Category: Family

Summary of the Health Profile

Family violence has continuously been a health issue in the United States for a long time. According to Whyte (2009), in every family, there is always the center of power. In most cases, the physical strength of partners in the family determines the center of power. This makes men more likely at the center of power. In some cases, the center of power might be based on some other demographic factors, such as the level of income earned by the partners and the superiority of the family where either of the partners was born. In some cases, some partners tend to use their source of power to abuse the other partner or other members of the family physically. This makes family members of such abusive families at high risk of sustaining serious injuries from physical abuses. According to Campbell and Humphreys (2008), when the family has a member who is violent, other members are always put at a precarious position as far as their safety is concerned. Such behavior always starts slowly where one partner hits the other. When the behavior is not controlled by putting the power of the aggressive partner under check, the behavior will escalate and the physical injury will become severe. Members of the family will live in constant fear of the possible consequences of actions of the aggressive partner.

Cases have been reported where a partner sustains serious injuries from such abuses. When the abuse is directed to a child, there are possibilities that a minor can have a permanent psychological problem in the entire life. Such a child may grow up to be abusive as the aggressor in the family. In some extreme cases, such aggressions have led to demise of victims, especially in cases where excessive force is used. There are also cases where the victims in self-defense kill the aggressors. This puts such families at very high risk of obtaining serious injuries physically and psychologically due to the abusive behavior.

Supporting Literature: Applicable Theories

Scholars have used three main theoretical perspectives to explain dynamics of violence in the family. The first perspective is intra-individual perspective, which involves the attributes of an individual. They are personality attributes that make him or her abusive in nature. The aggressor in this case will be misusing the power he or she has over the other to abuse them, express their power over them, or to have their way whenever there is a need for consensus. It is also believed that some of the victims of the misused power take part in abuse by behaving in a manner that would facilitate to the abusive actions.

The second perspective can be analyzed from the socio-cultural front. According to Friedman, Bowden, and Elaine (2003), socio-cultural theories of violence focus on the macro-level conditions of society that create a tendency for family violence. These scholars are of the view that the attributes make an individual a perennial victim of aggression while another group is made the aggressor. Such societal issues as racism, sexism, ageism, unemployment, and poverty make a section of society become weak in the presence of other members of the society. Some societies strongly believe and advocate for male dominance in their families. Such religions and cultural beliefs do not find it wrong for a man to express his physical strength over the woman by either scolding her or even abusing her physically. In such societies, violence against women is seen as a normal practice that does not have any cause of alarm. A number of family violence theorists have pointed out the fact that the attitude of the society towards physical aggression in solving issues would always be reflected in the families. If the society welcomes this physical aggression then the aggression will be common in the family and the partner considered being the center of power would find it easy to abuse others at the slightest provocation.

The third perspective is the socio-psychological perspective, which involves examining the interface between an individual and the society. This theory holds that power is a very important component of family violence. This is because it legitimizes the interaction between partners or between parents and children. It is only when there is the legitimacy that this violence can be mated out to a member of the family. This power also helps to emphasize the value that the community places on the family member. With all these powers, an individual can easily abuse other members of the family and this may cause serious physical injury to others who are the victims (Justin, 2012).

Applicable Healthy People 2020

Healthy People 2020 program addresses the need to have a society that is free from some of the currently common diseases. One of the main aims of this program is to fight behaviors that encourage family violence in the current society. This program has identified family violence as one of the main impediment to having a healthy society within this country. A number of ways can be used in this program to fight violence within families. Working with other agencies such as human rights watch, this program has been on the forefront fighting any form of discrimination and physical abuse within families. The program has also been in spotlight encouraging equal employment opportunity for both men and women without any form of discrimination (Cheryl, Sheryl, & Bernard, 2009). This would help reduce the power that a member of the family may have over the partner.

Nursing Intervention Strategies

One of the main nursing interventions that can be used to fight this abuse is counseling. The victims of family violence always end up in hospitals. It is the responsibility of the nurses to investigate and find out the possible causes of such violence in the family (Friedman, Bowden, & Elaine, 2003). An additional intervention strategy is availing the services and community institutions that are charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the welfare of the most vulnerable, such as women and children are safeguarded. The community members should generate this initiative and ensure that the most affected individuals are helped to realize their potentials. The approach is considered strong since it helps in bringing about social change. In other words, it promotes empowerment of the marginalized groups, such as women, who are often victims of domestic violence. Development of network of leaders in the community is another intervention strategy that can reduce cases of domestic violence in case it is applied appropriately in the community. The strategy is strong because it equips members of society with gatekeepers who have adequate information and skills regarding the importance of violence deterrence (Humphreys & Campbell, 2011).

References

Campbell, J., & Humphreys, J. (2008). Nursing care of survivors of family violence. St. Louis: Mosby.

Cheryl, B. A., Sheryl, O. H., & Bernard, F. F. (2009). ParentChild Attitude Congruence on Type and Intensity of Physical Activity. Testing Multiple Mediators of Sedentary Behavior in Older Children, 28(4), 428-438.

Friedman, M. Bowden, V., & Elaine, G. (2003). Family Nursing: Research, Theory and Practice. New York: Prentice-Hall.

Humphreys, J., & Campbell, J. (2011). Family violence and nursing practice. New York: Springer Publishers Company.

