Publisher's Synopsis
This book is based on selected papers from a major international congress of the same name that was held at the University of Calgary in July 1997. The contributors come from Canada, England, Italy, United States, Hong Kong and New Zealand where they are researchers at major universities. The papers are organized into four sections: 1) Context of Families, 2) Family Adjustment and Transitions, 3) Child and Adolescent Development, and Attachment. The book sets out to bring together advanced research by psychologists, social workers, physicians, sociologists and other social scientists on the interface between society, the family, children, adolescents and other family members. There are a number of conclusions reached by different authors but some of the main ones are: causal impact of early childhood experiences and family dynamics influence on development; a number of protective factors contribute to childrenÆs resiliency; the pattern of family size and dynamics are changing and will continue to change; there are a number of changing roles for girls, women and mothers that influence family dynamics and structure; and finally, the negative impact on children from extensive non maternal care.
