Calamity of the White Picket is a collection of essays that portray how perfection-whether a perfect image, perfect relationship, perfect friendship, or perfect family-becomes withered down, destroyed, and turned into something else. They explore how the idealized image of a family surrounded by a cute white picket fence is dismantled and rearranged through theft, addiction, and a disintegrated family. The essays explore drug addictions, childhood nostalgia, the relationship between heritage and property, innocence, and a stolen best friend. The collection is a train ride of family problems, broken friendships, lying and stealing, and hidden secrets about love and sex. Through these essays, I let go of my versions of the white picket fence, and embrace the new and complicated life that replaces it, ultimately still trying to maintain happiness.

At the end of 2016, approximately 65.6 million individuals were displaced forcibly around the world because of generalized violence, persecution, violation of human rights, or conflict such as civil war (UNHCR, 2016). The purpose of this study is to: (a) explore Syrian refugees after displacement in the US, (b) give voice to refugee fathers, and (c) advance knowledge for marriage and family therapists, who are working with refugee families. Eight Syrian refugee fathers who were displaced in the last two years and living in Indiana, US shared their experiences through in-depth interviews. After transcribing and translating the interviews, thematic analysis, a flexible research tool that provides a reach and complex account of data, was used to analyze the data. Four main themes emerged from fathers: displacement stress, loss of extended family connections, experiences of isolation, and identity changes with provider role. A thematic map also is created illustrating how the stress of displacement and being far away from extended families profoundly influence provider identities and family interactions. In addition, the contextual model of family stress is used to customize fathers� experience of displacement. The inferences from this study provide guidance for marriage and family therapists, mental health practitioners, and organizations working with refugee families. / PHD / Just imagine you have to flee your home country, leaving all your physical and non-physical possessions and belongings or even members of your extended family behind, witnessing the death or missing of a significant or loved one, resettling in a new country and struggling to obtain a new social status, coping skills and suffering a stigma against your nationality. These are just a portion of the adversities that refugee fathers have endured (other family members suffer in different ways) in host countries such as the US. Syrian refugee fathers in this study were forced to live in a new country wherein they cannot speak the language and have to rely on their children to communicate with others. As the only providers of their families in Syria, they struggle with financial strains. Consequently, their wives (almost in half of the cases) have to work outside the home in order to cover the household expenses ideally; they could rely on their extended family’s help and support if they were in their own country. Such experiences are stressful for Syrian refugee fathers with damaging effects for their identity as fathers and their family dynamics. Family therapists, mental health practitioners, and organizations working with refugee families can benefit from findings of this study to provide better services for their targeted populations.

A família, ao longo de seu processo sócio-histórico, atravessou inúmeras crises e transformações, recriando-se conforme a época e o contexto local, adotando para tanto estilos diferenciados. Apesar das mudanças, a organização familiar continua sendo eixo de referência para procriação e socialização das novas gerações, bem como a base de apoio que o indivíduo dispõe no decorrer de seu processo de desenvolvimento psicossexual. Ao longo do ciclo vital, a família desempenha papéis diversificados e exerce funções específicas, sendo considerada a plataforma de sustentação e estruturação do psiquismo desde os primórdios da relação mãebebê. Nessa vertente, estudos têm apontado que a família constitui-se como um espaço fundamental de transmissão psíquica. Considerando-se esses pressupostos, a literatura sustenta que a organização familiar tem impacto decisivo no processo de saúde-doença do indivíduo, inclusive no que diz respeito ao uso abusivo de substâncias psicoativas na adolescência. Assim, torna-se imperioso dedicar atenção diferenciada à família, por meio de uma abordagem que leve em conta a história, estrutura e dinâmica dos relacionamentos familiares, bem como sua inserção no contexto social mais amplo. Frente a essa problemática, o presente estudo teve por objetivos compreender a dinâmica familiar de famílias que possuem filhos adolescentes envolvidos com o abuso de drogas, na perspectiva de suas mães, e compreender a história de vida familiar. O estudo utilizou enfoque qualitativo de pesquisa e os dados foram coletados por meio de um roteiro de entrevista semi-estruturado