Justin, S. (2012). Performance Costs When Emotion Tunes Inappropriate Cognitive Abilities. Implications for Mental Resources and Behavior, 141(3), 411-416.

Whyte, D. (2009). Family nursing: The case of cystic fibrosis. Aldershot: Avebury.

Abstract

For a very long time, the growth and development of the black family have been affected by how they are perceived by the rest of American society. To a large extent, the obstacles faced by the black family are mostly due to racial discrimination. The problem of race can be spotted in various aspects of the lives of African Americans, including education, health, employment, and legal as well as justice matters. Apparently, the racial problem has been around for ages and is not about to end anytime soon.

Undoubtedly, the election and subsequent re-election of Barrack Obama as president of the United States is a clear indication that the perception of the black family in the United States has greatly changed over the years. The fact that President Barrack Obama was able to gain the support of some members of the white family shows a change of attitude in the way African Americans are regarded. In spite of the change of heart among the white community, the black family still faces various obstacles that hinder their advancement.

Although authors generally look at the slow growth of the black family from different perspectives, the fundamental problem that has given birth to almost all the obstacles is race. A common agreement among various authors is that the problem of race permeates every aspect of the life of African Americans. Consequently, most of the obstacles that are faced by members of the black community can be addressed by attacking racial discrimination. The election and subsequent re-election of Barrack Obama should not be taken to imply that war against race has been won.

Introduction

Despite the fact that the election and subsequent re-election of Barrack Obama as the first African American president of the United States, the black family is still faced with numerous challenges. While one may think that the political career of President Barrack Obama presents great opportunities for the black family to advance in different areas, these challenges greatly hinder their growth and development.

This paper looks at a number of issues that are faced by the black family and gives suggestions on how they can be resolved. In general, the black family faces obstacles in education, criminal justice, race, health, and employment, among others. These issues and others are hindrances to the growth and development of the African American community.

Obstacles Facing the Black Family

Although there have been several changes in the United States following the election and re-election of Barrack Obama as president of the United States, the state of the African American family has not changed much. There are various thorny issues that must be addressed. In a study by McGrath (2002), a number of issues were identified as major obstacles to the development of the black family.

As noted by McGrath (2002), African Americans are denied opportunities to work as a result of insecurity in parts of the United States. The African American family has also been affected by welfare, which for a very long time, a constitutional right. Apparently, welfare caused most black women to believe that depending on the government for survival was a better option than having a husband.

This belief led to the breakdown of families, increased the number of illegitimate black children, and greatly reduced the value of black men. Radical relativism is another obstacle to the advancement of the black family. Ostensibly, the laxity by African American leaders and liberal academics to condemn the obscene behavior of African American artists is responsible for the rot among the youth.

Reduced respect for human life among African Americans has also led to many cases of abortion by black women. As a result, African American women are responsible for the highest number of abortions in the United States. Drawing from the study by McGrath (2002), close to 400,000 fetuses die every year due to abortion by black women. Besides affecting the growth of the African American population, abortion is irresponsible behavior among black youths as they grow.

Although the number of employed African Americans has been increasing over the years, there are still concerns about racial discrimination (Marger, 2014).

Historically, the problem of race has affected the progression of many members of the black family. The majority of African Americans have, for example, been denied opportunities to secure employment or grow in their careers because of race. To a large extent, the American legal system is also biased against members of the black community. Unlike whites, members of the black family are frequently subjected to harsh treatment by law enforcement agencies, and the population of African Americans in American prisons is often higher than that of their white counterparts.

Racial discrimination has also been a major obstacle for members of the black family in the education sector. Because of race, many blacks have been denied opportunities to pursue their preferred careers.

Health issues among members of the black family are also an obstacle to their advancement. The impact of HIV and AIDS, for example, has had a serious negative effect on the black community as opposed to members of other ethnic groups. Other illnesses that mostly affect members of the black family include hypertension, diabetes, and prostate cancer. In addition, cases of adolescent pregnancies are also very common among members of the black community.

Drawing from a study by Hattery and Smith (2012), there are some myths that attempt to explain the poor advancement of the African American community. According to one of the myths, members of the black family can only succeed by relying on special favors (Hattery & Smith, 2012).

As a result, most people are opposed to the idea of affirmative action. Purportedly, affirmative action gives an unfair advantage to some individuals while neglecting others. Arguably, reserving specific places for members of the black family makes them lazy and prevents them from working hard to succeed in life. Based on a different myth, members of the black family do not earn what they achieve, unlike their white counterparts. Ostensibly, this has a negative effect on African Americans and causes them to be viewed as people who are generally incapable of doing anything that deserves recognition.

Solutions to Obstacles Facing the Black Family

For the Black family to advance, various obstacles should be dealt with. First, it is necessary to boost security in areas with a high population of African American employees. Among other things, boosting security will reduce criminal activities targeting African Americans and create an environment where blacks can operate without fear. It is also imperative to make changes to legislation that have a negative effect on the advancement of the black family.

As earlier explained, having welfare as a constitutional right had a negative effect on the value of black men. Influential members of the black family should also be advised to set a good example for the youth. Artists who are not a good example for the youth lead most of them astray.

