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Dysfunctional Family Essay

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A dysfunctional family is a group of people usually related by some means, not always necessarily by blood, in which conflict, misbehavior, maltreatment and neglecting create a hostile life for its members. To explain this idea better we will see the definition of family, the differences between a healthy and a dysfunctional family; their characteristics and behavioral patterns. Some examples will help us examine this issue better, taking us to discuss the different factors that contribute to the formation of such families, along with its consequences in today’s society.
According to the Dictionary of Contemporary English, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, formed by a father, a mother and children. On the other …show more content…

A family dysfunction can be any condition that impedes its proper rhythm. Most families have some periods of time when functioning is impaired by stressful circumstances, for instance: death, illness, unemployment, finances, stress, work, school, etc. Moreover, healthy families tend to return to normal functioning after the crisis passes. In dysfunctional families, however, problems tend to be chronic.
A healthy family is not perfect; there may be misunderstandings, tensions, conflicts, yelling, hurt and anger, but not always. Emotional expression is allowed; and it’s acceptable to get mad sometimes, as long as it’s not all the time. The Holy Bible teaches on Ephesians 4-23 “Be ye angry and sin not, let not the sun go down upon your wrath”. Also, in a healthy family, rules tend to be explicit and are consistent, but with some flexibility to adapt to individual needs and particular situations. Ephesians 6-4 exemplifies this idea with the following verse: “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath”.
Children are treated with respect, and do not fear emotional, verbal, physical, or sexual abuse. On the contrary, they feel safe, as they know that their parents are there to protect them and to look after their well-being. These children are given responsibilities appropriate to their age and are not expected to

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