Social Factors that Affect Development

Being part of a family can help you to develop in the following ways:

• Forming your first emotional relationships and attachments
• Providing your first experiences of social interaction
• Influencing your view of what is expected of you in social settings and what is normal or socially acceptable behaviour
• Proving a setting that meets your physical needs for protection, food, shelter and warmth
• Supporting each other emotionally and protecting family members from stress
• Helping each other financially or practically, for example, families may support older relatives

• Some families are unable to conform to the social norms expected, which prevents the family from forming its expected functions
• A dysfunctional family is a family that's not providing all of the support and benefits with being in a family 
• Family members display negativity towards each other 
• Abuse may happen
• Sibling rivalry 
• Use of coercion and blame

• Parents perpetuate their own dysfunctional upbringing 
• Untreated mental illness in one or more family members
• Alcohol/drug abuse by one or more family members 

Members may have a negative self-image and a low self-esteem and have difficulty building friendships and relationships

• Loneliness
• Isolation
• Guilt- blaming themselves
• Health problems
• Lack of focus e.g. at school
• Mental health problems 
• Psychological problems
• Increased likelihood of drug/ alcohol abuse 

• Baumind identified 3 different parenting styles that she felt could contribute to the overall development of children:
• Authoritative- children are accepted for who they are. There is mutual love and respect. Children are often self-controlled, confident with high self-esteem. 
• Authoritarian- Parents assert their authority. Children are controlled. Children may have poor social skills and a low self-esteem.
• Permissive- Parents are indulgent. They do not attempt to control behaviour. Children may be self-confident, impulsive and have difficulty building friendships.
• Disengaged/Uninvolved- Parents are neglected and show a lack of interest. There is poor attachment. Childtrn may have low confidence, a low self-esteem and hide their emotions. 

• Bullying has negative effects for everyone involved: the bully, the victim and any onlookers. 
• Bullying can take different forms:
• Verbal- shouting, nasty comments, spreading rumours. 
• Emotional- manipulation, blackmail, ignored/isolation.
• Physical- hitting, kicking, punching.
• Cyber bullying- online, comments, revenge ****, fake profile. 

Short Term:

• Stress/Anxiety
• Inability to cope with life events 
• Poor self-image 
• Poor self-esteem
• Eating disorders 
• Withdrawel from school work and activities

Long Term:

• Difficulties in forming relationships
• Poor academic achievement
• Substance abuse
• Self-harm
• Increased risk of suicide