In order to uphold human dignity, black women should be advised to turn away from abortion as earlier noted abortion reduces respect for human life and has a negative effect on the advancement of the black family. Efforts should thus be made to ensure that members of the black family understand the importance of respect for one another. As can be deduced from this discussion, most obstacles faced by members of the black family are as a result of racial discrimination.

As pointed out by Marger (2014), the importance of Barrack Obamas election and subsequent re-election as far as the advancement of the black family is concerned can not be overstated. It is a major milestone in the lives of African Americans and shows that war against race can be fought and won successfully. Based on research findings, economic and social differences still exist in the United States despite having an African American in the White House (Marger, 2014).

The fight against racial discrimination must thus continue. As suggested by West (2000), dealing with the problem of race must start by addressing the flaws of American society, which have their roots in historical inequalities and cultural labeling.

Conclusion

Although there have been fundamental changes in the way members of the black community are generally viewed, many obstacles still stand in the way of African Americans. Generally, obstacles faced by the black family are as a result of racial discrimination. While the race is a problem on its own, it also leads to many other issues that hinder the advancement of the black community.

The black family should take advantage of Barrack Obamas presidency and figure out how to advance in various areas. It may be helpful for African American leaders to learn from the political career of President Barrack Obama in order to grow politically. It is also advisable for members of the black family to support their leaders and avoid making negative comments about their leaders.

References

Hattery, A. J. & Smith, E. (2012). African American Families Today: Myths and Realities. Lanham, MA: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Web.

Marger, M. N. (2014). Race and Ethnic Relations: American and Global Perspectives. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning. Web.

McGrath, L. (2002). The Ten Biggest Problems Facing African-Americans Today. Web.

West, C. (2000). Race Matters. Boston, MA: Beacon Press. Web.

The assessment and intervention of child and family problems require social workers to implement a set of specific skills including ethical decision making, multicultural sensitivity, and profound professional competence to convey the necessary risk information to the clients and refer them to the helpful sources of support. The intervention plan that will be introduced in the paper is meant to support the family in overcoming child welfare issues through the fulfillment of the treatment practices and the development of knowledge about a childs developmental needs.

The clients are a single mother (twenty years old), Anna, and her daughter (two years old). The client is from a low-income family and she used to abuse drugs prior to the pregnancy. Although Anna passed through the intervention practices to reduce the infants exposure to the drug intoxication during the prenatal period, her addiction has recently relapsed. The young woman claims that drug use helps her to reduce the excess stress caused by the poor socioeconomic conditions and the inability to take care of her daughter.

The main source of psychological support is her mother who helps Anna to babysit the child while she is working as a waitress. Annas mother immigrated to America from Guatemala at the age of twenty-six, but Anna was raised in the USA and she does not identify herself with the cultural heritage of her family.

Since Anna was a drug addict, her child is at the risk of the cognitive underdevelopment which is also strengthened by the poor parenting style, frequent neglect caused by the maternal distress, and other negative environmental factors. Therefore, it is important to address the obstacles that interfere with maternal well-being and, in this way, it will be possible to improve the conditions for the support of the childs welfare.

Ethical Considerations

The ethical conduct in the social service practice implies the ability to show respect to diversity and dignity of individuals with whom a social worker interacts in the professional context. The consideration of ethical issues is especially important in the field of child and family welfare assessment and counseling, and these practices should be performed in compliance with the applicable ethical standards and principles.

According to the Standards introduced by the National Association of Social Workers (2005), the social services and interventions should be responsive to children and their families, the cultural and social diversity of the clients. Thus, social workers should be constantly engaged in the process of self-education, development of knowledge, and multicultural competence to address the clients problems more efficiently.

Working with child and family issues has many psychological, emotional, and ethical implications. In this professional domain, therapy is interrelated with conveying the important information about adverse developmental outcomes, risk factors, and potential consequences of the infants exposure to the negative experience. The communication with the clients on such delicate and personal subjects creates multiple challenges in the process of ethical decision making.

In the situation when a client has chronic stress or depression, a social worker may feel moral barriers to informing about the negative effects of the maternal mental state on an infants cognitive or physiological underdevelopment. The difficulty arises because the conveyed information may increase the mothers distress and the extension of negative impacts on a childs development. However, acting according to the principle of beneficence, a specialist should make everything possible to benefit his/her clients and take care to not harm (National Association of Social Workers, 2005).

In this way, informing the patient who has stress or problems with drug abuse about the influence of her condition on the course of the childs development is beneficial for her because, in this case, the possibility for the prevention of severe adverse outcomes occurs. Along with this, it is also important to inform the client about the positive sides of intervention and implementation of treatment plan practices to stimulate her for addressing the cognitive-behavioral therapy and increase the efficiency of the intervention.

Intervention Plan

The purposes of intervention and prevention practices are the provision of safety and support of other vital needs to increase the parental readiness for the improvement of their parenting style and behavior. Annas distress and drug abuse are the main problems that put her daughters development at risk as they are associated with a childs neglect and interference with the development of an infants attachment which is regarded as the basis for the establishment of sound parent-infant relationships.

The processes of attachment occur throughout the childhood, and it serves as the foundation for the physical, psychological, cognitive, and emotional development of a child (Mogi, Nagasawa, & Kikusui, 2011). The quality of child attachment to caregivers influence the course of early development and has long-term impacts on its socioemotional performance, psychological well-being, and cognitive aptitude across the lifespan.

