Case Study Analysis- Adulthood Week #9
Case Study 1
Discussion Question 1
Tayib and Rachael’s case makes a poignant statement regarding the complexities that surround romantic relationships. Work-related stress and single-parenthood influence on romantic relationships are the two most prominent issues from the case. Firstly, work-related stress impacts on the quality of social relationships in several ways. For instance, emotional burdens arising from professionals identities have been shown to result in withdrawal (Canadian Center for Occupational Health & Safety, 2020). Emotional withdrawal manifests in the form of reduced capacity to demonstrate affection, which is an essential part of social relationships. In the same manner, work-related pressures reduce the amount of time that people have to invest in bonding activities. Arguably, Tayib’s career difficulties distract him from making a sufficient level of commitment to his relationship with Rachael.
Secondly, Rachael’s predicament demonstrates the difficulties that single parents are compelled to endure when attempting to partner into unions. Based on Franco (2018, p. 34), single motherhood subconsciously alters romantic relationship dynamics by triggering mate preference changes. More specifically, single parents shift from such superficial considerations as attractiveness and place greater significance on financial status and emotional commitment. The changes in mate preferences witnessed in single parents have evolutionary underpinnings. The goal of these changes is to promote the survival of the dependent child (Franco, 2018, p. 49). These facts are well illustrated by Rachael, who appears to overcompensate for her status by making deliberate measures to sustain Tayib’s interest. Tayib’s failure to express a similar level of commitment communicates the disconnect that exists in the relationship.
Discussion Question 2
Rachael and Tayib’s case serves as a practical example of secure and anxious relationship styles. On the one hand, Tayib comes across as having a secure attachment style. The secure attachment style is defined by comfort and, therefore, satisfaction with intimacy. People that possess the secure attachment style are characteristically adept at balancing between the exercise of independence and intimacy within relationships (McLeod, 2018). Critically, the high level of emotional intelligence seen by insecurely attached people does not imply that they are perfect. Conversely, the anxious attachment style is accompanied by excessive anxiety levels while interacting with others (McLeod, 2018). Edgy relationship styles manifest primarily through such characteristics as possessive, needy, and oversensitive behavior. The anxious attachment style is embodied by Rachael, who appears overly to make the relationship work.
The contrasting relationship styles portrayed by Tayib and Rachael have complex origins. Simpson and Rholes (2017) show that the environments in which people are nurtured imbue fundamental lessons in managing social relationships. Early intimate experiences have a particularly significant influence on how people navigate the complexities of social relationships. For instance, Tayib’s extended family background appeared to have provided the healthy formative relationships that nurtured a secure attachment type. Tayib is likely to have gotten the freedom to explore and be independent while at the same time receiving support and protection. On the other hand, Rachael’s recent difficult experiences may have compelled her to develop unrealistic expectations from her intimate relationships. Subsequently, Rachael places undue significance upon her relationship with Tayib. The views of Simpson and Rholes (2017) explain this obsessive behavior by noting that anxiously attached people attempt to define or rescue themselves using their relationships. The fear of being alone that anxiously attached people manifest eventually drives their partners away, as seen in Rachael’s case.
Discussion Question 3
A mix of hardships accompanies each stage in life. Therefore, people must develop coping mechanisms that promote psychological well-being. There exists a consensus on the essence of adjusting beliefs surrounding the connection between well-being and material comfort. On the one hand, there is no doubt that income and individual happiness are correlated. In the same manner, some studies emphasize a potentially inverse relationship between increased income and well-being (Yu & Wang, 2017). Such studies form the basis for the cliché arguments that money, on its own, cannot provide sufficient well-being. This thought line is especially relevant to Tayib’s case, who must appreciate the depth in life. Engaging in such social and recreational activities can empower Tayib to manage work pressures by leveraging the family’s emotionally supportive role. Engaging in leisure by spending time with friends and pursuing a fulfilling work line may also add value to his life.
