Is life more stressful today than it was years ago?  Why?  More stressors vs different stressors  Family Trends w/socdemo/hh-fam.html w/socdemo/hh-fam.html w/socdemo/hh-fam.html

Stress factors  1. Micro-level factors:  Work preferences  Money  Marital conflict  Extended family  Expectations 2.Macro-level factors Government Policy Natural Disasters Community Judgment/gossip Lending practices Economic factors Education costs

General Systems Theory  The family system is greater than the sum of its parts.  Assess families as a whole, along with the individuals in them to get the full picture.  The stress level of the whole is qualitatively different from the sum of the individual stress levels of the family members.  Ex: alone, a person in the family may act cheerful & in control; together, they may create an atmosphere of anger an depression.

Systems Theory Example:  A Sick child in the family triggers a family crisis.  Concerned parent(s) focus on the needs of that child.  Ripple effect may be triggered by the reaction of a sibling or mate who feels left out.  The family member who feels neglected may distance him/her self or act out to get attention.  These negative outcomes can trigger a second crisis based on relationship problems.  Family crisis requires family change.

Symbolic Interaction Theory  People act based on symbolic meanings they find within any given situation.  They interact with the symbols, forming relationships around them.  The goals of interactions with one another are to create shared meaning..

Symbolic Interactionism  We act toward others based on the meaning that those other people have for us.  Meanings are modified through an interpretive process whereby we first internally create meaning, then check it externally and with other people.  We develop our self-concepts through interaction with others.  We are influenced by culture and social processes, such as social norms.  Our social structures are worked out through the social interactions with others  LaRossa, R. and Reitzes, D.C. (1993) Symbolic interactionism and family studies. In P. G. Boss, W. J. Doherty, R. LaRossa, W. R. Schumm, & S. K. Steinmetz (Eds.), Sourcebook of family theories and methods: A contextual approach (pp ). New York: Plenum Press

Symbolic Interactionism  Perception of an event or its meaning is central to working with families.  Focus on interaction within a family and on symbols of interaction, such as language or rituals.  A stressed family constructs a symbolic reality based on shared meanings & role expectations inside the family.  Shared meanings are influenced by the world outside the family (community, culture).  Larger context provides the “shoulds” and “oughts”.  A family’s rules reflect the rules of its larger societal context.

Contextual Model HDFS 325 Social Exchange Theory All relationships have give and take, although the balance of this exchange is not always equal. Social Exchange theory explains how we feel about a relationship with another person, depending on our perceptions of: A. The balance between what we put into the relationship and what we get out of it. B. The kind of relationship we deserve. C. The chances of having a better relationship with someone else.

Social Exchange  The exchange of social and material resources is natural.  Social interactions are shaped by power relationships between individuals, and the resulting efforts to achieve balance in exchange relations.

Social exchange theory  Based on the exchange of rewards and costs to quantify the values of outcomes from different situations for an individual.  People strive to minimize costs and maximize rewards.  We base the likeliness of developing a relationship with someone on the perceived possible outcomes.

What is a Contextual Model? It is Used to Understand Family Stress  Stressor itself may or may not be threatening.  Families contexts determine degree to why a stressor is threatening to family well-being.  Context includes internal & external factors.

External Context: Things beyond a family’s immediate control CultureHistoryEconomyDevelopmentHeredity All contribute to perceptions of & reaction to a stressor.

Internal Context: Dimensions the family can control.  Structural – roles & rules – who is in/out  Psychological – perception of event  Philosophical – values & beliefs  Emphasizes perception & meaning in how and why families respond as they do.

The Gendered Context of Stress: Female/Male Differences  General: Women report higher levels of stress than men.  Possible reasons:  Women’s roles more stressful than men’s  Different sex-role socialization  Sexual division of labor  Greater female connection to others  Affected emotionally by own and other’s stress.

Marital Status and Stress General Patterns  Women:  Married homemakers (weakest association w / health) (boredom, lack of appreciation, lack of adult company)  Married – work outside of home (balancing act)  Divorced  Never married Working women: inadequate compensation for work, lack of security, inadequate fringe benefits, few opportunities for advancement. Men:Divorced Never Married Married – being able to provide (most beneficial for health) Comparisons: Caregiver vs Care receivers Is everyone else OK?

Contextual Model of Family Stress, Boss; pg. 40, Figure 3.3

The Contextual Model of Family Stress

Reubin Hill – Family Stress Theory, 1949  ABC-X Model of Family Stress  A = Event or Stressor  B = Resources  C = Perceptions (individually & collectively)  X = Stress or Crisis

10 Family Resources family integration & adaptability Previous success in meeting family crisis. Non-materialistic goals predominate. Flexibility & willingness to shift traditional roles of husband & wife or father & mother. Acceptance of responsibility by all family members in performing family duties. Willingness to sacrifice personal interest to attain family objectives.

10 Family Resources (con’t)  Pride in the family tree & ancestral traditions.  Presence of strong patterns of emotional interdependence & unity.  High participation as a family in joint activities.  Presence of egalitarian patterns of family control & decision making.  Strong affectional ties bet. father & mother, father & children, mother & children, & children & children.

Hans Selye – 1 st to show stress / illness link.  G.A.S.: General Adaptation Syndrome  3 Stages: Alarm, Resistance, Exhaustion 1. Alarm stage – fight or flight response, releases stress hormones. More prone to injury. 2. Resistance stage – maintain homeostasis. Improved ability to cope. 3. Exhaustion stage – illness, disease, or even death can occur.