While the positive parental attitude and emotions are associated with the development of secure attachment, emotional neglect or abuse may lead to the formation of the psychological insecurity in a child. Thus, Anna needs to refer the parenting education program, such as Parents as Teacher and Parents and Children Together, and cognitive-behavioral therapy that will assist in the adoption of the healthier lifestyle and enhancement of mental condition through the implementation of stress management practices that will increase her emotional and psychological availability to the child (DePanfilis, 2006).

Since the families that are prone to neglect tend to be poor, socially isolated, and lacking access to resources, the intervention should be developed to mobilize concrete formal and informal helping resources (DePanfilis, 2006, p. 56). Anna and her mother need to expand their interrelations with their community members, social, cultural, and religious organizations that would support them in the effective realization of the planned intervention. Although the client does not identify herself with the cultural background of her family, the referral to the culturally related organizations may have a positive impact on the improvement of her social-emotional condition.

Evaluation of Intervention

The main indicators of the intervention program efficiency are the level of maternal emotional engagement in the sessions and the development of an emphatic attitude towards the child. It is observed that the quality of alliance between social worker and mother is related to the increase of positive outcomes in the intervention practice, and many researchers pay great attention to the maternal level of participation in the evaluation of the short-term effects of the interventions (Stolk et al., 2008).

The long-term effects include the increase of the clients maternal sensitivity and self-discipline, as well as the avoidance of drug abuse and the healthier psychological state, which will result in the prevention of adverse developmental outcomes in the child.

Next Session Plan

Further sessions should include cognitive restructuring, stimulation of infant development, and intervention of physical environments at home. The cognitive restructuring may help Anna to replace the current self-defeating metal structures with the positive beliefs that will assist in the improvement of behavioral patterns and social functioning (DePanfilis, 2006). The increase in home safety helps to reduce the risk of a childs injuries and to provide a favorable environment for sound infant development.

And, finally, education about childs developmental needs and the practices that can reduce the developmental and behavioral difficulties allows the caregivers to stimulate the inherent potential of their children and contribute to the development of their welfare.

References

DePanfilis, D. (2006). Child neglect: A guide for prevention, assessment, and intervention. Web.

Mogi, K., Nagasawa, M., & Kikusui, T. (2011). Developmental consequences and biological significance of motherinfant bonding. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 35(5), 1232-1241. Web.

National Association of Social Workers. (2005). NASW Standards for social work practice in child welfare. Web.

Stolk, M. N., Mesman, J., van Zeijl, J., Alink, L. A., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., van Ijzendoorn, M. H., && Koot, H. M. (2008). Early parenting intervention aimed at maternal sensitivity and discipline: A process evaluation. Journal Of Community Psychology, 36(6), 780-797.

Introduction

The concept of family and family life has evolved significantly from the traditionally hierarchical and patriarchal structure to innovative modern patterns.

Theories and Methods Used

• Feminism provides more plausible explanations and solutions to controversial issues.
• Postmodernism to explain challenges facing the contemporary family in Brazil.
• Scholars review existing literature on the topic to accomplish these objectives.

Key Points/Findings

• The Brazilian family has evolved dramatically include new trends and family arrangements such as legalizing abortion, single-parent families, and other innovative structures.
• The tension between radical and conservative fractions compromise efforts to translate current family notions into legislations and policies.

Social Ramifications of the Findings

• The legal prohibition of abortion leads to severe inequalities in Brazilian society.
• Legacy tensions inhibit the creation of a robust domestic violence strategy.

Lessons Learned from the Reading

• Progress in social politics is closely linked to the social movements and collective feminist struggles.
• Class and race issues remain a significant barrier to family-focused laws and policies.

Formal or Informal Implications of the Article

• Domestic violence suspects should be accurately judged to minimize domestic violence problems.
• Proposals for supporting the Maria da Penha law rules must be made.

Article Review

The Authors Thesis

Adelman and De Azevedo (2012) sought to briefly examine historical forces that are shaping family life and the concept of family in relation to Brazilian society and culture. The central argument of the brief is that the notions of family and family life have undergone significant transformations from the traditionally hierarchical and patriarchal structure to innovative modern patterns. The authors further assert that transforming these changes into laws and policies remains a serious challenge. They draw on the present tendencies and inconsistencies in the family arrangements revealed by the Brazilian family policy to support their thesis. The authors argue that families faced constant family hardships rounded off in the late twentieth-century social and cultural changes century in Brazil (Adelman and De Azevedo, 2012). The traditional Brazilian family has been replaced with new unique forms such as single parenthood, heterosexual unions, collaboration, and other configurations.

Theories and Methods Used

The authors examine Brazils historical vicissitudes as a form of representation and society. Adelman and De Azevedo (2012) approach this issue from a feminist theoretical perspective. They believe that this theory provides more plausible explanations and solutions to controversial issues such as abortion and new family arrangements such as gay and lesbian couples. Besides that, the authors draw on postmodernism to explain the challenges facing the contemporary family in Brazil. The scholars conduct a comprehensive review of existing literature on the topic to accomplish these objectives.

