Family
The Role of Family in Deviance and Stigma
The influence of family relationships and emotional support on deviance and stigma plays a big role in how people grow and behave. Family has a huge impact on the way we see ourselves and how we handle problems. The way family members talk, show emotions, and support each other can make a big difference in whether someone learns healthy coping skills or turns to negative behavior. When a home feels warm, safe, and supportive, it gives people a sense of comfort and belonging. Teens who grow up in that kind of environment usually manage anger and stress better. But when there’s constant conflict, distance, or a lack of emotional connection, frustrations build up and can lead to acting out or risky behavior (Saladino et al., 2020).
How families respond to judgment and criticism from others plays a major role in shaping both individual and group identity. When parents or children experience stigma, especially related to issues like mental health, social behavior, or family problems, it can deeply influence how they see themselves and each other. Parents who feel judged by society may carry feelings of guilt, shame, or inadequacy, which often adds tension to family relationships. This emotional strain can trickle down to children, affecting their sense of belonging and self-worth. Families that remain open and supportive during these experiences are better able to maintain healthy communication and resilience. When family members talk honestly, show empathy, and stand by one another despite outside judgment, they create a protective emotional environment that shapes more positive behavior and identity development (Saladino et al., 2020; Drent et al., 2022).
Emotional warmth and consistent support at home are powerful tools for reducing deviant behavior and mitigating the harmful effects of stigma. A caring and stable family environment teaches essential social and emotional skills such as patience, empathy, and problem-solving. Children who grow up in households that value understanding and open communication are more likely to handle stress in healthy ways and make positive choices. When families lack emotional connection or fail to communicate, frustration and isolation can lead to negative coping behaviors. It is not the structure of the family that matters most, but the quality of the relationships within the respect, love, and mutual support that shape how individuals behave and who they become (Saladino et al., 2020; Drent et al., 2022).
Social Stigma
Stigma within families can affect both individuals with disabilities and people struggling with substance use. Research shows that people with disabilities can face discrimination and exclusion in schools, workplaces, and healthcare systems which in turn can lead to limited opportunities and social isolation. The families of people with disabilities can also experience judgement, shame, and financial stress from other family members and society itself (Çaynak et al., 2021).
Families who have a loved one who struggles with substance use can encounter stigma both within and outside their household. Many people can unintentionally reinforce negative stereotypes by using harmful labels such as “addict” or “abuser” which can make it seem like a personal failure compared to a complex health issue (Pasman et al., 2023). This language can not only worsen feelings of shame and blame within an individual but also hinder their recovery. Both of these studies show that stigma is socially learned and is maintained through everyday interactions. They also emphasize the importance of raising awareness, educating communities, and also using person-first language to challenge stereotypes and build stronger connections within families, communities, and society.
Parental Influences on Child Outcomes
Throughout children’s childhood and teenage years parents are their biggest role model and supporters. Helping them through school, growing socially and as an individual, and achieving their goals. In an interview with Anette Fasang they discussed a study that looked at how parents’ social networks can affect their children’s educational success (Alexander Street, a ProQuest Company, 2025). Another study examines how parental support can help their children’s readiness to change when experiencing emotional or behavioral problems (Ratkajec Gašević et al., 2022).
During the interview with Anette Fasang she discusses that in the study one example that was looked at was the comparison of rich parents and poor parents or high class and low class and how these differences could help with their children’s educational success. This specific example was looked at because higher class parents have better or more social networks that their children can use and this helps them with educational success, for example these children’s gpa average were significantly higher. While lower class parents had less and not quality social networks to help with their children’s education resulting in a lower gpa. (Alexander Street, a ProQuest Company, 2025) The last study showed that there is a direct correlation between changing and improving children’s behavioral and emotional problems and parental support (Ratkajec Gašević et al., 2022).
Mental Health Relating to Deviance
Family structure and how family climate such as communication, support, and openness can create regulation when it is directly relevant to how someone creates the ability to regulate when family factors interplay. The path to anger dysregulation that is stronger within children, in this case girls, was not mediated within a family structure to regulate signs of deviance. (Saladino, V. (2020) This creates the conversation of how one creates their identity and forms autonomy within their interpersonal relationships. Deviance propensity through intact and non-intact families were associated through family climate and anger dysregulation when mental health is not addressed within the home’s family structure creates a child’s mental state to develop to cope through this regulation to create negative coping mechanisms with a negative self-concept and identity
Family structure and deviance can be shown chronically through how individuals within the family present mentally, as this can be shown through genetic and biological components,of how individuals react to highlight dysfunctionality within regulating mood and anger as it is someone’s genetic make up that heighten the chronic and that shapes their modeling of generalization of behavior. Deviance can transpire through mental health when genetically we are tied through these attributes that can relate to gaining and grasping stigma from others and also for an individual’s self image. Genetic attributes increase belief that an ill person’s sibling or child would also develop the problem, but did not significantly affect reproductive restrictiveness or social distance from an ill person, but increased stigma of seriousness as well as the condition throughout the family dynamic. (Phelan, J. C. (2005).
Reference
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