How Do Family Problems Influence a Person’s Well-Being? Essay Example

The development of children’s behavior is strongly influence by how well their families functions, according to research, and as such problems faced when these children mature to become family leaders will depend on the strength and capacity of their well-being.

Health has been defined in a new way by The World Health Organization (WHO), according to Breslaw (1972), when it implicitly states that it is the physical, mental and social state of well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity, and Ryff & Keyes (1995), psychological well-being is based on several dimensions and these include self acceptance, personal growth, purpose in life, environmental mastery, autonomy, and relationship with others, while Synder & Lopez (2007) asserts that the well-being is the combination of happiness and meaning in an individual’s life.

Family problems comes in different packages to challenge the strength of these constitutional core qualities that both Ryff & Keyes (1995) and Synder & Lopez (2007) argues that reside within individuals with different background within society., and it is how they react behaviorally them determine the directions of the impact of the influence.

Social strains such as parental mental illnesses, substance abuse, violence, threats of divorce, and separations within families may lead high levels of persistent stress which in turn brings on depression, helplessness, anger, suicidal proclivities, and marital tension according Goldsmith (2001). Problems of this nature will occur and remain unsolved as a result of problem solving skills, poor impulse control, poor social as well as coping skills, Goldsmith (2001) infers, regardless of the size, financial status, cultural description, geographical locations, and composition..

However, these difficulties does not necessarily have to negatively influence individuals, if they or their parents were previously able to develop better management skills which are transferrable, because it would help them to bring a sense of mastery to those situations and feelings of being control within those environments, according to Goldsmith (2000).

The rationale behind this hypothesis is that individuals for the most part, will learn from their parents and from personal experiences, and apply these valuable strategies and tactics when faced with similar family troubles, to overcome and maintain their overall; health which include their well-being..

Additionally, individuals who will recognize at the early stages of their development through training and family impartations, that there are purpose in their lives, and that it was important for them to accept themselves in terms of cultural, social and other characteristics, and desire good, will be able to deduce that family troubles were only temporary challenges that are not insurmountable, but manageable, will not be negatively impacted, but will use their acquired skills to ensure their health does not deteriorate beyond repair.

On the contrary, family problems may overwhelm those individuals who are mentally and socially unprepared for these challenges and cause manifestation of the behavioral patterns that Goldsmiths (2001), referred to in his article. In furtherance, these problems can also manifest in socially and mentally unprepared products of these individuals when they send their children to schools, as cited by The Family Pediatric (2003), report.

The report pointed out in part that the children of divorce parents are at greater risk from emotional and behavioral problems such as depression and poor school performance, and they tend to more social difficulties and problematic relationships with one or both parents (The Family Pediatric Report, 2003).

Family problems therefore influences individual’s well being in either direction of a social continuum, but the direction depends significantly on the presence or absence of, the requisite social and coping skills, a strong psychological well being, as well as the type of training imparted from functioning families in their formative years.

The outcome of these trouble filled encounters on individual’s well being will always serve to justify the World Health Organization decision to include social well-being as part of its definition of health, in that the lack of the required social and coping skills often cause individual behaviors to degenerate into social diseases like alcoholism, substance abuse, murder, suicide, chain smoking, and these in the short or long term eventually destroy the physical component of their health, while those individuals who are able to exert their influence on these challenges, will be able to overcome them and maintain their social well-being and overall health in the process.

Works Cited

Breslow, Lester. (1972).” A quantitative Approach to The World Health Organization Definition of Health: Physical Mental, and Social Well-being” International Journal of Epidemiology(1972) Vol.1 Issue 4 pp.347-355

The Family Pediatrics (2003). “Report of Task Force on Family” Pediatrics Vol.111 Issue 6 pp.31-1541

Goldsmith, E. (2000). “Resource Management for Individuals and Families” Wadsworth USA

Ryff, C.C. & Keyes, C.L.M (1995). “The Structure of Psychological Well-being Revisited” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Vol.69 pp.719-727

Synder, C.R. & Lopez, S.J., (2007). “Positive Psychology The Scientific and Practical Explanations of Human Strengths” Sage Publications Thousand Oaks CA