Main Points Used to Support the Thesis

The authors discuss three specific issues, the Maria da Penha Domestic Violence Law and legalizing abortion. They also discuss a new debate on a bill established to offer legal status to homosexual relations. Authors also provide testimonies to the tensions between mechanisms supporting restrictive family definitions, connected with the dominance of men and heterosexuality. One key point of the brief is that the Brazilian family has evolved dramatically include new trends and family arrangements such as legalizing abortion, single-parent families, and other innovative structures. The concept of heterogamy falls within these innovative family arrangements. The term describes a marital relationship between two people who exhibit marked differences in a specific criterion. The couples may differ based on their racial or ethnic background, religion, gender, and sexual orientation, among other characteristics. Heterogamy is the complete opposite of homogamy, which refers to a union in which both partners are identical based on a specific criterion. Homosexual and lesbian couples are perhaps the best examples of heterogamy in contemporary Brazilian society, and other countries throughout the world are gay marriages.

Another finding is the tension between radical and conservative factions that hold conflicting opinions about controversial issues such as abortion and gay marriages. On the one hand, some government agencies work closely with several social movements in an effort to amend laws and policies decriminalize abortion and other radical ideas in modern Brazilian society. On the other hand, conservative groups that are often connected to organized religion strongly oppose such legal and policy changes and seek to maintain the status quo in relation to the notions of family structures and what men, women, and gender relations ought to be. These disagreements, whose roots can be traced to the 1980s, compromise efforts to translate current family notions into legislations and policies.

Social Ramifications of the Findings

Legal prohibition of abortion leads to physical and psychological problems and consists of severe societal, race-related, and economic inequalities, symbolizing todays community and life in Brazil. Also, this prohibition invokes solidly fixed way of living concepts relating women to breeding and motherhood that all influence political conflicts around the issue. In Brazil, the Second Wave of Feminism was born from abroad and different social struggles, but it was marked by specific challenges coming out of the climate of suppression. The publication in 1974 of various periodicals dealing with feminist issues can be seen as the first apparent manifestations. Although needy and factory-laborer women frequently played a leading role in agrarian and non-rural confrontation to autocracy and social rights demands, the rise of feminist perspectives illuminated womens requests under the basis of contemporaries.

A major problem in building a domestic violence strategy was the sex perspective of those who work in the legal system. Male and female prosecutors and lawyers face a naturalized view of the need/wish for a husband of women, which is also likely to place marital failure on the womens side. Traditional family values and their sexual division of responsibilities and work have a solid legal basis. It is challenging to understand gender-based violence among families and often express themselves as judgmental, blaming women for exercising their rights.

Maria da Penha law promoted the formation of specific criminal tribunals. However, this statute provided an alternative sanction model for crimes that were considered less offensive for conciliatory conflict resolution. The first reason was to create a special criminal court. These courts were the main complaints, especially in minor aggression cases and menaces, at special womens stations (Adelman and De Azevedo, 2012). This is mainly because no specific legislation has been adopted about this form of offense. This, however, introduced means to deal with womens violence that was contrary to the plan of feminists and the previous fights.

Social movements that have deliberately articulated egalitarian expectations in a mediated and globalized context, as well as cultural alterations and contradictions, helped to push Brazilian families forms into the global post-modern direction of increasing heterogeneity. Scholars such as Vaitsman (1994) have questioned the role of gender in forming advanced means for how individuals develop links with family, children, and partners (as cited in Adelman and De Azevedo, 2012). The dissociation of procreation and gender has demonstrated this. The growth of different sexual desires and enactments that cover young and adult people at various life stages has become ever more openly recognized. Other trends include the growing unpredictability of heterosexual unions and other forms of conflict between individual aspirations. Although deeply affected by race, urban, and rural variances, plurality and flexibility are on the agenda.

The Critical Problems or Weaknesses of the Article

One of the articles critical problems is that it discusses the legalization of abortion to support motherhood but does not address abortion complications. Also, the article does not address prevention measures of unwanted pregnancies but discusses how to handle them through abortion. Moreover, this article discusses how to handle domestic violence against women through legislation. However, it does not discuss how domestic violence can be dealt with from a religious perspective. Despite experience from other countries that domestic violence can be handled through conducting a couple of seminars and giving advice, the article sticks to legislation as the only way to handle domestic violence against women.

The widespread application of Law 9.099/1995 has also reduced the Women Special Stations activity, which no longer investigates the charges. Fines and alternative punishments have often been counter-productive and make it easier for aggressors to stop new crimes. 70% of all the Special Tribunal cases consisted of household violence, of which 50% were finished without criminal allegations being brought to justice (Adelman and De Azevedo, 2012). In short, this scenario advanced the culture of unpunishment and re-privatized household violence in addition to giving the victim no genuine assistance.

Lessons Learned from the Article

A critical takeaway from this article is that increased social, cultural, political, and legal disputes will continue to be the challenging terrain for gender and family issues in Brazil and other countries in the entire world. Progress in social politics is closely linked to the social movements and collective struggles aimed at redefining relations of gender and transforming thinking ways about people, women, bodies, sexuality, the family, and the links between people. Another salient insight from this reading is that class, and race-related issues remain a central part of the current disputes and debates about new notions of family life in Brazil. The Brazilian society and culture harbor a historical legacy that continues to define the countrys inequality.

