Substance Abuse and Abuse Q 37
During a well-child checkup, a mother tells Nurse Rio about a recent situation in which her child needed to be disciplined by her husband. The child was slapped in the face for not getting her husband breakfast on Saturday, despite being told on Thursday never to prepare food for him. Nurse Rio analyzes the family system and concludes it is dysfunctional. All of the following factors contribute to this dysfunction except:
A. Conflictual relationships of parents
B. Inconsistent communication patterns
C. Rigid, authoritarian roles
D. Use of violence to establish control
Correct Answer: A. Conflictual relationships of parents.
There is no evidence in this situation that the parents are in conflict; in fact, the mother is describing that the child “needed to be disciplined.” Often, in dysfunctional families, one child is singled out to be the victim and is the recipient of the blame for problems. In a family which is dysfunctional, there is no empathy or very little of it. Children will end up feeling bad about themselves. There is no unconditional love, and issues are always subjected to behavior corrections, even when it’s not necessary or the child has made only a small mistake. There is no room for error, which creates a claustrophobic environment, which leads to a constant fear of failure in children.
Option B: The inconsistent communication pattern is that the child received conflicting messages regarding the preparation of food. Members of a dysfunctional family do not know how to openly communicate with one another, and often have serious communication problems. They sweep issues under the carpet, and never discuss them. They do not create a healthy environment for discussions, and often shout or have screaming fights. Family members do not listen to each other, and usually, resort to other ways of communication.
Option C: The rigid authoritarian roles demonstrated by the mothers indicate that the child needs discipline from the father. This is an example of a rigid role expectation of the father as a disciplinarian. Sometimes, when parents exert excessive control in their children’s lives, stifling their ability to grow, they also end up not encouraging good behavior. This kind of control can lead to self-doubt in children when it comes to their abilities, and also creates trust issues.
Option D: Also, the father used violence to retain the position of control. Parents in a dysfunctional family may resort to abuse of the child. There may be signs of verbal, physical, sexual, or emotional abuse in children who come from dysfunctional families. Children observe this as normal and showcase the same behavior as adults later.