elaborado com base na modalidade história de vida temática. Participaram quatro mães de adolescentes usuários de substâncias psicoativas atendidas pelo Programa de Saúde da Família de um município do interior paulista. A coleta de dados foi realizada em encontros individuais, previamente agendados com as mães. As entrevistas foram audiogravadas e transcritas na íntegra e literalmente. Além disso, paralelamente a cada entrevista realizada, foi redigido um diário de campo. Após a digitação, as falas foram enumeradas para facilitar posterior localização no momento da categorização. A análise dos dados foi orientada visando à identificação dos temas que emergiram, individualmente, e posteriormente no conjunto de entrevistas, com a finalidade de construir categorias gerais. O corpus de pesquisa foi analisado à luz do referencial psicanalítico adotado para o presente estudo, fundamentado nos estudos de Berenstein, Eiguer e Kalina. Os resultados mostraram, em linhas gerais, o impacto da transmissão psíquica na história de vida familiar e sua contribuição na produção de sofrimento emocional, que culminou com o adoecimento não só do membro identificado, como também das famílias que vivenciavam o uso de substâncias psicoativas na adolescência. O relato das mães permitiu desvelar histórias de vida marcadas pela violência crônica, distanciamento afetivo e um padrão de abandono recorrente, que constituíram legados transmitidos intergeracionalmente, sem possibilidades de transformação. Compreender o adoecimento e seu significado na adolescência implica na compreensão da dinâmica familiar na qual o adolescente encontra-se inserido e na qual a herança psíquica é transmitida entre gerações. O estudo traz subsídios importantes para o planejamento de ações terapêuticas lastreadas na consideração do fenômeno do abuso de substâncias psicoativas como inseparável dos processos de subjetivação contemporâneos. / The family, along its socio-historical process, passed by crisis and changes, recreating itself according to time and local context, adopting for both distinctive styles. Despite these changes the organization family remains the axis of reference to procreation and socialization of the new generations, as well as the support base that the individual has in the course of his psychosexual development process. Throughout the life cycle, the family plays diverse roles and exercises specifics functions being considered the platform of support and structure of the psyche since the dawn of the relation mother-baby. In this case, studies have appointed the family like being a fundamental space of psychic transmission. Given these assumptions, the literature supports that this organization would have a decisive impact on the process of health and illness of the individuals, including about the abusive use of psychoactive substances in the adolescence. Thus, it is imperative to devote attention from the family, through an approach that takes into account the history, structure and dynamics of family relationships and their integration into the wider social context. Faced with this problem, this study aimed to understand the family dynamics of families with teenage children involved in drug abuse in the perspective of their mothers, and understand the history of family life. The study used qualitative approach to research and data were collected through a structured interview script semi-structured based in the modality life history theme. Participated four mothers of teenagers users of psychoactive substances attended by the Family Health Problem of a town in the countryside of São Paulo state. The collect of data was performed in individual meetings, previously scheduled with the mothers. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed and literally. Moreover, in parallel to each interview, was written a diary. After typing, the lines were listed to facilitate subsequent location at the time of categorization. The analysis was guided in order to identify the themes that emerged, individually, and later in the interviews in order to build broad categories. The body of research has been examined in the light of psychoanalysis adopted for the present study, based on studies of Berenstein, Eiguer and Kalina. The results showed, in general, the impact of psychic transmission in the history of family life and their contribution to the production of emotional distress, which led to the illness of a member not only identified but also the families who experienced the use of psychoactive substances in adolescence. The report of the mothers allowed us to reveal stories of life marked by chronic violence, emotional distance and a pattern of neglect applicant, which were transmitted intergenerational legacy without the possibility of transformation. Understanding the disease and its significance in adolescence involves the understanding of family dynamics in which the adolescent is inserted and in which the psychic inheritance is passed between generations. The study provides important information for the planning of therapeutic actions backed into consideration the phenomenon of substance abuse as inseparable from the contemporary subjectivity.

