Family system is the basic and smallest social unit of the society that has played a crucial role in the development of countries and cultures. This unit has continued to develop in line with changes in the needs and demands of people as well as the society. Throughout the history of mankind, the family systems have played an important role in the development of children and individuals. However, there are various issues associated with the role of family systems in the development of an individual.
Relationship between Family Systems and Healthy Development
As the basic unit of society, family systems have a strong link or relationship with healthy development. The role of family systems in healthy development is directly linked to the method of parenting within the family. This is primarily because a healthy family system can be identified through the method of parenting that is evident within the household. Parenting consists of standardized rules that act as the basis for providing physical, social, emotional, and spiritual support towards healthy development. Therefore, the major factor in the relationship between family systems and healthy development is the provision of support across the various facets of the development domain.
Factors that Distinguish Healthy Family Systems
Healthy family systems are distinguished by various factors as compared to unhealthy ones, especially with regards to the provision of physical, social, spiritual, and emotional support to an individual. One of the distinguishing factors of healthy family systems is healthy interactions that are characterized by mutual give and take as well as interdependence (Hann-Morrison, 2012). While spousal, parental, and sibling subsystems in the family unit function as unique components of the family, healthy family systems consist of healthy interactions and boundaries between these distinct subsystems. Secondly, healthy family systems are characterized by family stability, which support the healthy development of every individual in the family unit. Some of the major factors of family stability include emotional availability, family cohesion, warmth, positive home environment, and stimulation (Harden, 2004). Family stability promotes healthy family systems through providing constant, connected, and consistent support to every member of the family.
Effects of an Unhealthy Family System on Development
While a healthy family system has tremendous positive impacts on an individual's development, the unhealthy family systems has considerable effects on development. One of the effects of an unhealthy family system on development is emotional and behavioral problems such as physical cruelty and physical and verbal aggression. Secondly, unhealthy family system affects development by contributing to low self-esteem due to lack of a huge sense of self-satisfaction. Third, an individual from an unhealthy family system affects development by contributing to unmet mental health needs as the individual progresses to subsequent stages of development in life. The effects of an unhealthy family system are based on the insecure attachment theory where family relationships are characterized by inconsistent levels of response among the family members, particularly primary caregivers.
Impact of Family Systems on Physical, Social, Emotional, and Spiritual Development
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