Rachael’s case requires a slightly different approach to Tayib’s. The major hurdle facing Rachael is the inability to become reconciled to the realities that single parenthood presented. Her circumstances in life have succeeded in shaping a personality that challenges her intimate relationships. Personality has significant implications on the scope of satisfaction with life. More specifically, Broderick and Blewitt (2015, p. 530) show that personality determines what aspects of life are essential to a person and how they respond. For example, Rachael’s personality predisposes her to excessive compensation to build a lasting intimate relationship. The occurrence of stress in her relationships then triggers a response pattern defined by obsessive worry. One way for Rachael to progressively enhance her personality is by exercising mindfulness. Mindfulness is an exercise that involves a deliberate attempt to disengage with obsessive patterns of thought. The ultimate goal of mindfulness is to promote more significant contact with the present while connecting with the mind and body. On a closely related note, exercising forgiveness and self-compassion are additional ways of promoting acceptance and shaping an appealing personality.
Case Study 2
Discussion Question 1
An analysis of Lien’s life circumstances indicates the presence of several developmental and contextual stressors. Firstly, Lien faces changing life roles has become a grandmother and a caregiver. Achieving these milestones brings into sharp focus all the personal goals she has not reached. Most prominently, Lien expresses concern over the fact that she had been single for 16 years and desires to meet someone for a long-term intimate commitment. During this time, Lien has been tied down by parenting and personal development goals. However, her mother’s lonely situation compels Lien to consider finding someone to share her life.
Lien also has to contend with several contextual stresses. The most prominent of these include caring for several dependents. The case reading paints a concise picture of Lien’s vast burden, who has to care for her children and mother. Lien takes it upon herself to religiously visit her mother several days a week. Lien’s situation is further compounded by the fact that she is a single parent. As if that is not enough, Lien has recently had to accommodate her daughter and granddaughter. These commitments form a significant financial, physical, and emotional burden for Lien.
Discussion Question 2
Caregivers must learn to develop emotional tools to help them navigate the emotional hardships that accompany care provision to dependents. These tools take the shape of both internal and external supportive strengths. One such strength is cultural beliefs and values. Lien’s Asian origin implies that she commits to the ethic of social care and responsibility. In such cultures as Lien’s people are taught the essence to associate the care for aging parents with the expression of gratitude respect (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015, p. 565). Therefore, the role of a caregiver contributes to Lien’s sense of self-worth and self-esteem. The push to appeal to more extraordinary virtues propels Lien even when contending with difficult circumstances.
Moreover, Rachael appears to uphold such values as the capacity to accept life’s uncertainties and to let go through such concepts as selection and optimization. Overcoming loss necessitates a re-examination of priorities and effort on the most reasonable pursuits (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015, p. 569). For example, even after being abandoned by her husband, Lien has raised her children single-handedly and simultaneously set up a small business. On a closely related note, Lien has no doubt succeeded in outlining a clear future for herself. The hope of reaching this future goal forms a significant source of strength for Lien, particularly when faced with life’s struggles.
Discussion Question 3
Having adult children move back home due to broken relationships presents significant financial and emotional challenges. The parents of such children as Annie are compelled to quickly adapt and make compromises to accommodate their children and promote emotional healing. Parents whose adult children move back home undergo a series of emotions that include anger, sadness, and disappointment (Quigley, n.d). For example, Lien may feel the pain of seeing her daughter, heartbroken. She may also feel sad at the loss of connection with her son-in-law, with whom she may have started to make emotional investments. These emotions may ultimately change into acceptance of the situation and even encouragement of the shared living arrangements. At such a point, the parent may argue that their children are better off living with them than being in a dysfunctional relationship. For parents like Rachael, the most significant burden from Annie’s situation may be financial difficulties due to being the sole breadwinner.