Die Anzahl der ADHS-Diagnosen bei Kindern und Jugendlichen sowie die Behandlung dieser heranwachsenden Patienten mit Amphetaminen haben in den letzten Jahren bedeutend zugenommen. Wissenschaftlich belegt ist inzwischen, dass ADHS nicht nur auf die Entwicklung des betroffenen Kindes oder Jugendlichen einen bedeutenden Einfluss hat, sondern die Störung sich auch auf die psychosoziale Situation, insbesondere des familiären Umfeldes, auswirkt. Die Dissertation widmet sich speziell der Geschwisterproblematik bei ADHS-Kindern und stellt die Familiendynamik aus der Geschwisterperspektive in den Mittelpunkt. Ausgehend von theoretischen Überlegungen werden forschungsleitende Fragestellungen entwickelt, die als thematische Bezugspunkte die Ausgangslage für eine empirische Untersuchung mit qualitativen Erhebungs- und Auswertungsmethoden darstellen. Mittels zwanzig teilstandardisierter Leitfadeninterviews werden Charakteristika der familiendynamischen Situation von Geschwistern ADHS-betroffener Kinder und Jugendlicher aus deren Perspektive ermittelt und in verschiedenen relevanten Dimensionen qualitativ analysiert. Dabei erfolgt auch ein Vergleich der Ergebnisse mit den in der Theorie angeführten Erkenntnissen normaler geschwisterlicher Beziehungen sowie Geschwisterbeziehung bei einem Kind mit Behinderung. Die Ergebnisse der Untersuchung zeigen eine Vielzahl unterschiedlicher Verarbeitungsmodi und Beziehungserfahrungen der ADHS-Geschwister im familiären sowie außerfamiliären Kontext auf. Zusammengeführt werden die Ergebnisse im Rahmen einer Typenbildung und dabei der Darstellung unterschiedlicher Charakteristika, die sowohl hilfreich für die psychische Entwicklung erscheinen als auch einen eher ungünstigen Einfluss besitzen. Es ergeben sich abschließend verschiedene Anregungen auf die Frage, für welchen Bereich (Beratung, Therapie, Schule) die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse aus dieser Studie Relevanz besitzen und welche Konsequenzen sich daraus für diese Gebiete ableiten lassen. / The number of ADHD diagnoses among children and young people, and the treatment of these adolescent patients with amphetamines, has increased significantly in recent years. There is now scientific evidence proving that ADHD not only significantly affects the development of the affected child or young person, but that the disorder also affects the psycho-social situation, particularly that of the family environment. The dissertation is specifically devoted to the sibling-related problems with children suffering from ADHD and focuses on the family dynamics from the perspective of the siblings. On the basis of theoretical considerations, questions are developed to guide the research and to serve as thematic reference points representing the starting position for an empirical investigation using qualitative survey and analysis methods. Using twenty partially standardised guideline interviews, characteristics of the family dynamics situation of siblings of young ADHD sufferers are investigated from their perspective, and qualitatively analysed in detail in various relevant dimensions. The results are also compared with the theoretical findings relating to normal sibling relationships as well as the sibling relationship in the case of a child with a disability. The results of the investigation demonstrate a large number different processing modes and relationship experiences of the ADHD siblings, in contexts both within and outside the family. The results are compiled in the context of a classification system, illustrating various characteristics which appear helpful for psychological development, as well as those which have a rather unfavourable influence. Finally there are various suggestions relating to the areas for which the findings of this study are of relevance (advice, therapy, education) and what consequences can be deduced for these areas.