Formal or Informal Implications of the Article

In formulating specific legislative reform proposals, the focus ought to be on the status of women who suffer domestic violence. Domestic violence suspects should be accurately judged to minimize domestic violence problems. In the context of systemic legal systems, proposals for supporting the Maria da Penha law rules must be made. Institutional practice and judicial decision regulation should remain essential to operate in the entire legislative system and all areas of the law.

The distinct corporate, economic, and lifestyle changes have unmistakably been the result of women taking part in the social and political movement, which took part in the transition from the army rule in the 1970s to the democracy of Brazil in the 1980s and the ongoing institutional processes and policymaking processes. We conceive of ongoing characters as the fourth wave, as described as a gendered procedure of democratic institutionalization and policymaking, and as a revitalization of a high-class womens rights agenda under the effect of transnational women and globalization.

Reference

Adelman, Miriam, and Mariana Corrêa De Azevedo. 2012. Families, Gender Relations and Social Change in Brazil: Practices, Discourse, Policy. Journal of Child and Family Studies 21 (1): 65-74. Web.

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) began in 1996 with the passing of the associated action. It was meant to strengthen families, encourage their workforce participation, and prevent long-term dependency on welfare (Hamilton, 2016). The program attempted to help low-income communities achieve self-sufficiency by not simply offering cash but by implementing other incentives (Hamilton, 2016). However, states tend to misappropriate the funds, and an average household receiving the TANF has a single mother with several children, which makes the stated goals obsolete (Haskins & Weidinger, 2019). Thus, two concerns exist the original reason to implement the TANF and its current failures.

Citizens should pay attention to the issue for the following reasons: caregivers condition, the perpetuation of poverty, and marriage deterioration. First of all, TANF recipients, especially Black women, tend to suffer from economic pressure, which may lead to depression and affect ones parenting style (Holmes et al., 2020). Consequently, child outcomes become poorer, creating a multi-generational vicious cycle (Holmes et al., 2020). The last point leads to another problem, which is the perpetuation of poverty. The TANF does not eradicate the underlying issue with its incentives, forcing families to seek resources elsewhere, and erasing opportunities for others (Hamilton, 2016). Thus, both actual and potential recipients remain dependent and in poverty. Lastly, the TANF makes people wary of marriage, as it can render a family ineligible for its benefits, increasing cohabitation (Hamilton, 2016). A formal partnership is seen as an obstacle to welfare overall, and children might adopt the same view. Altogether, the TANF in its current state is unable to resolve the issues and only exacerbates them.

The solution to family poverty should consider what can incentivize households. The current model is based on the classical understanding of rationality, which implies that restrictions lead to independence (Hamilton, 2016). However, the approach does not consider individual circumstances preventing people from working (Hamilton, 2016). As many suffer from mental health issues, it is prudent to replace cash payments with helpful services addressing a parents condition (Holmes et al., 2020). The job itself should be lenient to allow a person to seek better employment in the future (Hamilton, 2016). TANF funds need tighter regulation and a more focused distribution to ensure that the crucial aspects are covered (Haskins & Weidinger, 2019). Lastly, any low-income family deserves support, regardless of its composition and formal status.

References

Hamilton, L. (2016). Incentives in the temporary assistance for needy families program: A review of the literature. Poverty & Public Policy, 8(2), 141149. Web.

Haskins, R., & Weidinger, M. (2019). The temporary assistance for needy families program: Time for improvements. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 686(1), 286-309. Web.

Holmes, S. C., Ciarleglio, M. M., Song, X., Clayton, A., & Smith, M. V. (2020). Testing the family stress model among black women receiving temporary assistance for needy Families (TANF). Journal of Child and Family Studies, 29, 26672677. Web.

Delinquency is a widely spread problem among adolescents in every part of the worlda lot of effort is being put to identify major reasons and decrease the level of delinquency. One of the hot topics related to delinquency, especially among adolescents, is its relation to family issues. Adolescents are not fully formed personalities. Their psychology is in the process of formation and is highly influenced by various factors. One of the important factors in a relationship with family and its members. Family issues, including family indifference, marital discord, and the economic status of the family, are some of the key factors influencing delinquency.

There are many research works conducted to identify and elucidate the connection between family and delinquency. Various researchers study the problem of youth delinquency and focus on specific family types and problems. For example, one research work examined only crime among Native American youth and family indifference (Baek, Roberts & Higgins, 2018). The study hypothesized that negative emotions acquired from family conditions are the connecting point of family and youth delinquency among Native Americans. The article uses the General Strain Theory-based analysis of the structural equation model as a method to support the hypothesis. Another research work is focused on the influence of religious factors in the family on delinquency among adolescents of 10-14 years (Guo, 2018). The thesis of the study is that religious parents might increase the self-control of the child, thus decreasing future potential delinquency. Furthermore, another study investigated three different theories regarding the familys impact on delinquency (Sogar, 2017). The first theory involves a psychological aspect of the child and parent relationship. The second theory is focused on the structure of the family, while the third one is related to the economic factors of the family.