Discussion Question 4
Annie and Dave’s conflict is largely resolvable with some level of personality and attitude adjustments. Firstly, marriage’s survival rests in the scope of success in carrying out honest conversations regarding such issues as finances (Caldwel, 2020). These conversations can only occur when partners make deliberate efforts to check their egos and assume some vulnerability. Promoting an understanding of the different financial personalities would be the second step in helping Annie and Dave. People respond to money differently. For example, some may be frugal savers, while others may be unrestrained spenders. The goal of such an exercise would be to create a uniform understanding of financial management within the marriage and, at the same time, address harmful money habits. The other important step in helping Anne and Dave is to promote an emphasis on the importance of trust and transparency. Admittedly, partners who interact with people from previous intimate relationships create room for insecurity and jealousy. Such connections are viewed as a threat to the existing relationship. Insecurities from such contacts may significantly weaken a relationship that is already experiencing other forms of conflict. In a nutshell, Annie and Dave must understand that maintaining contact with former intimate partners erodes trust and distracts from the current relationship for no useful purpose.
References
Broderick, P. C., & Blewitt, P. (2015). The life span: Human development for helping professionals (4th ed.). Pearson Higher Ed.
Caldwel, M. (2020). Tired of fighting about finances? Learn how to stop. The Balance. https://www.thebalance.com/stop-fighting-about-finances-2385842
Canadian Center for Occupational Health & Safety. (2020). Workplace stress – General. Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/stress.html
Franco, C. Y. (2018). Mate preferences among single mothers [Master’s thesis]. https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4257&context=thesesdissertations
McLeod, S. (2018). Mary Ainsworth- The strange situation- Attachment styles. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/mary-ainsworth.html
Quigley, M. W. (n.d.). The ex factor, how to handle your adult kids breakups. AARP. https://www.aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/info-2017/adult-children-relationship-breakups.html
Simpson, J. A., & Rholes, W. S. (2017). Adult attachment, stress, and romantic relationships. Current Opinion in Psychology, 13, 19-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2016.04.006
Yu, Z., & Wang, F. (2017). Income inequality and happiness: An inverted U-shaped curve. Frontiers in Psychology, 8(2017). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02052
Case Study Analysis- Adulthood Week #9
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Case Study Analysis- Adulthood Week #9
Case Study 1
Discussion Question 1
Tayib and Rachael’s case makes a poignant statement regarding the complexities that surround romantic relationships. Work-related stress and single-parenthood influence on romantic relationships are the two most prominent issues from the case. Firstly, work-related stress impacts on the quality of social relationships in several ways. For instance, emotional burdens arising from professionals identities have been shown to result in withdrawal (Canadian Center for Occupational Health & Safety, 2020). Emotional withdrawal manifests in the form of reduced capacity to demonstrate affection, which is an essential part of social relationships. In the same manner, work-related pressures reduce the amount of time that people have to invest in bonding activities. Arguably, Tayib’s career difficulties distract him from making a sufficient level of commitment to his relationship with Rachael.
Secondly, Rachael’s predicament demonstrates the difficulties that single parents are compelled to endure when attempting to partner into unions. Based on Franco (2018, p. 34), single motherhood subconsciously alters romantic relationship dynamics by triggering mate preference changes. More specifically, single parents shift from such superficial considerations as attractiveness and place greater significance on financial status and emotional commitment. The changes in mate preferences witnessed in single parents have evolutionary underpinnings. The goal of these changes is to promote the survival of the dependent child (Franco, 2018, p. 49). These facts are well illustrated by Rachael, who appears to overcompensate for her status by making deliberate measures to sustain Tayib’s interest. Tayib’s failure to express a similar level of commitment communicates the disconnect that exists in the relationship.
Discussion Question 2
Rachael and Tayib’s case serves as a practical example of secure and anxious relationship styles. On the one hand, Tayib comes across as having a secure attachment style. The secure attachment style is defined by comfort and, therefore, satisfaction with intimacy. People that possess the secure attachment style are characteristically adept at balancing between the exercise of independence and intimacy within relationships (McLeod, 2018). Critically, the high level of emotional intelligence seen by insecurely attached people does not imply that they are perfect. Conversely, the anxious attachment style is accompanied by excessive anxiety levels while interacting with others (McLeod, 2018). Edgy relationship styles manifest primarily through such characteristics as possessive, needy, and oversensitive behavior. The anxious attachment style is embodied by Rachael, who appears overly to make the relationship work.
