Dialectics of the family life cycle

Wright, Larry

doi:10.1080/01926187908250306

Cited by 10 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…This fundamental fact presents us with what is, in a sense, the metapolarity of living systems: change and no‐change. Family therapists have noted that this polarity is present in all family systems, calling it such things as morphostatic and morphogenetic forces (16), homeostatic and transformational tendencies (2), permanence and change (54), etc. As with all polarities, Taoism suggests that harmony arises from a balanced integration of what appear to be opposing forces, a view also held by family systems theorists (39, 49, 57).…”

Section: Polarity and Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They suggest that the most fundamental contradiction (or polarity) is change and permanence, and Weeks and L'Abate (55) have used this foundation of dialectical theory as a basis for their model of paradoxical therapy. Likewise, Weeks and Wright (54) have employed it as a central metaphor for developmental theory of the family life cycle.…”

Section: Taoism and The New Epistemologymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Paradox and Polarity: The Tao of Family Therapy

Jordan¹

1985

Family Process

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Taoism is a Chinese spiritual tradition whose central metaphors concern polarity, paradox, and the natural process of change. Taoist ideas offer a particularly useful framework for understanding paradoxical interventions, the stance of the paradoxical therapist, and the new epistemology emerging in the field. The relevance of three Taoist metaphors for family therapists is discussed: polarity, cyclical change, and Wu Wei (noninterference).

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Section: Polarity and Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Taoism and The New Epistemologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Paradox and Polarity: The Tao of Family Therapy

Jordan¹

1985

Family Process

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“…Because change is assumed basic, development (DS 8, 18) is a major concern of dialectical perspectives. Weeks and Wright (44) used Riegel's (31) formulation of development in characterizing family developmental sequences. From a dialectical point of view, Reigel asserted that development proceeds along four dimensions simultaneously: inner‐biological, individual‐psychological, cultural‐sociological and outer‐physical.…”

Section: Meta‐formalmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Because of these tensions, the family is motivated to make synchronizing reorganizations. It is only when a family can make these shifts in the family life cycle (15, 39, 44) smoothly and pragmatically that proper functioning ensues. Moreover, changes from one stage to another are not merely quantitative but qualitative, such as the changes in rules, roles, and expectations among a family's relationships when one of the children enters adulthood.…”

Section: Meta‐formalmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, homeostasis represents only the pole of permanence (stability) in a bipolarity of permanence and change (43). A mature dialectical position would draw theorists' attention to the opposing impetus toward conflict, disharmony, and desynchronization (31, 44). Since no social system is ever complete or impermeable (i.e., closed), it embodies contradictions within itself and between itself and elements external to it (DS 16).…”

Section: Meta‐formalmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dialectical Metatheory in Family Therapy

Bopp¹

1984

Family Process

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This paper addresses the controversy in family therapy over basic philosophical issues in terms of a historical opposition between demonstrative and dialectical metatheories. It argues that advances in family therapy are indicative of the growing prominence of dialectical forms of understanding in the social sciences. Several family therapy concepts are explored as representative of the dialectical categories of motion, form, relationship, and transformation.

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The Black extended family: An analytical consideration.

Wilson¹

1986

Developmental Psychology

146

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This analytical review considers the black extended family within the framework of the family life model. Particularly, it presents: (a) the life stages of the black extended family; (b) research on the antecedents and consequences of extended family life; and (c) social policy, clinical intervention, and family research implications of the black extended family from the context of a broad conceptual and methodological definition of family. It is noted that past usage of the term family was restricted to the nuclear family model, which implied that other family forms were incomplete or deviant. The assumptions that underlie such a strategy-(a) cultural equivalence of black and white Americans and (b) homogeneity of black Americans-are challenged. Three implications are examined: (a) the black extended family should be accepted as a healthy, distinct system; (b) clinical interventions with black families should assess the influence of the extended family members in family problems; and (c) further research is necessary.

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Dialectics of the family life cycle

Cited by 10 publications

References 10 publications

Paradox and Polarity: The Tao of Family Therapy

Paradox and Polarity: The Tao of Family Therapy

Dialectical Metatheory in Family Therapy

The Black extended family: An analytical consideration.

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