The findings of the research work are surprising with their unexpected results and diversity. The study using the structural equation model as a methodology concluded that family indifference, which results in the anger of the child, is the cause of delinquency among Native American adolescents. In addition, depression was also identified as the mediator between delinquency and family indifference (Baek, Roberts & Higgins, 2018). Another research article, which focuses on how marital discord among Chinese families affects juvenile delinquency, showed that mental health, attachment to a parent, and delinquency-associated peers are the main factors influencing delinquency. Delinquency is increased due to mental health problems and delinquent peers associated caused by marital discord. However, parental attachment, which decreases delinquency, is inversely proportional to marital discord (Liu, De Li, Zhang & Xia, 2019). Moreover, the absence of one of the parents is not a direct cause of adolescent delinquency, but the lack of attachment associated with single-parent families is the reason for the delinquency. In addition, economic factors, including poverty experience, results in increased delinquency (Sogar, 2017). Thus, family relationships are directly related to delinquency among adolescents.

To conclude, family is an important part of every childs development. The relationship between the child and parents is the key factor in the future behavior of the child. In my opinion, parents attention and care in early childhood is the most important part of a childs psychological development. I think that a child, who got enough love and care from parents, is less likely to be involved in delinquency, which comes along with the abovementioned research findings. Finally, I am convinced that delinquency can be associated with living conditions and relationships within the family.

References

Baek, H., Roberts, A., & Higgins, G. (2018). The impact of family indifference on delinquency among American Indian youth: A test of general strain theory. Journal of Ethnicity in Criminal Justice, 16(1), 57-75. Web.

Guo, S. (2018). A model of religious involvement, family processes, self-control, and juvenile delinquency in two-parent families. Journal of Adolescence, 63, 175-190. Web.

Liu, T., De Li, S., Zhang, X., & Xia, Y. (2019). The Spillover Mechanisms Linking Family Conflicts and Juvenile Delinquency Among Chinese Adolescents. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 64(2-3), 167-186. Web.

Sogar, C. (2017). The influence of family process and structure on delinquency in adolescenceAn examination of theory and research. Journal of Human Behavior In The Social Environment, 27(3), 206-214. Web.

Introduction

Through socialization childs skills, motives, and behavior are adjusted according to the rules that exist in society. Certain groups and organizations in society play a key role in socialization. Parents, siblings, peers, and teachers spend a lot of time explaining values to children, thereby guiding and changing their behavior. Some organizations, such as churches, schools, and law institutes, have developed a specific mission  to transmit cultural, social, and ethical standards and maintain culturally significant forms of behavior. Although many social groups influence the process of socialization, the family is considered the most influential factor in this process.

Main body

Family is the earliest and most constant source of social contact for a child. The emotional relationships and ways of interaction between the infant and the parents will influence the expectations and reaction of the child in subsequent relationships with other people. Beliefs, values, and cultural attitudes are filtered through parents and presented to the child in a personalized and selective manner. The parents identity, socio-economic class, religious affiliation, education, and gender will influence their presentation of cultural standards to their descendants (LeBaron et al., 2018). The social standards that the son of an authoritarian Baptist father from a lower class demonstrates will be different from those that the child of a feminist and an atheist from the middle class represents. Family relationships are still the strongest of all other types of relationships. The main reason for this is the historical continuity of the exchange of experience.

Conclusion

In conclusion, among the most diverse institutions of the social environment, the family occupies the most important place. The family has accumulated a wide variety of forms of interaction between parents and children; on this basis, optimal relationships are formed that contribute to the childs socialization. The family structure as the basis for the socialization of the individual depends on which person will leave it. If the family is organized well, the person himself will be morally and ethically good.

Reference

LeBaron, A. B., Hill, E. J., Rosa, C. M., & Marks, L. D. (2018). Whats and hows of family financial socialization: Retrospective reports of emerging adults, parents, and grandparents. Family Relations, 67(4), 497-509. Web.

Gender roles have been continuously changing for the last four decades or so. It is crucial to mention that the feminist movement was developed to give women equal rights with men. It is indisputable that massive transformation has taken place in regards to the roles of men and women. On the other hand, some roles have largely remained the same. For instance, men expected to be heads of families and offer the much-needed protection.

The role of home making is still a darling duty for women even if most of them have stepped their feet in career development and professional world. Single parenthood has significantly contributed towards the changing gender roles in families. For example, single mothers are no longer expected to stay back home and wait for husbands to provide.

They perform all forms of jobs and work for long hours to cater for their families. This has tightened parenting roles because single mothers play both masculine and feminine roles. This brief essay argues that the changing gender roles in modern society is rapidly being driven by single parent family controversy.

In a New York Times editorial article by Roiphe (2012), the author laments that single mothers have been labeled as bad elements in society by the American public. In a recent poll conducted by Pew Research Centre, it is apparent that close to 70 percent of Americans are against the idea of single mothers. However, the author fights to defend single motherhood by asserting that about 53 percent of all children born in America today are from single mothers.

Although the society associates single motherhood with moral decadence, Roiphe maintains that such a large number of single mothers cannot be directly linked with morality. In other words, it is utterly wrong to condemn single mothers based on research studies that have been conducted in the past. Besides, the author emphasizes that there is no typical way a family structure should be since both nuclear and single-mother families are justified in the face of humanity.

I indeed agree with Roiphes arguments since the growing number of single mothers is primarily contributed by our equally large number of irresponsible men. If the absentee fathers can assume their roles as anticipated by society, then single-motherhood would not bring about the controversies we are witnessing today (Minnotte, 2012). Single motherhood should not be taken as a strange family structure.