The contrasting relationship styles portrayed by Tayib and Rachael have complex origins. Simpson and Rholes (2017) show that the environments in which people are nurtured imbue fundamental lessons in managing social relationships. Early intimate experiences have a particularly significant influence on how people navigate the complexities of social relationships. For instance, Tayib’s extended family background appeared to have provided the healthy formative relationships that nurtured a secure attachment type. Tayib is likely to have gotten the freedom to explore and be independent while at the same time receiving support and protection. On the other hand, Rachael’s recent difficult experiences may have compelled her to develop unrealistic expectations from her intimate relationships. Subsequently, Rachael places undue significance upon her relationship with Tayib. The views of Simpson and Rholes (2017) explain this obsessive behavior by noting that anxiously attached people attempt to define or rescue themselves using their relationships. The fear of being alone that anxiously attached people manifest eventually drives their partners away, as seen in Rachael’s case.
Discussion Question 3
A mix of hardships accompanies each stage in life. Therefore, people must develop coping mechanisms that promote psychological well-being. There exists a consensus on the essence of adjusting beliefs surrounding the connection between well-being and material comfort. On the one hand, there is no doubt that income and individual happiness are correlated. In the same manner, some studies emphasize a potentially inverse relationship between increased income and well-being (Yu & Wang, 2017). Such studies form the basis for the cliché arguments that money, on its own, cannot provide sufficient well-being. This thought line is especially relevant to Tayib’s case, who must appreciate the depth in life. Engaging in such social and recreational activities can empower Tayib to manage work pressures by leveraging the family’s emotionally supportive role. Engaging in leisure by spending time with friends and pursuing a fulfilling work line may also add value to his life.
Rachael’s case requires a slightly different approach to Tayib’s. The major hurdle facing Rachael is the inability to become reconciled to the realities that single parenthood presented. Her circumstances in life have succeeded in shaping a personality that challenges her intimate relationships. Personality has significant implications on the scope of satisfaction with life. More specifically, Broderick and Blewitt (2015, p. 530) show that personality determines what aspects of life are essential to a person and how they respond. For example, Rachael’s personality predisposes her to excessive compensation to build a lasting intimate relationship. The occurrence of stress in her relationships then triggers a response pattern defined by obsessive worry. One way for Rachael to progressively enhance her personality is by exercising mindfulness. Mindfulness is an exercise that involves a deliberate attempt to disengage with obsessive patterns of thought. The ultimate goal of mindfulness is to promote more significant contact with the present while connecting with the mind and body. On a closely related note, exercising forgiveness and self-compassion are additional ways of promoting acceptance and shaping an appealing personality.
Case Study 2
Discussion Question 1
An analysis of Lien’s life circumstances indicates the presence of several developmental and contextual stressors. Firstly, Lien faces changing life roles has become a grandmother and a caregiver. Achieving these milestones brings into sharp focus all the personal goals she has not reached. Most prominently, Lien expresses concern over the fact that she had been single for 16 years and desires to meet someone for a long-term intimate commitment. During this time, Lien has been tied down by parenting and personal development goals. However, her mother’s lonely situation compels Lien to consider finding someone to share her life.
Lien also has to contend with several contextual stresses. The most prominent of these include caring for several dependents. The case reading paints a concise picture of Lien’s vast burden, who has to care for her children and mother. Lien takes it upon herself to religiously visit her mother several days a week. Lien’s situation is further compounded by the fact that she is a single parent. As if that is not enough, Lien has recently had to accommodate her daughter and granddaughter. These commitments form a significant financial, physical, and emotional burden for Lien.
