The third part of my social research focuses on the study of the family and the parent-child relationship from a psychological perspective. This article includes an interview with psychologist and educator Francesca Chiera. She was very professional and concise in answering my questions, which I reproduce in full below.
In psychology, how is the concept of family defined?
"In psychology, the term family refers to the first environment into which an individual is inserted. It is the first place where an individual comes into contact with social reality, and therefore the one with the greatest influence, especially in the early stages of life (infancy and childhood), but also later, through the formation of personality, the construction of one's attachments, and the acquisition of social roles.".
In light of social changes, how would you define family today?
"Despite the crisis of values in today's society, the family still constitutes the basic cell, the vital nucleus of society.".
How does psychology define the relationship between parents and children?
"The relationship between parents and children is a fundamental component of an individual's psychological growth. This influence depends on the fact that it is through this relationship that fundamental elements of life are discovered, which will become a point of reference for the future. In psychology, there are various theories that describe the importance of parents in relational, cognitive, and emotional spheres. John Bowlby's attachment theory is one of my favorite theories as it simply described the relationship: the ability to transfer security to the child, building a secure attachment, will be the basis for the future adult's ability to trust the world.".
Do children and adolescents have a strong concept of family?
"As Bowlby theorized, bonding and protection are the most important characteristics of attachment. Every mammal, by biological predisposition, tends, from the earliest months, to establish reassuring bonds with its caregiver and to seek protection from this figure. It seems that the family still maintains this crucial role for humans today. Children and adolescents belonging to new family models—including single-parent families, extended families, multiple families, same-sex families, cohabiting families, and remarriage families—develop their own concept of family.".
Why do many parents say that parenting is difficult?
"Parenting is an arduous and difficult process; there's no manual; all experience is gained in the field. It's essential for us parents to learn to observe our children, listen to them, and give them time and attention. This is a skill that is learned gradually through practice and by keeping in mind that each child is unique. Being a parent means doing your best every day with empathy and sensitivity, trying to firmly insist on the key principles of parenting. If communication is difficult and discomfort arises, it's best to ask for help and find new tools to cope with the discomfort. Let's remember that we parents are children of attachment, and this will impact the parent-child relationship.".
Filomena Oronzo
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I graduated in Sociology with a specialization in Social and Territorial Policies, and earned a master's degree in E-Government and E-Management in Public Administration. I love reading and writing. For me, sociology means experiencing everyday life in all its nuances and nuances. Today, I am an Administrative Assistant at the IRCCS Burlo Garofolo in Trieste, and above all, I am a wife and mother, the greatest asset of all.
