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8
Introduction
itsreproductivefunction,regardingachildlessrelationshipasafamilyresultsin
thefactthattermssuchasmarriageorcohabitationhavebecomesynonymous
withthetermfamily.Teacceptanceofsuchaterminologicalextensionofthis
lattertermleadstofamilylosingitsessenceandindividuality(diferentiaspeci-
fca).Naturalreproductionofmembersisanexclusivepropertyofafemale-male
unit,anattributeofasocialgroupthatiscalledthefamily,whichisunusual
somewhereelse.Extendingthemeaningofthistermtoothergroupsandsocial
structuresdeprivesitofthemethodologicalvalidityandreliability,andmakes
theuniquenatureofthehumancommunityvague.Terefore,intheframework
ofthepresentedstudy,onlyaunitwithchildren(biologicalorlegallyassigned)
isregardedasthefamily.
Allfunctionsperformedbythefamily,suchasemotional,sexual,rec-
reational,economic,etc.,maybeidentifiedalsoinotherformsofrelationships;
however,thereproductivefunctionisanattributeexclusivetothefamily.Te
authorsconsiderthecrisisofthefamilyasatrendtowardsitsdisappearancein
favourofincreasinglyemergingnon-familyhouseholds,orvarious(homo-and
heterosexual)formsofpartnership,single-personhouseholds(ofsinglesorthe
divorced),andrelationshipsthataspiretobecalledthefamilyandappearasits
attractivealternative(cohabitingrelationshipswithoutchildren,gaymarriages,
andintentionallychildlessmarriages).Itmaybefrequentlynotedinthisbook
thatallthetransformationsoffamilylifedescribedabove,perceivedbyadults
asliberatingandmultiplyinglifesatisfaction,actuallyimpairthequalityoflife
ofthechildrenwhoexperiencethem.Teindicatedregularityoftheresultsof
thezero-sumgame(adultsgain;childrenlose)isalsonotedbyresearcherswho
explicitlycriticisetheneoconservativepostulateofreturningtoabygoneeraof
thedominationofthepatriarchalnuclearfamily.Amongothers,ManuelCas-
tellswritesthatthemainvictimsofthisculturaltransitionarechildren,because
inthecurrentconditionsofthefamilycrisis,theyarebecomingmoreandmore
neglected.Tedramaticincreaseinchildabuseinmanysocieties,especiallyin
theUnitedStates,maywellbeevidenceofthepeople’sconfusionastotheir
familylife.1Techild’sperspectiveisoverrepresentedinthepresentstudybe-
causetheauthorsareeducationalistswhoprofessionallydealwiththeanalysis
oftheeducationalenvironmentwhereinyoungmembersofthesocietygrowup.
Amongothers,Section3.2(Part1)comprisesareviewoftheresearchonabad
psychosocialsituationofchildrenbroughtupinfamiliesofanimpairedstruc-
tureoradisturbed/absentmaritalbond.2Terminologicalissuesconcerningthe
1M.Castells:TePowerofIdentity:TeInformationAge-Economy,SocietyandCulture.
Vol.2,SecondEdition.Oxford2004,chapter4.
2Tisworkdealsprimarilywithone-parentfamilies;however,also“childrenfrominfor-
malrelationshipsreachfordrugsorsuferfromdepressiontwicemorefrequently.Informal
relationships,incomparisonwithmarriages,areassociatedbythechildwithlessercommit-
ment,theyprovideitwithlessersenseofsecurity(childreninsuchrelationshipsthreetimes
