| CODE | FSD2004 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Psychosocial Aspects of Family Life | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Child and Family Studies | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will give an overview of family relationship dynamics in a contemporary sociocultural context. Explorations of the meaning of family and of the interrelationships between race, gender, social class and power will serve as an introduction to this study-unit. The family life cycle and attachment theory will then be presented as important conceptual frameworks with which to understand important challenges and milestones at different phases of family life. An introduction to basic systemic concepts, including how couple dynamics and co-parenting affect children, will equip students with a broader and deeper perspective of connectedness and its implications. Couple communication and conflict management styles will be emphasized. The complex dynamics involved in intimate partner violence will be explored. Adolescence and old age will be highlighted as two particularly challenging stages of the family life cycle today. The rise in singlehood and the pros and cons of solo living will be discussed. By way of conclusion, strengths-based and resilience perspectives will be presented to highlight processes by which families adapt, cope, and flourish. Study-Unit Aims: This study-unit aims to equip students with an understanding of family forms, functioning, and adversities faced by families in the 21st century as viewed from a systemic conceptual framework. Special emphasis will be placed on family strengths and resilience. This study-unit also aims to introduce students to basic systemic skills which can be used to enhance their work with families as home economists. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - describe how family forms are changing in today's world; - discuss the major conceptual frameworks which help them make sense of both family functioning and adversities faced by families; - demonstrate an understanding of basic systemic ideas of relationships and connectedness and their implications for family wellbeing. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - analyze family life and situations from different theoretical angles; - use basic systemic skills ;in work with families; - help families respond to challenges faced from strengths- and resilience-based perspectives. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - McGoldrick, M., Carter, B., & Garcia-Preto, N. (Eds.). (2013). The expanded family life cycle: Individual, family, and social perspectives (4th international ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. - Walsh, F. (Ed.). (2012). Normal family processes: Growing diversity and complexity in a changing world (4th ed.). New York, NY: Guilford. Supplementary Readings: - Abela, A., Frosh, S., & Dowling, E. (2005). Uncovering beliefs embedded in the culture and its implications for practice: The case of Maltese married couples. Journal of Family Therapy, 27(1), 3-23. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-6427.2005.00296.x - Abela, A., & Walker, J. (Eds.) (2014). Contemporary issues in family studies: Global perspectives on partnerships, parenting and support in a changing world. Chichester, England: Wiley Blackwell. - Collins, D., Jordan, C., & Coleman, H. (2013). An introduction to family social work (4th. international ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. - Golombok, S. (2015). Modern families: Parents and children in new family forms. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Claire Casha (Co-ord.) Delicia Farrugia Thomas Galea Joseph Mangion |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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