Family Development Theory

Families and individuals experience all kinds of changes through their lives. Many of these changes
involve transitions or adjustments that may be tough depending on how the family responds and the
resources they have to adapt. The Family Development Theory explains the different stages our
families journey through and what happens during adjustment periods. This theory helps us
understand what tasks should be completed at each stage for the best development and growth of
individuals and families.

Family Development Theory was created in the 1940s and bridged the gap between psychology based
theories (theories focusing on individuals) and sociology based theories (theories focused broadly on
society and culture). This theory includes perspectives from the individual and family as a unit.

Here are the associated Assumptions (taken from “Exploring Family Theories” by Suzanne R
Smith):

– “Just like individuals, families change over time, and these developmental process are essential for
understanding families.”

– “There are tasks associated with each stage of development…a family’s history affects its goals,
expectations, and future behaviors.” Example: parents who pay too much attention to rearing
children and less attention to their relationship may experience martial problems in the future after
the children have grown.

– “Institutional norms regulate family behavior…these social norms or rules regulate how family
members fulfill their roles within their family.” Example: people marry first then have children.
This is less common today than in the past.

– “Development is reciprocal.” Example: individual family members influence each other and the
family’s development influences each individual and their development. It is important to consider
both the individual family member’s development and the entire family’s development.

– “Families must be viewed in multiple levels of analysis.” Example: cohabitation being more socially
acceptable than 30 years ago. Historical time periods and society can influence the behavior of the
family. Families who lived in WWII had different needs and experiences than those of today.

– “Families should be viewed over time…families are not static but change over time.” Important to
remember: “How and when families change, what they accomplish at different points in time, and
why they change can be known only if one studies families over time.”
 CONCEPTS

– Family: Duvall (1977) proposed that the family is a set of “interacting persons related by ties of
marriage, birth, or adoption, who central purpose is to create and maintain common culture which
promotes the physical, mental, emotional, and social development of each of its members.” Many
other theorists have decided that the definition should include that the family is a social group.

– Family Development: Development occurs during transitions from one stage to the next. It is seen
at different levels includes individual, couple, group, and institution of family. Example: retirement
might encourage the individual to spend their time different, the retired couple may start a new
chapter of life together, their expectations may change of the family group including adult children,
at the institutional level norms will change and their behavior may change of retirees.

– Stages: the events and passage of time. Example: single to marriage, childbirth, development or
educational milestones, the work status of the breadwinner(s), age of children, small to big family
size, etc.

– Transitions: the bridge between different stages of family life. These include shifts in roles and
identities. The family shifts in roles, behaviors, and tasks. Families may experience a crisis or
opportunity depending on how they respond. “Family stress is usually greatest at transition points
between developmental stages.” Focusing on transitions help us understand what the family is going
through between stages.

– Change: Occurs when individual family members experience a change from one stage to the next.
Individual changes is a catalyst for family change.

– Developmental tasks: when changes occur, individuals may need to development new abilities,
roles, or relationships. If these tasks are developed positively then the individual will be happier and
have more success. If not, they are less successful and happy. Example: Baby proofing the house when
a baby becomes a toddler. Each stage in a child’s life requires the family to change and accommodate
the needs of children as they grow.

– Norms: Rules, behaviors, and tasks that are expected during stages of development. Example: a
static norm includes the expectation that a father should protect and provide for his children. Process
norms would expect that love would precede marriage or marriage before childbirth.

– Timing: When events occur in a family has an impact on their life and development. This includes
age timing, event and stage sequencing (“…it makes a different to the family when a child is born,
when a couple marries, when someone retires, or when someone moves out of the house.” ), and
historical time that a family lives in (Great Depression vs. baby boomer. Vietnam era vs. 2009
recession).
 THE FAMILY LIFE CYCLE MODEL

There are different models that have been created within family development theory. The Family
Life Cycle by Evelyn Duvall is the most common and includes eight-stages in the family’s life. The
stages include: 1. Married couple, 2. Childbearing, 3. Preschool age, 4. School age, 5. Teenage, 6.
Launching Center, 7. Middle aged Parents, and 8. Aging Family Members. Each of these stages
includes different developmental tasks that are associated, events, and stressors that occur in a
family’s life cycle and how they adapt.

For example, marriage signals the beginning of a new family and new life adjustments of the couple
and their families. This may bring many stressors including how the origin families will adjust to the
new spouse. Bearing children brings different adjustments of learning how to care for a newborn.
Raising children through different ages in school brings on a new stage of helping kids through
school, working with teachers, the school system, and other parents, etc. Launching signals a new
transition with helping children leave the nest and getting them ready for college, mission, marriage,
etc. The middle age years brings retirement and couples that need to adjust to being grandparents
and experience different life style without work. Aging brings preparation couples make to depart
this life. Each step is very different and includes many moments when the family will need to readjust
and cope to new challenges and stresses. The below image shows each of the developmental tasks
associated with each stage:
Although this model is a great in understanding family development it has its flaws and critiques.
Many say this model is only based on one type of family scenario, the typical nuclear type. What
about families that experience divorce, remarriage, infertility, or other changes? In additional to this
model not being universal enough, other critics have stated this model is too bias towards single
generations and does not show how multiple generations effects the other. Families are very complex,
so how would we represent the family life cycle to involve the variety of different families, their
timelines, and differences? Theorists have attempted to adjust the Family Life Cycle Model to make
it more dynamic. Of all the adjustments made I enjoyed learning most about the Systemic Family
Development Model.

