The role of the family in the development of psychopathology.

Abstract

Psychologists generally make the assumption that the experiences to which the individual is exposed over a period of time lead to the development of learned patterns of behavior. From this, psychologists have reasoned that the experiences the individual has in his early life at home, with his family, in general, and his mother, in particular, are major determinants in the learning of the constellation of behaviors subsumed under the rubric, personality, and in particular, the development of psychopathology. A review of the research of the past 40 yr. failed to support this assumption. No factors were found in the parent-child interaction of schizophrenics, neurotics, or those with behavior disorders which could be identified as unique to them or which could distinguish one group from the other, or any of the groups from the families of the controls.

Effectiveness of students and parents in a psycho-educational intervention programme for children with learning problems

“…The perceptual criteria were selected because of the extensive evidence that a child's adjustment is significantly related to his perceptions of his family relationship (e.g. Cox, 1974;Frank, 1965;Serot and Teevan, 1961). It was predicted that, while an intervention programme for the child would produce significant changes in terms of these criteria, the additional involvement of the parents would lead to even greater changes.…”

Family background characteristics and school adjustment problems

“…In their extensive survey of childrearing practices, Sears, Maccoby, and Levin (1957) for example, provided much evidence linking parental attitudes and practices to children's psychological adjustment. Frank (1965) and Handel (1965) cited correlational evidence of links between family characteristics and children's disorders. More recently, Felner, Stolberg, and Cowen (1975) have demonstrated differential patterns of school maladjustment between children who have experienced the death of a parent and those with histories of parental divorce or separation.…”

"Relative Self-Evaluation," anxiety, probability of success, and Sullivan's theory of the interpersonal nature of personality

“…Coopersmith (19 67), Frank (1965), Rosenberg (1968), and Wylie (1961) suggested that the significant variable in the development of s elf-evaluation may be the individual's repre sentations of interpersonal events, significant others, and self.…”

“…Crandall and Bellugi (1954), Frank (1965), Morse and Gergen (1970), Mueller (1963), andSteiner (1968) suggested that there is a reflexive relationship betweea evaluation of self and evaluation of and by others. Thus, the manner in which an individual evaluates both himself and those with whom he interacts may determine not only with whom and under what circumstances the individual interacts but also which cues will be attended to in a situation and the meaning attached to those cues.…”

“…It has been suggested that past events may not in themselves be causal agents of subse quent attitudes towards self (Frank, 1965;Sullivan, 1947). Study II, a modification of Diggory's research paradigm and application of the extended model of self-evaluation, explored the relationships between fiSE, anxiety, and selfestimations of probability of success.…”