
Family Cohesion
Family
Interactions
Family
Cohesion
Family
Communication
Family interactions
refer to the
distinctive
character of
interpersonal
relationships
which occur
between members
of the family.
Family cohesion
is defined as the
emotional
bonding that
family members
have towards
one another.
Family
communication is
defined as all the
verbal and non-
verbal behaviour
that occurs within
the family, and
between the family
and its social
environment.

4. 4
Role
Performance
Role Conflict
Role
Competence
The following
are the different
aspects of role
performance:
1.Role
enactment,
2. Role
performance
3.Role
behaviour.
Role
competence is
the evaluation of
one’s own and
another’s
performance.
Conflict or
disagreement
regarding
certain role
behaviours.

5. 5
Decision-
making
Family
Adaptability
Family Life
Cycle
The family decision-
making process is a
communication
activity.
This communication
may be explicit
(discuss & decide)
or implicit (choose
an option based on
their past decisions)
Family adaptability
is defined as the
ability of a family
system to change
its power structure,
role relationships
and relationship
rules in response
to situational and
developmental
stress.
The concept of
family development
gives a longitudinal
view to compare
family interactions
in different stages of
family life span.

6. 6
Family
Establishing and Maintaining Relationships.
❑ Marital Relationship & Satisfaction
• Base for family and plays a significant part.
• They will reflect the happiness with overall
functioning of the family.
❑ Parent Child Relation
Authority pattern and handling of discipline
Display & control of emotions
Child rearing practices
Transmission of cultural directives
❑ Sibling Relation
Mutual Sharing
Respect
Affection

7. 7
Family
Emotional bonding that family members have towards
one another.
There are four levels of cohesion, ranging from
Disengaged (very low)
Separated (low to moderate),
Connect (moderate to high),
Enmeshed (very high).
It is hypothesized that the central levels of cohesion
(separated and connected) make for optimal family
functioning.The extreme levels (disengaged and
enmeshed) are generally seen as problematic.

8. 8
Family
Communication is backbone in assessing the family
relationships and dynamics.
Effective and Right communication brings family
members emotionally together and makes family
functioning more meaningful.
It facilitates
Task accomplishment
Goal achievement
Promotes personality development

9. 9
Family
Roles are patterns of behaviours that form the
interactional matrix for interpersonal and group
functioning.
Each role has its competence and cannot be performed
in isolation.
❑ Role Overload (absence of any person)
❑ Role Strain (poor capacity of family members)
❑ Role Stress (certain psycho social barriers)
❑ Role Overlapping (when roles are not defined
properly.)
❑ Role Transition (preparing for new role)

10. 10
Family
Decision making involves
➢ Recognition of need for decision,
➢ Identification and weighing of
acceptable alternatives,
➢ Selection of an alternative and
➢ Facilitating its implementation.

11. 11
Family
The ability of the family to adapt to changes.The
four levels of adaptability range from
▪ Rigid (very low)
▪ Structured (low to moderate),
▪ Flexible (moderate to high),
▪ Chaotic very (high).
Helpful
Problematic
Problematic

12. 12
Family
The Family Life Cycle is a way of taking
a look at the family life. It is based upon
the recognition of the successive
patterns within the continuity of family
living over the years

13. 13
Family
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