THE SYSTEMIC FAMILY DEVELOPMENT MODEL

This model proposed by Tracey Laszloffy who compared the family model to a cake. In her paper
“Rethinking Family Development Theory: Teaching with the Systemic Family Development (SFD)
Model” she explains: “According to this metaphor, the ingredients in a cake are like the individuals
in a family and when the ingredients are mixed together and baked, what emerges is a cake or a family.
Although the ingredients (i.e., butter, milk, flour, sugar, and eggs) all are used to make the cake, once
the ingredients are mixed and baked, a product that is greater than the sum of its parts emerges. The
cake is more than just the individual ingredients – it is a unique entity that is not reducible to any of
its parts. This is true for families.” Each layer of the cake represents a generation of the family;
grandparents, parents, children, individuals, etc. When a new generation is added a new layer to the
cake is included. When a slice is taken out of the cake you see each layer and how it is affecting each
other at that point in time. Different slices would represent different periods of time for that family
and what they are going through based on the different stages of life and how their stressors affect
each other. This creates a multi-generational, complex, and dynamic way to view families.

When a stressor or changes occurs, it is similar to a new element being added to the cake. If chocolate
chips were added the layers would need to conform to fit around this new ingredient. If the cake does
not adjust to the new ingredient, then the stress becomes a crisis and the cake is distorted. The family
(cake) must make adjustments to in their roles in response to the stress (chocolate chips) to move
smoothly through the transition. Stressors can occur from many types of changes like the ones
mentioned above. If developmental tasks are completed successfully then the family is able to adapt
well in that moment and for the future. For example, establishing a strong marriage in the Married
Couple Stage will help the couple in their current relationship and when the transition occurs to the
Childbearing Stage.
 APPLYING FAMILY DEVELOPMENT THEORY TO MY LIFE

My husband and I recently had our first baby which means we are in the Childbearing Stage of the
Family Life Cycle. Before having our baby, I thought I was mentally prepared to take on my new
role of being a mother. To some degree this was true. My husband and I had been married over five
years, had a strong relationship, and felt we were ready to start having kids. I had in my mind exactly
how things would be and how I would handle my new role. When our baby finally came, I was
surprised to find how challenging and different the transition would be. We were extremely happy to
welcome our new baby girl to our family although I realized being a mother was not easy or exactly
what I thought. I underestimated just how rigorous and demanding taking care of a newborn would
be. Our lives were completely turned upside down and I was struggling with lack of sleep, fighting
the baby blues, time management, and understanding how everything fit together in our new life.
Luckily, I had the support of loving family members who reached out to help me. Our baby girl is
now three months old and ultimately, I feel we adjusted well because of the strength of our marital
relationship and love and support from our families.

Becoming a parent, I have learned that taking care of your children requires a very selfless and
constant devotion that is unlike anything else I have ever done or experienced. During the Launching
Stage couples help their children “leave the nest” and assist them to live entirely on their own.
Couples struggle with this because for years because parents have been the total provider for
everything their child(ren) needed. Now very suddenly their child(ren) have left the house leaving
mom and dad to redefine their role again. My parents have five children and all of them are out of
the house except for the youngest who is in High School. They have been in the Launching stage
ever since I left for college in 2009. When I left home, they made sure I had everything I needed,
then provided a good home base for me to periodically return. Because my parents did everything,
they could to support me in the launching phase I felt loved and support in my new chapter of life.
Since then, my mother has filled her life with things to keep her busy. Along with spending time in
her favorite hobby, sewing, she has made herself busy with homeschooling my younger brother
through middle school, and now attending school online. Although helping her children leave the
nest has not been easy, she has kept in close communication using video chats, texting, and calls.

When my husband and I were first married we experienced developmental tasks in the Married
Couple or Establishment Stage in the Family Life Cycle. We adjusted to our new lives as husband
and wife and strived to create a happy and satisfying relationship. We did this by respecting and
serving each other, being kind and Christ like, working on our communication skills, and learning
more about each other and our personalities. We experienced disagreements, although we decided
from the beginning that divorce would never be an option and that no problem was ever more
important than our love for the other. This helped us put our priorities in the right place and establish
a strong relationship. I believe the developmental tasks associated with the Married Couple Stage
outlined by Duvall are right on point. Duvall explains that “individuals thinking about forming a
couple need to learn about each other’s desire, dreams, expectations, and style of living. They need
to find out more about each other’s habits and hobbies, ways of interacting with their friends and
families, and likes and dislikes, from foods to movies to household décor. In addition to these
pragmatic considerations, couples also have to develop intellectual and emotional communication
patterns, patterns of behaviors and preferences, and a jointly workable philosophy of life and set of
values.” I believe these tasks are essential to creating a strong relationship and happy home. In order
to transition through future stages appropriately couples really need to learn about each other and
establish their commitment. In addition to the tasks Duvall explains, I personally believe that couples
will draw closer together if they draw closer to the Savior. This is an additional task I believe is
essential. With my understanding of the gospel, which is all about families, I believe that families
would have even more success with developmental tasks if they incorporated principles of the gospel.
I am reminded of the marriage triangle. Christ is at the top point and each spouse is at the side points.
The closer the couple comes to Christ they closer they come together. Having a strong martial
foundation is an important factor in whether families will succeed or struggle in a developmental
task.

Because my husband and I were able to successfully complete the tasks associated in the
Establishment Stage we were able to transition well during the beginning of the Childbearing Stage.
There were plenty of times within the last three months my husband and I could have gotten into an
argument because of differences in opinion, fatigue, frustration, or stress while understanding our
new roles and coping through the transition. Although because we established a strong marital
foundation, we had the groundwork complete for the next stage in our lives.

I really enjoyed learning how this theory predicts how a family might struggle based on how well
they have accomplished the developmental tasks associated with previous stages within the family life
cycle. It also showcases the complexity of families and how each person affects the other.