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Families and Relationship-Based Development across Our Lifespan
Ruby Moye Salazar ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5-5This book chapter looks at how families support human development from infancy through older adulthood. It draws on attachment theory, ecological systems models, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, reflective function theory, Erikson's life stages and the DIR/Floortime framework. It gives particular attention to families raising children with autism spectrum disorder and how diagnosis and intervention relate to emotional health. Case vignettes illustrate family life in early childhood, adolescence and adult transitions. The chapter also discusses digital disruption, systemic inequity and caregiver stress, and offers practical implications for professionals.
Key points
- Families provide the context for safety, belonging and meaning across the lifespan.
- The chapter combines relational, developmental and ecological perspectives on how family systems nurture resilience.
- Trust, attunement and agency are cultivated through everyday family life.
- Particular attention is given to families raising children with autism spectrum disorder.
- Contemporary challenges include digital disruption, systemic inequity and caregiver stress.
Limitations
The abstract describes a conceptual chapter with illustrative case vignettes and reports no data, so it cannot show whether any approach improves outcomes. It names no specific country or population, and covers the whole lifespan rather than children alone.
Abstract
Families provide the essential context for human development, forming the foundation of safety, belonging, and meaning across the lifespan. This chapter integrates relational, developmental, and ecological perspectives to illuminate how family systems nurture resilience from infancy through older adulthood. Drawing upon attachment theory, ecological systems models, Maslow&s;s hierarchy of needs, reflective function theory, Erikson&s;s life stages, and the Developmental, Individual-Differences, Relationship-Based (DIR)/Floortime framework, the chapter explores how trust, attunement, and agency are cultivated through everyday family life. Particular attention is given to families raising children with autism spectrum disorder, emphasizing how diagnosis and intervention intersect with emotional health. Case vignettes illustrate the lived realities of families navigating early childhood, adolescence, and adult transitions. Finally, the chapter addresses contemporary challenges—digital disruption, systemic inequity, caregiver stress, and others—while offering practical implications for professionals supporting families.