Question

Describe Bronfenbrenner’s Theory and evaluate its connections to Role Strain and Parenthood with single parents versus two parent households with current societal examples.

Refer to any scholarly article that connects to the topic to write a Word document with a 500-750 word count. Include factual connections with in –text citations and a reference page. All writing must adhere to APA standard format. A mminimum of two references is required.

Answer 1

Urie Bronfenbrenner developed the ecological theory of development. He introduced five key systems in developing the individual throughout the life. He recognised the importance of the environment in shaping the individual. The five key systems are microsystem, mesosystem, ecosystem, macro system, and chronosystem. Each of these systems have a role in shaping and developing the individual. This theory helps people to understand why an individual grows up in a particular way and what is the future that the individual holds. Bronfenbrenner included biological influences in the ecological theory and named it as bioecological theory. He asserted that human development is best explained in terms of the interaction between individuals and the environment in which they live or have lived. Family according to the ecological theory, is a part of the microsystem. Thus system deals with inner relationships that is relationships that are interacted at on a daily basis. These consists of mother, father, siblings, etc relationships. The mesosystem explores the interrelationships of the developing individual. It is the relationship between two or more microsystem that contains the individual. One microsystem may affect the other and vice-versa. For example, a child that was rejected by parents may find it difficult in interacting with peers. They feel that they may be rejected and tend to be on the safe side so that they will not get hurt anymore. Exosystem level includes the other people and places that the child himself may not interact with often himself but that still have a large affect on him, such as parents' workplace, extended family members, the neighborhood, etc. For example, if a child's parent gets laid off from work, that may have negative affects on the child; however, if the parent gets a promotion, this may positively affect the child since his needs will be met. The macrosystem according to Bronfenbrenner is the cultural background for the social hierarchy and activities in the other four systems of the theory. This layer is comprised of cultural values, customs, and laws. These can also have a positive or negative influence on the child. The chronosystem is the changes made by the environmental events and life-turning events that happen in the individual's life. For example, the divorce of a child's parent and the subsequent marriage if the parent may affect the child psychologically.

Role strain occurs when individuals try to take multiple tasks at the same time. Adjusting to first-time parenting takes a toll on the couple as it leads to decline in marital satisfaction due to role strain. Single parenthood can bring added pressure and stress to the job of raising children. Here one parent functions as both caretaker and provider than in a two-parent household where these roles can be shared. Role strains affect the quality of relationships and the interactions between parent and child. Divorce is the most common cause for single parent households. This leads to instability for children since it forms a part of Bronfenbrenner's microsystem. The child has to adjust to the impending and actual divorce, feelings of abandonment and separation anxiety, feeling forced to choose sides, reconfiguring the relationship with both parents, readjusting to peer group, eventual adjustment of having a stepparent all the above factors have a great impact on the child. Shock, anger, despair, grief, depression are the common emotional reactions displayed by children on parental divorce. However in some families where there is intense tension, children may be better off if their parents divorce and they go on to live in a conflict free environment. Hence the above stated factors may have a negative or positive influence on the child. Single parenting may affect child outcome through reduced quality of parenting and parent-child relationships. Such children have more behavioral problems, psychological problems, educational attainment, and relationship issues. Children here are forced into independence and self-reliance before they are mature enough to cope. Bronfenbrenner stated the mesosystem involves the child's family experience which he relates to school experience. A child rejected by his parents may have low chances of developing positive attitude towards his teachers. In the exosystem setting, consider a situation where a child is more attached to his father than his mother. If his parents are seperating, there may be a conflict between the mother and the child's social relationship, or on the other hand, this event may lead to a tighter bond between the mother and the child. In a two-parent household, loss of a parent's job or promotion may affect the child. This is the exosystem, which doesn't involve the child as an active participant, but still affects him. The parent's ability to carry out solely the responsibility of raising their children is a belief of culture, this inturn affects the structures in which the parents function and this inturn affects the child. This is the macrosystem.

In conclusion, Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory focuses on the quality and context of the child's environment. He sees the instability and unpredictability of family life we have let our economy create as the most destructive force to a child's development.

References:

Heath, D. Terri and Dennis K. Orthner (1999), "Stress and Adaptation Among Male and Female Single Parents," Journal of Family Issues, Vol.20, July, pp.557-587.

Jayson, Sharon (2005), "In Two-Parent Families, the Kids Are All Right." USA Today, September 23, p. 6D.