Family Support, Family Support Theory and Family Studies
Family Support, Family Support Theory and Family Studies
2013, Julie Ann Racino, Copyright Notice
Family support is one of the long-term services and supports (LTSS) in the community, and traditionally means support of the family and its extended family network. However, a recent review of family theories (Boss et al, 2004) indicates that family support theory was not even included as an option for families, often with a member with a disability.
Course Description:
Traditional courses in human development and family studies, the public administration family studies' programs, and families in rehabilitation, psychology, or related disciplines are "natural places" for family support theory. Family support theory was promulgated as distinct theories from family therapy back in the 1970s in the US and around the world (See, wikipedia, family support; Taylor, Bogdan & Racino, 1991).
Family support has emerged as a service array in the field of intellectual disabilities, as self help and support groups in the field of mental health, as relevant to birth, foster and adoptive families, and as underlying the new family directed services (Racino, 2012, in press).
Emerging Critique:
Person-centered approaches (e.g., O'Brien & O'Brien, 2002), while having a family-community flavor often for "single adults" or "displaced children", have a different theoretical basis as do most independent living theories. Family support theory (generic theory) has often been developed for one population group (Mittler & Mittler, 1994), and has been largely ignored in cross-disability field developments other than as "respite services" or "parent education" or targeted categorical (e.g., Alzheimer's groups).
Course Outline:
Class 1: Families: The Historical and Changing Meaning of the Family in Family Studies and in Disability
Class 2: Introduction to Family Studies and Human Development
Class 3: Families and Disability: The Traditional Impact of the Child on the Family or Autonomy and Child Development
Class 4: Family Organizing and Roles in Health and Human Services in the US
Class 5: Family Support Theories: Comparative Theories of Support
Class 6: Family Support Services: Governmental Service Delivery
Class 7: Mid-Term Projects
Class 8: Family Support: New and Emerging Population Groups
Class 9: Comparative Theory: Family Support, Family-Directed and Other Family Theories
Class 10: Families and Housing, Employment, Recreation, Education, and Transportation
Class 11: Family and Individual Quality of Life Worldwide
Class 12: Family Support Policy, Laws and Administration in the US
Course Evaluations:
Course evaluations will be distributed at the end of class with a Likert scale and commentary.
Course grades will be computed by attendance and participation (30%), mid class project (30%), final project (30%), and evidence of understanding of readings (10%).
Selected Readings:
Bertelli, M., Bianco, A., Rossi, M., Scuticchio, D. &Brown, I. (2011). Relationship between individual quality of life and family quality of life for people with intellectual disabilities living in Italy. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 55(12): 1136-1150.
Boss, P., Doherty, W., LaRossa, R., Schumm, W., & Steinmetz, S. (2009). Sourcebook of family theories and methods: A contextual approach. NY, NY: Springer.
Braddock, D. (2013). Individual and family support spending per capita. State of the states in developmental disabilities. Boulder, CO: University of Colorado. [See, forthcoming book]
Drapalski, A., Marshall, J., Seybolt, D., Medoff, D., Peer, J., Leite, J. & Dixon, L. (2008). Unmet needs of families of adults with mental illness and preferences regarding family services. Psychiatric Services, 59(6): 655-662.
Dunst, C. & Trivette, C. (2012). Capacity-building family-systems intervention practices. In: G. Singer, D. Biegel, & P. Conway, Family support and family caregiving across disabilities (pp. 33-57). NY, NY: Routledge.
Mittler, P. &Mittler, H. (1994). Innovations in family support for individuals with learning disabilities. Lancashire, England: brothers of Charity, Lisieux Hall, Whittle-le-Woods, Chorley.
Mueller, T.G., Milian, M. & Lopez, M. (2010). Latina mothers' views of a parent-to-parent support group in the special education system. Research and Practice in Severe Disabilities, 34(3-4): 113-122.
O'Brien, J. & O'Brien, C. L. (2002). Implementing person-centered planning: Voices of experience. Volume II. Toronto, Canada: Inclusion Press.
Racino, J. (2012, in press). Family support, family theories and family studies. Public administration and disability: Community services administration in the US. NY, NY: Taylor and Francis, CRC Press. [http://www.crcpress.com/authors]
Simon-Rusinowitz, L., Mahoney, K.C. & Benjamin, A.E. (1998). Payments to family members to provide care: An option that should be available. Generations, 22(3): 64-75.
Taylor, S., Bogdan, R. & Racino, J. (1991). Life in the community: Organizations supporting people with disabilities. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes. [http://www.amazon.com]
Turnbull, A., Turnbull, H.R., Agosta, J., Erwin, E., Fujuira, G., Singer, G., & Soodak, I. (2005). Support of families and family life across the lifespan. In: K.C. Lakin & A. Turnbull, National goals and research for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. (pp. 217-256). Washington, DC: The Arc-US and American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
See, wikipedia, family support en.wiki/family support, 2012
For full course outline, send request in writing to Community and Policy Studies, 208 Henry Street, Rome, New York 13440-6506 USA or request at community and policy studies/business facebook.
Supplemental or Secondary Text:
ReplyDeleteHarry, B., Kalyanpur, M., & Day, M. (1999). Building Cultural Reciprocity with Families: Case Studies in Special Education. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
Next books in special education, cultural and linguistic familiies, similar to goggle translator.
These case study books seem to begin "religion" (e.g., the Virgin Mary of the Catholic religion, while below, the United Arab Emirates are largely Islam), but in the USA, services such as foster care are often provided through religious groups which may have religious motivations for doing so (Taylor et al, 1986; Racino, 1999) and fundamentalist or moralistic beliefs.
DeleteSupplemental International Articles
ReplyDeleteWang, M. & Hu, X. (2014). Supporting Chinese families of children with disabilities: Policy, service provisions, and family quality of life in China. INCLUSION, 2(3): 227-236.
In relationship to the comment below, Chinese articles on families often refer to Chinese government's family planning policies on limitation of children, while other countries may give "bonuses" for increasing family size (See, Family policies, 2014).
DeleteDukmak, S. (2009, November 10). Parent adaptation to and parenting satisfaction with children with intellectual disability in the United Arab Emirates. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 34(4): 324-328. [Please see, wikipedia, United Arab Emirates for "laws", and for all nations outside the USA, refer to nation regimes other than democracies in this case autocracies and monarchies with retributive practices. ]
ReplyDeleteThis article is extremely useful and intersting,Thanks for sharing such a useful article with us.
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Family Community Services
Hi Julie, Hope you are fine, Im a researcher and student of Mphil (Edu), i need your help can you please tell me which theory you used or follow.
ReplyDeletewikipedia, family support; Taylor, Bogdan & Racino, 1991). did you used any questionnaire?
ReplyDelete