Chapter 14
Family Crises
Chapter Outline
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Coping with Crises
Death in the Family
Accidents, Injuries, and Catastrophic
Illness
Family Violence
Poverty and Unemployment
The Military Family in Time of War
Drug and Alcohol Abuse
What is a crisis?
A crisis is any event that upsets the
smooth functioning of a person’s life.
Review: 8 Characteristics of Strong
Families
1.
2.
3.
4.
Commitment
Appreciation
Good communication skills
Desire to spend time together
Review: 8 Characteristics of Strong
Families
5.
6.
7.
8.
Strong value system
Ability to deal with crises and stress in a
positive manner
Resilience
Self-efficacy
Coping with Crisis
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
Depending on a family’s viewpoint and
resources, many different kinds of events
are apt to become crises.
Crisis-provoking events are called
stressor events.
Types of Stressor Events
•
•
Internal - Events that arise from
someone inside the family, such as
alcoholism, suicide, or running for
election.
External - Events that arise outside the
family, such as earthquakes, terrorism,
the inflation rate, or cultural attitudes
toward women and minorities.
Types of Stressor Events
•
•
Normative - Events that are expected
over the family life cycle, such as birth,
launching a young adult, marriage, aging,
or death.
Nonnormative - Events that are
unexpected, such as winning a lottery,
getting a divorce, dying young or war.
Types of Stressor Events
•
•
Ambiguous - The facts are so unclear
that you’re not even sure that the crisis is
happening to you and your family.
Nonambiguous - Clear facts are
available about the event: what is
happening, when, how long, and to
whom.
Types of Stressor Events
•
•
Volitional - Events that are wanted and
sought out, such as a freely chosen job
change, a college entrance, or a wanted
pregnancy.
Nonvolitional - Events that just happen,
such as being laid off or the sudden loss
of someone loved.
Types of Stressor Events
•
•
Chronic - A situation that has long
duration, such as diabetes, chemical
addiction, or racial discrimination.
Cumulative - Events that pile up, one
right after the other, so there is no
resolution before the next one occurs.
Types of Stressor Events


Acute - An event that lasts a short time
but is severe, such as breaking a limb,
losing a job, or flunking a test.
Isolated - An event that occurs alone, at
least with no other events apparent at that
time. It can be pinpointed easily.
Stress Leads to Success?
•
•
Research has found that moderate stress,
especially during childhood, may be
related to later achievement.
In a study of 400 famous individuals from
the twentieth century, it was found that 3/4
were troubled as children and that 1/4
faced physical disability or difficulty.
Responses to Stress

1.
2.
3.
General-adaptation Syndrome:
Alarm
Resistance
Recovery or exhaustion
Alarm Reaction
•
•
•
Physical and psychological changes are
experienced.
These changes are controlled by the
sympathetic or parasympathetic nervous
systems.
These two systems usually operate in
opposition to each other; that is, if one system
activates a response, the other counteracts
the response.
Resistance
•
During this stage, various physical
responses appear to return to normal,
because the body has built up resistance
to the stress.
Exhaustion or Recovery