Discussion Question 2
Caregivers must learn to develop emotional tools to help them navigate the emotional hardships that accompany care provision to dependents. These tools take the shape of both internal and external supportive strengths. One such strength is cultural beliefs and values. Lien’s Asian origin implies that she commits to the ethic of social care and responsibility. In such cultures as Lien’s people are taught the essence to associate the care for aging parents with the expression of gratitude respect (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015, p. 565). Therefore, the role of a caregiver contributes to Lien’s sense of self-worth and self-esteem. The push to appeal to more extraordinary virtues propels Lien even when contending with difficult circumstances.
Moreover, Rachael appears to uphold such values as the capacity to accept life’s uncertainties and to let go through such concepts as selection and optimization. Overcoming loss necessitates a re-examination of priorities and effort on the most reasonable pursuits (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015, p. 569). For example, even after being abandoned by her husband, Lien has raised her children single-handedly and simultaneously set up a small business. On a closely related note, Lien has no doubt succeeded in outlining a clear future for herself. The hope of reaching this future goal forms a significant source of strength for Lien, particularly when faced with life’s struggles.
Discussion Question 3
Having adult children move back home due to broken relationships presents significant financial and emotional challenges. The parents of such children as Annie are compelled to quickly adapt and make compromises to accommodate their children and promote emotional healing. Parents whose adult children move back home undergo a series of emotions that include anger, sadness, and disappointment (Quigley, n.d). For example, Lien may feel the pain of seeing her daughter, heartbroken. She may also feel sad at the loss of connection with her son-in-law, with whom she may have started to make emotional investments. These emotions may ultimately change into acceptance of the situation and even encouragement of the shared living arrangements. At such a point, the parent may argue that their children are better off living with them than being in a dysfunctional relationship. For parents like Rachael, the most significant burden from Annie’s situation may be financial difficulties due to being the sole breadwinner.
Discussion Question 4
Annie and Dave’s conflict is largely resolvable with some level of personality and attitude adjustments. Firstly, marriage’s survival rests in the scope of success in carrying out honest conversations regarding such issues as finances (Caldwel, 2020). These conversations can only occur when partners make deliberate efforts to check their egos and assume some vulnerability. Promoting an understanding of the different financial personalities would be the second step in helping Annie and Dave. People respond to money differently. For example, some may be frugal savers, while others may be unrestrained spenders. The goal of such an exercise would be to create a uniform understanding of financial management within the marriage and, at the same time, address harmful money habits. The other important step in helping Anne and Dave is to promote an emphasis on the importance of trust and transparency. Admittedly, partners who interact with people from previous intimate relationships create room for insecurity and jealousy. Such connections are viewed as a threat to the existing relationship. Insecurities from such contacts may significantly weaken a relationship that is already experiencing other forms of conflict. In a nutshell, Annie and Dave must understand that maintaining contact with former intimate partners erodes trust and distracts from the current relationship for no useful purpose.
References
Broderick, P. C., & Blewitt, P. (2015). The life span: Human development for helping professionals (4th ed.). Pearson Higher Ed.
Caldwel, M. (2020). Tired of fighting about finances? Learn how to stop. The Balance. https://www.thebalance.com/stop-fighting-about-finances-2385842
Canadian Center for Occupational Health & Safety. (2020). Workplace stress – General. Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/stress.html
Franco, C. Y. (2018). Mate preferences among single mothers [Master’s thesis]. https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4257&context=thesesdissertations
McLeod, S. (2018). Mary Ainsworth- The strange situation- Attachment styles. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/mary-ainsworth.html
Quigley, M. W. (n.d.). The ex factor, how to handle your adult kids breakups. AARP. https://www.aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/info-2017/adult-children-relationship-breakups.html
Simpson, J. A., & Rholes, W. S. (2017). Adult attachment, stress, and romantic relationships. Current Opinion in Psychology, 13, 19-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2016.04.006
Yu, Z., & Wang, F. (2017). Income inequality and happiness: An inverted U-shaped curve. Frontiers in Psychology, 8(2017). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02052