Description: Most individuals intuitively "know" what it means to be a member of a family. After all, most of us were raised in one. But in each family there are dramatic differences. Each family creates its own culture within a culture. This intimate mini-society has its own unique rules and obligations -- dynamics and boundaries must shift and accomodate, stress levels and moods must be managed, and "the family, " though full of diverse individuals of various ages, must somehow develop a shared sense of identity, and foster a nurturing emotional environment. Using a family systems and a multigenerational, developmental framework, this book highlights the challenges faced by contemporary societies as they move through time. This book offers a comprehensive overview of the major conceptual models that are used to understand the patterns and dynamics that operate in families. In its look at the structural organization, as well as the particular cultural, ethnic, racial heritage, and gender orientation of the family, this book offers strategies that families employ to meet challenges, while emphasizing the integration of family systems, family development, and intergenerational perspectives. Sociologists, family therapists, marriage counselors, psychologists, nurses, and families.

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