Family Conflict

Outline:

I. Introduction

II. Social-Conflict Theory

III. Family Structure and Statistics

IV. The effect on Children

V. Financial Effects

VI. Minorities

VII. Support and Love is the Key

VIII. Conclusion

Introduction

How do family situations affect the outcome of children? Does a two parent family typically have children that are more likely to succeed than a one parent or step parent family? How big a role do finances put on that outcome? I'll put a different twist on it as well, by including information on people that are minorities and different ethnic groups. Through my research I have found a variety of answers and studies on this topic. The major theory I used for this paper is Social Conflict Theory. The first thing I am going to discuss is this theory, and then I am going to give statistics and data related to the questions above.

Social-Conflict Theory

There are three theoretical paradigms that sociologists have developed that try to explain the social influences that impact human conduct. They are Social Conflict Theory (SCT), Structural-Functional Theory, and Symbolic Interaction Theory. This paper is mainly concerned with Social Conflict Theory (SCT). Where Structural Functionalism describes a teleological utopia in steady state equilibrium, Conflict theory describes a social structure prone to constant erosion and change. SCT focuses on the conflict of interest that is inherent in all groups and between all members of groups. Conflict theories make many assumptions about the social world. Conflict theories paint a picture of the self-interested individual operating to maximize his own rewards in a highly competitive world. Karl Marx was one of the initial developers of this theory. In order to make sense of Marxian concepts, one must adopt a certain style of thinking. The statement that each person's relation to production in the economy decides his or her social class, and thus, his or her social privilege, is a case in point. Marxian Conflict Theory poses the determination of the individual's mind set as a result of their position on the social class continuum. Rich folks not only behave differently than working folks, they actually think differently.

Alright, enough of all of that technical mumbo jumbo! How does SCT relate to the topic?

Family Structure and Statistics:

There are so many studies it's hard to weed through them all, and on top of that they all have different findings and conclusions. It's obvious that family situations are going to have affect children in a major way. Homes with two biological parents are often more stable and secure than homes with one parent.

In 2002, 69% of children that were under the age of 18 lived with two married parents. This number is down from 77% that lived with their parents in 1980. The percentage leveled out in 1995 and ended a very disheartening trend. In 2002, 5% of children lived with only their fathers, and 23% lived with only their mothers. From these statistics we can conclude that family structure is has changed dramatically in the past 30 years. The process of completing a divorce and more women joining the work force has played a big part in the traditional nuclear family disappearing. A marriage is no longer a necessity or need. A woman can get into the work force and earn a living; they do not have to depend on the husband to be the bread winner anymore. What affect does this changing family structure have on our children?

The Effect on Children:

Kids that have been through divorce may view their parents as responsible for the problems associated with the divorce and cause problems between the parents and child ( ). College students who experience divorce as adolescents may have lower self esteem or social skills issues. Children also tend to become less attached to the non-custodial parent. In addition to having social or self-esteem problems, studies show that children living with one parent don't do as well in school. One study shows that third graders with divorced parents scored considerably lower on tests than others living with both parents.

Financial Effects:

What effect do finances have on children? During the course of the class we all read a variety of readings that covered this topic. Most of them concluded that the parent's financial standing had a dramatic effect on children. A big reason for this is because parents in low income