Psychology of Family

Recommended Prerequisites

The student must have good knowledge of English (reading) since many bibliographic references are in English.

Teaching Methods

Classes take place using either: lectures, group work analysis / reflection, watching videos, role-play and stimulation of topics previously worked by students in field research.

Learning Outcomes

Objectives:

- To promote awareness around the concept of family and family development, having as theoretical framework the evolution of family life cycle.

- to know the Assessment Systemic Model and understanding of family functioning

- to develop skills of reflection and family interview in practical contexts

Theoretical skills- the students should:

- know the different moments of the course of family life cycle;

- be able to identify factors associated with this course and the specific possibilities and difficulties of each stage of the Life Cycle;

- identify specific problems of in each stage of Life Cycle;

- recognize the various "forms" of family beyond the intact middle-class family.

Practical Skills- the students should:

- be able to assess family functioning in real cases;

- identify, from the analysis of cases, the difficulties and the specific features of real families.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. (In) definition of family: the family household

 2. The Life Cycle of intact nuclear middle class family

3. From developmental pathways to the problems

 3.1. Couple formation; the construction of "us"

 3.1.1.Couple violence

3.2. Family with young children; from couple relationship to parenthwood

 3.2.1.Family of child with chronic illness

 3.3. Family with children in school; family-school relationship

 3.3.1. School failure

3.4. Family with teenagers; the issue(s) of autonomy/ies

 3.4.1. Developmental disorders

3.5. Family with adult children

 3.5.1. The death impact in the family

4. Family Life Cycle variants

 4.1.Life Cycle of divorce and post-divorce family

 4.2. Remarriage

 4.3. Adoptive families

 4.4. Single-parent families

4.5. Homosexual couple families.

5. Challenges to family life cycle: contextualization

5.1 Emerging adulthood, family and economic crisis

5.2 ICTs and the family

5.3 The role of women in the family.

Head Lecturer(s)

Maria Madalena Santos Torres Veiga Carvalho

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Project: 50.0%
Mini Tests: 50.0%

Bibliography

Carvalho, J., Francisco, R., & Relvas, A. P. (2015).Family functioning and information and communication technologies: How do they relate?A literature review.Computers in Human Behavior,45,99-108.

Carvalho, J., Francisco, R., & Relvas, A. P. (2017).ICTs and family functioning:A study on portuguese families with adolescents and emergemerging adults. Contemporary Family Therapy, 39, 281-288.

Fonseca, G., Silva, J. T., Paixão, M. P., Crespo, C., & Relvas, A. P. (2019)."Future Hopes and Fears of Portuguese Emerging Adults in Macroeconomic Hard Times:The Role of Economic Strain and Family Functioning", Emerging Adulthood, September, 12, 2019.

Relvas, A.P. (1996).O Ciclo Vital da Família. Perspectiva Sistémica. Afrontamento.

Relvas, A.P., & Alarcão, M.(Coord.)(2003). Novas Formas de Família. Quarteto.

Walsh, F., & McGoldrick, M.(1998). Morte na Família: Sobrevivendo às Perdas. Artes Médicas.