It is just one option through a family unit can be constituted. In any case, factors such as death, divorce and separation make it inevitable to elude the reality of single motherhood.

Finally, the arguments posed by the author are strong because they are backed by both empirical research studies and personal experience as a single mother. However, the author could have also argued along the negative impacts of single motherhood in society.

References

Minnotte, K. L. (2012). Family structure, gender, and the work-family interface: Work-to- family conflict among single and partnered parents. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 33(1), 95-107.

Roiphe (2012). In Defense of Single Motherhood.

Introduction

Family is an essential part of society as it is the first agent of human socialization. An individuals status, education, and upbringing depend on their family. However, the structure and the purpose of the family alter with time due to economic and social changes. These alterations are likely to provoke the question of whether family still is a formative factor in human life. However, despite all the significant changes, the family has a central meaning for people.

Changes in Modern Family

Nowadays, families face great change as their members embrace new roles and responsibilities. Since gender roles in society become different, it causes an interchange of functions that previously used to be known as strictly male or female. For example, nowadays, women are possibly to be family providers, and men are expected to be more involved in domestic responsibilities (Oláh et al., 2018). There is a change in the perception of marriage and family as well. It is not considered a necessity anymore, so many people prefer to postpone creating a family or reject the idea of marriage at all.

Digitalization of Communication

Another significant change in the life of the modern family is the digitalization of communication, as it changes family dynamics and relationships. One of the contributing factors to this change was the Covid-19 pandemic. The digitalization of social connections greatly affects the behavior of family members (Schneider & Kreyenfeld, 2021). However, a detailed study of the influence it has on families is yet to be written.

Importance of the Family

Despite new dynamics in modern families, the meaning of family for a person stays the same. A family is a place where an individual learns social skills and practices emotional intelligence. It offers material and emotional support and regulates the behavior of family members (Candelario, 2021). In other words, for many people, it is a source of protection and support they count on in their lives.

Conclusion

Family as a social institution changes with the course of time. Social changes broaden the roles of men and women in the family. The understanding of the purpose of marriage is changing nowadays as well. Digitalization of social interactions leads to different dynamics in family relationships. Still, the family remains the most important community where people are able to satisfy their material and emotional needs.

References

Candelario, S.V. (2021). Family organizational basics: leadership, communication, environment, and culture. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Oláh, L., Kotowska, I.E., & Richter, R. (2018). The new roles of men and women and implications for families and societies. In G. Doblhammer & J. Guma (Eds.), A Demographic Perspective on Gender, Family and Health in Europe (pp.41-65). Springer Open. Web.

Schneider, N.F. & Kreyenfeld, M. (2021). Research handbook on the sociology of the family. Edward Elgar Publishing.

The modern society focuses on success and self-expression. Todays world had become more tolerant to different cultures, nationalities, and gender roles shifting. There are many reasons why men and women are changing their social roles more often. It is promoted by changing in economics and structure of society. There is no doubt that one woman can fulfill her ambitions in different fields; she can even become a Prime Minister. Thanks to these significant changes, todays women are very independent, they have a broad choice of occupations and a great chance to express themselves as they wish. The following essay provides review of current family issues and analysis of changes in traditional familys way of life.

For a great period of human history, women had devoted themselves to serving their families and keeping home clean and cozy. They had to take care of the family and, at the same time, remain cheerful and attractive for their husbands. The first step towards this situation changing was made by the World War II. Women had to perform duties of the sterner sex and help their country. Thereby, women got the chance to show themselves and since that time they may be considered on par with men. Today a lot of women cope with the male roles and prefer to earn money instead of cooking and cleaning the house. Judging by the increasing number of female executives, it is possible to say that women can manage the leading roles.

One of the main obstacles towards the successful career for a woman is necessity to devote a lot of attention both to the work and family. An ordinary woman can build the career if she derives encouragement from her husband or does not have a family at all. The current trends show that todays men are more willing to give the control to women and agree to help with the household management. Current model of relationships in family is parity family where a wife and a husband make an economic contribution to the family according to their salary. They are both responsible for the children and involved in domestic work. The spouses are equal in the family income maintenance and in various decisions taking. It is not an inappropriate family model, it can be considered instead as a new evolved family concept.

Modern social roles changing involve the transformation of masculinity-femininity patterns (Lind and Brzuzy 227). In connection with this phenomenon todays woman stands on the same social step with the man. Thereby, every family can choose its own behavioral model depends on the individual preferences of the family members. Thus, the formation of a new type of father occurs, who is gentle, loving, and taking part in the upbringing of the child from the moment of its birth. He does not only earn money, as it was before, he also spends his free time with children and enjoys it. The traditional patriarchal family becomes a parity one.

It would be great for women to achieve an ideal balance between the career and family commitments, but it is not always possible. Modern society requires from the successful in something person the compliance to its high standards. Today happiness in womens personal life and motherhood are not a priority for most of them. Professional career demands from women much efforts and time and this can negatively affect on their personal lives.

Works Cited

Lind, Amy, and Stepnanie Brzuzy. Battleground: Women, Gender, and Sexuality, Westport: Greenwood Press, 2008. Print.