Background:
In health promotion and disease prevention health care providers sometimes must assess and ask questions about the family background of clients in order to complete a risk assessment. In researching the history and physicals of clients you may see a genogram included in the chart.
Traditionally the family was defined as a biological family (mother, father, and children all blood related). The current definition of the family has expanded. Currently there are many different families including (but not limited to):
Single parent families (one out of 4 children in the U.S. lives with single parent)
Multi-generational
Lesbian and gay parents raising children
Grandparents raising grandchildren
Families provide certain purposes (theoretically) including:
Physical (basic needs), a comfortable and safe environment
Economic
Reproductive
Emotional (affection, comfort, and coping)
Socialization (teaches value belief, problem solves, helps make good productive citizens for society)
Duvall is one of several Family Theorists. He identified stages of the family life cycle and critical family developmental tasks that must be successfully mastered in order for family growth and adaptation. It is similar to Erikson’s Stages of Development that you worked with last semester. This classification goes by the age of the oldest child. Some criticisms of this theory are that it assumes that all families are typical and it has a middle class bias. It doesn’t allow for diversity.
Genograms can be used to record family illnesses and to give information about family relationships and boundaries. We will only be recording illnesses.
Requirements:
Using the genogram symbols provided, complete a three generational genogram. Include: age, sex, marriages and children. If deceased mark with an “X” and include age of death and Cause (if known). It needs to include both the paternal and maternal sides of the nuclear family.
Identify with a circle the nuclear family that you are basing this genogram on.
Identify the stage of Duvall and what tasks need to be accomplished. Give a brief narrative on how the family is doing with each of these tasks.
Look at the genogram. What trends for illness or health promotion do you see? Select an illness (especially if it is recurring) and write a paper on the description, signs and symptoms, risk factors, and treatment.
What could you teach this family that would be beneficial to prevent further occurrences or disease complications. Be specific. Do not just state ”exercise”. State “aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes for a minimum of three times a week (like walking, running, swimming, or riding a bicycle)”.
Finally, evaluate this assignment. Was it beneficial in facilitating learning? Explain the significance of using genograms in history taking. Was this assignment of any personal benefit to you?
Bibliography using APA format with at least one source for the illness described.
Final thoughts. If you do not feel comfortable doing one on your immediate family, choose someone that can provide you with this information. You do not have to identify yourself by name or any family member or friend. Per usual, all the information submitted will be confidential and will be between the student and instructor only.
DUVALL’S FAMILY STAGES AND TASKS
STAGE 1: Beginning Families
Age of Members: Parents usually young adults, can be a remarriage
Developmental Tasks:
establish a mutually satisfying marriage
planning a family (to have or not have children)
relationships to kin network (separating self from family of origin & working out different relationships with parents, siblings, and in-laws)
STAGE 2: Early Childbearing
Age of Members: Begins with the birth of the first child and continues through the infant’s 30th month.
Developmental Tasks:
setting up family as a stable unit (develop feeling of family)
having and adjusting to infant (time and energy management)
supporting needs of all family members
renegotiating marital relationship
STAGE 3: Families with Preschool Children
Age of Members: Begins when firstborn child is 2½ until 5 years of age.
Developmental Tasks:
adjusting to costs of family life
socialization of children
integration of new members (2nd or 3rd child into family)
reestablishment of outside interests for parents
STAGE 4: Families with School-Age Children
Age of Members: Begins when firstborn is 6 and ends at 13.
Developmental Tasks:
continued socialization of children through promoting school achievement
learning to deal with the child’s separation (letting child go to outside activities and develop peer relationships)
maintaining a satisfying marital relationship
Stage 5: The Family with Teenagers
Age of Members: Begins with the first—born turning 13, usually lasts 6—7 years (shorter if the child leaves home early)
Developmental Tasks:
balancing freedom with responsibilities as teenagers mature and emancipate themselves
maintaining open communications among members
supporting ethical and moral values within the family
releasing young adults
strengthening marital relationships
STAGE 6: Launching Families
Age of Members: Begins when first child leaves home and ends with “empty nest”
Developmental Tasks:
reorganization of family structure & readjustment of marital relationship – relating to each other as marital partners rather than parents
assisting aging and ill parents of husband and wife
children become independent while still maintaining ties with parents
STAGE 7: Families of Middle Years (divorce common at this age)
Age of Members: Begins when last child leaves and ends with retirement or death of spouse
Developmental Tasks:
sustaining satisfying & meaningful relationships with aging parent & children (promoting intergenerational relationships – may be grandchildren)
Stage 8: Family in Retirement and Old Age
Age of Members: Begins with retirement and ends with death.
Developmental Tasks:
adjusting to retirement (limited income)
adjusting to loss of spouse
maintenance of intergenerational family ties
make sense of existence
