Far Eastern University

Institute of Health Sciences

and Nursing

NUR 1205
NCM 105 COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING I
Individual and Family as client

THE FAMILY
Types, Functions, Structural Characteristics of the Filipino Family

INTRODUCTION

The family is the basic unit in society and is shaped by all forces surround it. Values, beliefs, and customs
of society influence the role and function of the family (invades every aspect of the life of the family).
It is a unit of interacting persons bound by ties of blood, marriage or adoption. It constitutes a single
household, interacts with each other in their respective familial roles and create and maintain a
common culture. The family is also pertaining to two or more people who live in the same
household (usually), share a common emotional bond, and perform certain interrelated social tasks
(Spradly & Allender, 1996). A family is an organization or social institution with continuity (past,
present, and future). In which there are certain behaviors in common that affect each other. It is
a social group characterized by common residence, economic, cooperation and reproduction.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A HEALTH FAMILY

Healthy families don't just happen naturally; they are developed and nurtured over time. A
healthy family has learned how to deal with life's daily ups and downs as well as how to cope with
the unexpected. A nurse caring for the family needs to know the characteristics of a healthy
family to be able to effectively and appropriately render nursing care. There are ten
characteristics identified.
Ten Characteristics of a Healthy Family

a. Learning to be open with one another is the first beginning step to a healthy
family. Communicating your needs and caring for the needs of one another is a major
undertaking but not impossible. Sharing is a healthy part of friendship. There are
many great strategies for communicating with one another. If your family is
having problems communicating consider rephrasing and asking questions to clarify
what someone means or to get a better understanding of the situation.

b. Honesty follows communication in that if a family is honest with one another there
is no need for secrecy and lies. Families that are honest are much closer and tend to
spend more time together than families that build their foundation on lies and
deceit.

c. Having fun together is a great way to build the family relationship. The family that
plays together stays together. Spending time playing with the kids and having fun
will build a strong foundation for the family unit. Whether you're spending time
outside or inside quality fun time is a must for a healthy family relationship.
d. If we can't depend on family who can we depend upon? Family should be able to
count on one another through hard times and fun times as well. Just as a married
couple should be committed to one another, so should family. The feeling of trust,
belonging and unity will go far in helping a family cope with day to day issues in life.
e. Family members all want to feel appreciated. Just like you want your spouse to
appreciate you, the children also need to feel appreciated. When our daughter was
about two years of age, I would tell her, "Thank you, I appreciate it". It sounded so
cute when she started repeating it back to us. She learned the value of
appreciation and that she is appreciated.
f. Spending time together is important to build a strong family relationship. How
many people do you know that have no contact with their family whatsoever? It's so
sad to think that so many people will grow old alone and not have any family around
them in the end.
g. Dealing with stress can be a huge challenge. Remember to stay calm, stay flexible and
 have a sense of humor. Things will change from day to day but family is forever.
Stress is never easy but as a family we can learn to help each other through stressful
times.

h. Wellness can be broken down into physical, spiritual and emotional. A healthy
family will have an even balance of wellness. Sharing a healthy diet, belief system
and goals. Spiritual wellness is the ability to learn to look outside of oneself to share
similar values and a similar belief system. When this work together well there is an
emotional nurturing of the spirit that develops the mind and body and family unit.

i. Keeping a positive attitude about life will help to establish and overall sense of
well- being in a family.

j. Bouncing back no matter what has happened has helped many a family copes with a
difficult situation. Strong healthy family remains flexible and are able to adjust to
the myriad of changes that occur on a daily basis in life.

Whether the family is a blended family or a family that has never been broken these
characteristics will define a healthy family and help them to focus on the overall enjoyment of
family.

Types of Family
• There are many types of family. They change overtime as a consequence of
BIRTH, DEATH, MIGRATION, SEPARATION and GROWTH OF FAMILY
MEMBERS
A. Structure
• NUCLEAR- a father, a mother with child/children living together but apart from
both sets of parents and other relatives.
• EXTENDED- composed of two or more nuclear families economically and
socially related to each other. Multigenerational, including married brothers
and sisters, and the families.
• SINGLE PARENT-divorced or separated, unmarried or widowed male or female with
at least one child.
 • BLENDED/RECONSTITUTED-a combination of two families with children from both
families and sometimes children of the newly married couple. It is also a
remarriage with children from previous marriage.
• COMPOUND-one man/woman with several spouses
• COMMUNAL-more than one monogamous couple sharing resources
• COHABITING/LIVE-IN-unmarried couple living together
• DYAD—husband and wife or other couple living alone without children
• GAY/LESBIAN-homosexual couple living together with or without children
• NO-KIN- a group of at least two people sharing a relationship and exchange
support who have no legal or blood tie to each other
• FOSTER- substitute family for children whose parents are unable to care for them

FUNCTIONAL TYPE:

• FAMILY OF PROCREATION- refers to the family you yourself created.

• FAMILY OF ORIENTATION-refers to the family where you came from.

B. Decisions in the family (Authority)

• PATRIARCHAL – full authority on the father or any male member of the family
e.g. eldest son, grandfather
• MATRIARCHAL – full authority of the mother or any female member of the family,
e.g. eldest sister, grandmother
• EGALITARIAN- husband and wife exercise a more or less amount of authority,
father and mother decides
• DEMOCRATIC – everybody is involved in decision making
• AUTHOCRATIC-
• LAISSEZ-FAIRE- “full autonomy”
• MATRICENTRIC- the mother decides/takes charge in absence of the father (e.g.
father is working overseas)
• PATRICENTIC- the father decides/ takes charge in absence of the mother

C. Decent (cultural norms, which affiliate a person with a particular group of kinship
for certain social purposes)
• PATRILINEAL – Affiliates a person with a group of relatives who are related to
him though his father
 • BILATERAL- both parents
• MATRILINEAL - related through mother

D. Residence
• PATRILOCAL - family resides / stays with / near domicile of the parents of the
husband
• MATRILOCAL - live near the domicile of the parents of the wife

Ackerman States that the Function of Family are:

• Insuring the physical survival of the species
• Transmitting the culture, thereby insuring man’s humanness
• Physical functions of the family are met through parents providing food,
clothing and shelter, protection against danger provision for bodily
repairs after fatigue or illness, and through reproduction
• Affectional function – the family is the primary unit in which the child test
his emotional reactions
• Social functions - include providing social togetherness, fostering self-
esteem and a personal identity tied to family identity, providing
opportunity for observing and learning social and sexual roles, accepting
responsibility for behavior and supporting individual creativity and
initiative.

Universal Function of the Family by Goode

• REPRODUCTION - for replacement of members of society: to perpetuate the
human species
• STATUS PLACEMENT of individual in society
• BIOLOGICAL and MAINTENANCE OF THE YOUNG and dependent members
• Socialization and care of the children;
• Social control