O presente estudo teve como objetivos compreender os medos do câncer presentes na experiência das famílias; compreender os significados atribuídos pelas famílias aos medos do câncer; compreender como os significados influenciam na dinâmica familiar e elaborar um modelo teórico representativo da dinâmica familiar diante dos medos do câncer. Trata-se de um estudo qualitativo orientado pelo Interacionismo Simbólico, como referencial teórico e a Teoria Fundamentada nos Dados, como referencial metodológico. Os dados foram coletados, mediante entrevista com seis famílias rurais que estavam vivendo a experiência de ter um familiar com câncer. A análise comparativa constante desses dados permitiu a elaboração de um modelo teórico explicativo da experiência da família rural, definido pela categoria central CUIDANDO PARA MANTER O MUNDO DA FAMÍLIA AMPARADO que representa as ações e estratégias simbólicas da família visando a conciliar o cuidado do familiar doente e o cuidado da vida familiar e, dessa maneira, preservar os elementos que conectados constituem o mundo da família rural. O modelo teórico evidencia o persistente movimento de cuidado da família ao longo da experiência para preservar os elementos simbólicos que constituem o amparo do mundo da família: a unidade familiar, a terra, o trabalho e o cuidado / The present study had as objective to understand cancer fears present in families experience; to realize the meanings attributed by families to cancer fears; to understand how that meanings influence in family dynamics, and to elaborate a representative theoretical model of family dynamics face to cancer fears. It is about a qualitative study guided by Symbolic Interacionism as theoretical referential, and Grounded Theory as methodological referential. Data had been collected by means of interview with six rural families who were living family cancer experience. Comparative data analysis allowed the elaboration of a theoretical model to explain agricultural familys experience, defined by TAKING CARE TO KEEP FAMILYS WORLD SUPPORTED central category, which represents familys actions and symbolic strategies aiming at conciliating the care of sick person as well as the care of familiar life, and, therefore, to preserve elements, which connected, constitute rural familys world. Theoretical model evidences the persistent movement of family care throughout the experience to preserve symbolic elements that constitute familys world support: family unit, land, work, and care

O presente estudo teve como objetivos compreender os medos do câncer presentes na experiência das famílias; compreender os significados atribuídos pelas famílias aos medos do câncer; compreender como os significados influenciam na dinâmica familiar e elaborar um modelo teórico representativo da dinâmica familiar diante dos medos do câncer. Trata-se de um estudo qualitativo orientado pelo Interacionismo Simbólico, como referencial teórico e a Teoria Fundamentada nos Dados, como referencial metodológico. Os dados foram coletados, mediante entrevista com seis famílias rurais que estavam vivendo a experiência de ter um familiar com câncer. A análise comparativa constante desses dados permitiu a elaboração de um modelo teórico explicativo da experiência da família rural, definido pela categoria central CUIDANDO PARA MANTER O MUNDO DA FAMÍLIA AMPARADO que representa as ações e estratégias simbólicas da família visando a conciliar o cuidado do familiar doente e o cuidado da vida familiar e, dessa maneira, preservar os elementos que conectados constituem o mundo da família rural. O modelo teórico evidencia o persistente movimento de cuidado da família ao longo da experiência para preservar os elementos simbólicos que constituem o amparo do mundo da família: a unidade familiar, a terra, o trabalho e o cuidado / The present study had as objective to understand cancer fears present in families experience; to realize the meanings attributed by families to cancer fears; to understand how that meanings influence in family dynamics, and to elaborate a representative theoretical model of family dynamics face to cancer fears. It is about a qualitative study guided by Symbolic Interacionism as theoretical referential, and Grounded Theory as methodological referential. Data had been collected by means of interview with six rural families who were living family cancer experience. Comparative data analysis allowed the elaboration of a theoretical model to explain agricultural familys experience, defined by TAKING CARE TO KEEP FAMILYS WORLD SUPPORTED central category, which represents familys actions and symbolic strategies aiming at conciliating the care of sick person as well as the care of familiar life, and, therefore, to preserve elements, which connected, constitute rural familys world. Theoretical model evidences the persistent movement of family care throughout the experience to preserve symbolic elements that constitute familys world support: family unit, land, work, and care

A família, ao longo de seu processo sócio-histórico, atravessou inúmeras crises e transformações, recriando-se conforme a época e o contexto local, adotando para tanto estilos diferenciados. Apesar das mudanças, a organização familiar continua sendo eixo de referência para procriação e socialização das novas gerações, bem como a base de apoio que o indivíduo dispõe no decorrer de seu processo de desenvolvimento psicossexual. Ao longo do ciclo vital, a família desempenha papéis diversificados e exerce funções específicas, sendo considerada a plataforma de sustentação e estruturação do psiquismo desde os primórdios da relação mãebebê. Nessa vertente, estudos têm apontado que a família constitui-se como um espaço fundamental de transmissão psíquica. Considerando-se esses pressupostos, a literatura sustenta que a organização familiar tem impacto decisivo no processo de saúde-doença do