Premium
Jamaican Family Structure: The Paradox of Normalcy
Author(s) -
DECHESNAY MARY
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
family process
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.011
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1545-5300
pISSN - 0014-7370
DOI - 10.1111/j.1545-5300.1986.00293.x
Subject(s) - ideal (ethics) , family systems theory , class (philosophy) , sociology , psychology , depression (economics) , gender studies , developmental psychology , epistemology , economics , philosophy , macroeconomics
The relationship between basic research, theory, and clinical work with families is conceptualized during a discussion of Jamaican family structure and the application of change theory to a clinical case of depression in a Jamaican woman. It was found that three types of family structure are prevalent in Jamaica. The European ideal of a patriarchal‐patrifocal structure creates problems for working‐class Jamaicans. General system theory provides support for a different model. Change theory is applied to resolve the paradox created by the European model.