During this stage, exhaustion occurs if
the original symptoms return. The person
often becomes physically ill.
On the other hand, if the stress has been
reduced to a tolerable level, the
symptoms do not come back and
recovery ensues.
Autonomic Nervous System
Physical Signs of Stress
•
Pounding of the heart; rapid heart rate
•
Rapid, shallow breathing
•
Dryness of the throat and mouth
•
Raised body temperature
•
Decreased sexual appetite or activity
•
Feelings of weakness, light-headedness,
dizziness, or faintness
Psychological Signs of Stress
•
Irritability, tension, or depression
•
Impulsive behavior and emotional instability
•
Lowered self-esteem; thoughts related to failure
•
Excessive worry; insecurity; concern about
other people’s opinions; self-deprecation
•
Reduced ability to communicate with others
Steps in Crises Management
1.
2.
3.
4.
Describe the event in realistic terms and
determine whether it is a crisis for you, your
family, or your friend.
Examine your emotions and reactions to the
crisis situation.
Seek support and help from friends and
family.
Consider all possibilities and take decisive
action to resolve the crisis.
Therapy
•
•
•
•
Therapy is a broad term used to describe
actions taken to cure or solve any problem.
Taking an aspirin is therapy for a headache.
Counseling from a hospice after the death of a
loved one is therapy.
Many groups and organizations help individuals
cope with crises in their lives.
Defending Against Harmful Stress
•
•
Coping devices are ways of handling or
dealing with stress, frustration, pain, fear,
anxiety, and any other problems arising
from stressful situations.
Anxiety is a generalized fear, without a
specific object or source.
Progressive Relaxation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Assume a comfortable position, in a quiet
environment and with eyes closed.
Breathe deeply.
Relax each muscle in the body, starting with
the feet and working up to the neck and face.
Maintain a quiet attitude, let thoughts come
and go, allow relaxation to proceed at its own
pace.
Remain relaxed for 15 to 20 minutes.
Defense Mechanisms
•
Defense mechanisms are the methods
an individual uses to deny, excuse,
change, or disguise behaviors that cause
stress or anxiety.
•
They are unconscious, unlike the coping
strategies.
Positive Uses of Defense
Mechanisms
1.
2.
Defense mechanisms can give time to
adjust to a problem that might at first be
overwhelming.
Defense mechanisms may lead to
experimentation with new roles.
Commonly Used Defense
Mechanisms
1.
2.
3.
Repression is an unconscious blocking of
whatever is causing stress and frustration.
Displacement is a straightforward substitution
of a less-threatening behavior for another.
Rationalization involves finding an excuse for
a behavior that is causing trouble.
Commonly Used Defense
Mechanisms
4.
5.
6.
Projection is a defense mechanism whereby
one’s own characteristics or impulses are
imposed upon others.
Sublimation involves converting a socially
unacceptable impulse into a socially
acceptable activity.
Compensation allows a person to make up for
a shortcoming in one area by becoming
successful in another area.
Scapegoating
•
•
Projection is the major psychological
mechanism used in scapegoating,
whereby a person or group is blamed for
the mistakes or crimes of another.
Scapegoating may also be evident when
a person or group is blamed for some
misfortune that is due to another cause.
Ambiguous Loss
Two kinds:
1. In the first, people are physically absent but
psychologically present, because it is
unclear whether they are dead or alive.
•
Missing soldiers and kidnapped persons
illustrate this type of loss.
2. The second type is when a person is
physically present but psychologically
absent, such as people with Alzheimer’s
disease, addictions or who are in a coma.
Death Rate for Homicide
(rate/100,000 pop)
1980
2002
All males
16.6
9.0
All females
4.4
2.8
White male
10.4
5.2
White female
3.2
2.1
Black male
69.4
35.4
Black female
13.2
7.1
Death Rate for Homicide
(rate/100,000 pop)
1980
2002
Hispanic male
27.4 (1990)
11.8
Hispanic female
4.3 (1990)
2.8
Asian male
9.1
4.3
Asian female
3.1
1.7
American Indian male
23.3
10.7
American Indian female
4.6
3.0
Death Rate for Suicide
(rate/100,000 pop)
1980
2002
All males
19.9
17.7
All females
5.7
4.0
White male
20.9
19.1
White female
6.1
4.3
Black male
11.4
10.0
Black female
2.4
1.8
Death Rate for Suicide
(rate/100,000 pop)
1980
2002
Hispanic male
23.5 (1990)
20.2
Hispanic female
2.3 (1990)
1.7
Asian male
10.7
8.6
Asian female
5.5
2.8
American Indian male
19.3
16.0
American Indian female
4.7
3.8
Common Questions About Suicide
1.
2.
3.
4.
Why do young people want to die?
If suicidal persons want to live, then why
would they try to kill themselves?
If a person’s mind is set on suicide, can
anyone or anything change it?
Is it hard to face life after attempting
suicide?
Common Questions About Suicide
5.
6.
7.
Do people who talk about killing
themselves just want attention? Is it
best to just ignore their threats?
Are people who try to kill themselves
emotionally ill?
What causes people to attempt suicide?
Common Questions About Suicide
8.
9.
10.
11.
How can you tell if someone is about to
commit suicide?
What can you do to help if you suspect
an oncoming suicide attempt?
What if you fail to prevent a suicide?
What if you sometimes feel like ending
your own life?
Death Rates for Firearm-Related
Injuries (rate/100,000 pop)
All persons
All males
All females
1980
14.8
25.9
4.7
2002
10.4
18.1
2.8
White male
22.1
15.9
White female
Black male
Black female
4.2
60.1
8.7
2.7
34.2
3.9
Death Rates for Firearm-Related
Injuries (rate/100,000 pop)
1980
2002
Hispanic male
27.6 (1990)
13.6
Hispanic female
3.3 (1990)
1.8
American Indian male
24.0
13.1
American Indian female
5.8
2.9
Reactions to Death
1.
Denial and isolation
2.
Anger
3.
Bargaining
4.
Depression
5.
Acceptance
Family Violence
•
•
•
•
•
Violence between Partners
Child Abuse
Sibling Abuse
Peer Abuse
Parental Abuse by Children
Elements of Child Abuse
1.
2.
3.
4.
The parent must be a person to whom
physical punishment is acceptable.
The abusive parent often has unrealistic
expectations for the child.
The parent perceives the child to be
difficult and trying.
There is usually a crisis of some kind.
Factors Associated with Family
Violence
1.
2.
3.
4.
The cycle of violence
Socioeconomic status
Stress
Social isolation
Factors Associated with Family
Violence
5.
Traditional male-role orientation
6.
Low self-esteem, understanding,
patience, and tolerance
7.
Alcohol and drug use
Americans in Poverty
Percent All People and Family
Members below 100% of Poverty, 2002
All People
People in
Families
All races
12.5%
10.8%
White
10.5
8.7
Black
24.4
23.1
Hispanic
22.5
21.5
Asian
11.8
9.8
Poverty Rates by Education and
Race, 2000
Percent Child Poverty Rates
Race
Metropolitan
Rural
All Children
16%
19%
Black
32
42
Hispanic
19
24
Asian
14
14
American
Indian
27
36
The Working Poor
•
Working poor: Employed people
who live below the poverty threshold
Various Family Relationships in the
Military
Advantages of Military Life
•
•
•
•
The entire military acts as a surrogate family.
The goals of the military are similar, thus
contributing to a high degree of camaraderie.
Housing or an allowance is provided, which
helps the families when moving from place to
place.
New assignments bring new friends and
support from service families at the new
posting.
Disadvantages of Military Life
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
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
Frequent moves and loss of friends.
Parental absences with deployment.
Pressure to adjust and fit into the group.
Lack of control over one’s future.
Disadvantages of Military Life
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

