The Effects of Schizophrenia on the Family Life Cycle
Families respond to issues affecting them in different ways. One way to examine how a family reacts to situations occurring throughout their lifetimes is through the context of the family life cycle. Family life cycle theory divides the life course of a family into a series of stages that define individuals within a family system (Berge et al., 2012). The family life cycle model, described by Carter and McGoldrick in 2005, focuses on transitions that take place over different stages of the life course. This paper will examine how having a child diagnosed with schizophrenia affects the family life cycle stages and will examine possible methodologies for treating the family in a therapeutic context.
What is Schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that affects about one percent of the population (Marley, 2014). It affects both males and females and the average onset of the disease is in the late teens and early adulthood (Miller & Mason, 2010). Symptoms that characterize this disease include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, and impaired cognitive ability (Patel et al., 2014). These symptoms can occur in combination and can be chronic and severe for many patients (Marley, 2014. The exact cause
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Their theory focuses on key concepts and changes across the life span of the family and its members. Schizophrenia can have a significant impact on the life cycle of the family. Family members provide much of the care for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. These caregivers can be left trying to come to terms with the difficult task of understanding the effects of the illness. Using the framework defined by McGoldrick and Carter, it is possible to examine the effects of schizophrenia on the life cycle of the family (Marley, 2014).
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