indivíduo, inclusive no que diz respeito ao uso abusivo de substâncias psicoativas na adolescência. Assim, torna-se imperioso dedicar atenção diferenciada à família, por meio de uma abordagem que leve em conta a história, estrutura e dinâmica dos relacionamentos familiares, bem como sua inserção no contexto social mais amplo. Frente a essa problemática, o presente estudo teve por objetivos compreender a dinâmica familiar de famílias que possuem filhos adolescentes envolvidos com o abuso de drogas, na perspectiva de suas mães, e compreender a história de vida familiar. O estudo utilizou enfoque qualitativo de pesquisa e os dados foram coletados por meio de um roteiro de entrevista semi-estruturado elaborado com base na modalidade história de vida temática. Participaram quatro mães de adolescentes usuários de substâncias psicoativas atendidas pelo Programa de Saúde da Família de um município do interior paulista. A coleta de dados foi realizada em encontros individuais, previamente agendados com as mães. As entrevistas foram audiogravadas e transcritas na íntegra e literalmente. Além disso, paralelamente a cada entrevista realizada, foi redigido um diário de campo. Após a digitação, as falas foram enumeradas para facilitar posterior localização no momento da categorização. A análise dos dados foi orientada visando à identificação dos temas que emergiram, individualmente, e posteriormente no conjunto de entrevistas, com a finalidade de construir categorias gerais. O corpus de pesquisa foi analisado à luz do referencial psicanalítico adotado para o presente estudo, fundamentado nos estudos de Berenstein, Eiguer e Kalina. Os resultados mostraram, em linhas gerais, o impacto da transmissão psíquica na história de vida familiar e sua contribuição na produção de sofrimento emocional, que culminou com o adoecimento não só do membro identificado, como também das famílias que vivenciavam o uso de substâncias psicoativas na adolescência. O relato das mães permitiu desvelar histórias de vida marcadas pela violência crônica, distanciamento afetivo e um padrão de abandono recorrente, que constituíram legados transmitidos intergeracionalmente, sem possibilidades de transformação. Compreender o adoecimento e seu significado na adolescência implica na compreensão da dinâmica familiar na qual o adolescente encontra-se inserido e na qual a herança psíquica é transmitida entre gerações. O estudo traz subsídios importantes para o planejamento de ações terapêuticas lastreadas na consideração do fenômeno do abuso de substâncias psicoativas como inseparável dos processos de subjetivação contemporâneos. / The family, along its socio-historical process, passed by crisis and changes, recreating itself according to time and local context, adopting for both distinctive styles. Despite these changes the organization family remains the axis of reference to procreation and socialization of the new generations, as well as the support base that the individual has in the course of his psychosexual development process. Throughout the life cycle, the family plays diverse roles and exercises specifics functions being considered the platform of support and structure of the psyche since the dawn of the relation mother-baby. In this case, studies have appointed the family like being a fundamental space of psychic transmission. Given these assumptions, the literature supports that this organization would have a decisive impact on the process of health and illness of the individuals, including about the abusive use of psychoactive substances in the adolescence. Thus, it is imperative to devote attention from the family, through an approach that takes into account the history, structure and dynamics of family relationships and their integration into the wider social context. Faced with this problem, this study aimed to understand the family dynamics of families with teenage children involved in drug abuse in the perspective of their mothers, and understand the history of family life. The study used qualitative approach to research and data were collected through a structured interview script semi-structured based in the modality life history theme. Participated four mothers of teenagers users of psychoactive substances attended by the Family Health Problem of a town in the countryside of São Paulo state. The collect of data was performed in individual meetings, previously scheduled with the mothers. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed and literally. Moreover, in parallel to each interview, was written a diary. After typing, the lines were listed to facilitate subsequent location at the time of categorization. The analysis was guided in order to identify the themes that emerged, individually, and later in the interviews in order to build broad categories. The body of research has been examined in the light of psychoanalysis adopted for the present study, based on studies of Berenstein, Eiguer and Kalina. The results showed, in general, the impact of psychic transmission in the history of family life and their contribution to the production of emotional distress, which led to the illness of a member not only identified but also the families who experienced the use of psychoactive substances in adolescence. The report of the mothers allowed us to reveal stories of life marked by chronic violence, emotional distance and a pattern of neglect applicant, which were transmitted intergenerational legacy without the possibility of transformation. Understanding the disease and its significance in adolescence involves the understanding of family dynamics in which the adolescent is inserted and in which the psychic inheritance is passed between generations. The study provides important information for the planning of therapeutic actions backed into consideration the phenomenon of substance abuse as inseparable from the contemporary subjectivity.