Housing, although often provided, looks
like everyone else’s and close living
makes privacy difficult.
Parenting difficulties when a parent is
deployed.
Stress for the trailing party.
Drug Abuse
Drug abuse is the persistent and
excessive use of any drug that
results in psychological or physical
dependence, or that the society
labels as dangerous or illegal.
Drug Abuse

Defining the term drug is difficult. One
definition of a drug is any substance taken
for medical purposes or for pleasure that
affects bodily functions.
Continuum of Drug Action
Well-known Personalities Who Had
Drug-Related Deaths
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Rob Pilatus
Chris Farley
Michael Hutchence
Sid Vicious
Kurt Cobain
Brian Jones
River Phoenix
John Belushi
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Jim Morrison
Brian Epstein
Marilyn Monroe
Janis Joplin
Judy Garland
Elvis Presley
Jimi Hendrix
Len Bias
Quick Quiz
1. When a person or group is blamed for the
mistakes or crimes of another it is called
a)
b)
c)
d)
projection
displacement
scapegoating
repression
Answer: c
•
Scapegoating is when a person or group
is blamed for the mistakes or crimes of
another.
2. Repression, projection and displacement
are all
a)
b)
c)
d)
Coping methods
Defense Mechanisms
Relaxation Techniques
Stressor Events
Answer: b
•
Repression, projection and displacement
are common defense mechanisms.
3. Crisis provoking events are called
a)
b)
c)
d)
Stressor events
Family events
Crisis Management
Therapy
Answer: a
•
Crisis provoking events are also called
stressor events.