Darren's Family Dynamics: Understanding Expressive Tasks
What task is Darren carrying out in his new family situation?
Tasks performed by the family can be broadly grouped into two types of tasks. Darren is carrying out a _______ task.
1) first
2) second
3) third
4) fourth
Final answer: Darren is performing an expressive task to help his son and new spouse Janice adjust to their changed family situation.
Answer:
Darren is performing an expressive task to help his son and new spouse Janice adjust to their changed family situation. This reflects the shifting nature of family roles and responsibilities, with fathers engaging more in the nurturing and emotional aspects of child-rearing.
Darren, who is a single parent and has recently married Janice, is thinking of ways to facilitate a smoother adjustment for both Janice and his son to the new family situation. In the context of family dynamics, Darren is engaging in a family task. The tasks performed by a family to address internal emotional needs and to support family members emotionally are often referred to as expressive tasks, which contrast with instrumental tasks that are related to the practical aspects of family life, such as providing financial support or maintaining the home.
In Darren's case, he is carrying out an expressive task, which involves nurturing relationships and managing emotional climates within the family. This scenario reflects the changing role of fathers and the evolving nature of family roles and responsibilities, showing that fathers are increasingly participating in expressive roles that historically were more commonly associated with mothers.