N3352 Legacy of the Family
Discussion – Family Values
Topic
One of the terms we often see in the media is “family values.” In Chapter 13, page 353 of the
textbook, Friedman et al. define family values as “a system of ideas, attitudes, and beliefs about
the worth of an entity or concept that consciously and unconsciously bind together the members
of a family in a common culture (Parad & Caplan, 1965).”
Clearly, the true meaning of “family values” is complex. However, one thing is clear: family
values serve as general guides to behavior and they shape the family’s patterns of behavior
related to health care. Beginning on page 355, there is a detailed discussion of American Core
Values. One of these values (see page 363) relates to quality of life and maintaining health.
Friedman et al. indicate that maintaining health is becoming a major value within the American
culture along with people actively participating in their healthcare decisions rather than passively
receiving healthcare intervention.
a) From your professional and/or personal experiences, give one example of a person or
family whose health-related behaviors appeared to have been driven by this American
Core Value, and identify the social class, culture/ethnicity, and age range of the primary
person(s) involved.
b) From your professional and /or personal experiences, give one example of a person or
family whose health-related behaviors appeared to have been driven by an alternative
value in which healthcare intervention was passively received. Identify the social class,
culture/ethnicity, and age range of the primary person(s) involved.
