This appears to be, almost, a uniquely American phenom, the dysfunctional family. Firstly, why the y and not the i - why can’t it be disfunctional? Does the use of the y provide some psuedo-scientific credibility to the term? Secondly, why is this a postmodern phenomenon, only emerging in American culture in the twentieth century? While the ‘condition’ was possibly extant in earlier times, it wasn’t indentified as such. Implying non-existence. Finally, what does the term mean to you? How would you identify or describe a dysfunctional family?
Just attempting the eradication of ignorance (mine) here. Pass on by if it bores you.
The prefix “dis-” normally means “not.” “-dys” normally means “bad.” You can find more info here:
Who knows? I’d like to blame it on the 50s family sitcoms that had these Rockwellian families with the omniscient dads, subservient moms, and obedient children. Anything other than that model then became “dysfunctional.”
I don’t user the term because it just seems to mean that “we have some strange characters in our family.” Well, golly, that’s not really that unusual.
There was always dysfunction in families. It wasn’t discussed much years ago because it was embarrassing. My family is pretty fucked up at the moment, and my husband could write volumes about the “Ick” factor in his family. BFD…it’s not like we’re the Lone Ranger. I don’t know too many families who are the “June and Ward Cleaver” ideal.
*Hadley and colleagues (1993) suggested the following definition:
“A family in which physical, emotional, or sexual abuse was experienced; or one in which one or both of the primary caretakers were unable to fulfill their family responsibilities due to mental illness, chronic physical illness, or substance abuse; or one in which there was inconsistent and unpredictable parenting, or uncaring, neglectful, or critical parent-child interactions.” *
Well, in that case, my family doesn’t count. But incest is alive and well in my husband’s family.
I don’t understand what you mean when you say, “uniquely American phenom.” Do you mean that the term is only used by Americans or that the existence of dysfunctional families (I’ll go with the definition provided by Kalhoun) only occurs in America?
If you’re saying the second thing, I’d really have to disagree with you.
Not an American phenomenon, happens all over the place. I’d class my imediate family as slightly dysfunctional (a lot of verbal/mental/emoitional abuse), two ex SIL’s came from totally dysfunctional families …