What does Duvall's developmental theory describe?

What does Duvall's developmental theory describe?

• A. Eight developmental tasks of the family throughout its life span
• B. Four stages of child development
• C. Three phases of family change
• D. Ten steps of family assessment

Answer: (A)

Duvall's theory looks at how families move through eight stages across the life span, with specific developmental tasks to accomplish at each stage. It treats the family as a system that changes as children are born, grow, and eventually leave home, then as the couple ages and retirement approaches. By focusing on the sequence of stages and the tasks the family must handle—forming a couple, adjusting to parenting, guiding school-age children, managing adolescence, launching children, redefining the couple relationship, aging as parents—the theory explains how family dynamics evolve over time. This is why describing it as eight developmental tasks of the family throughout its life span is the best fit. It isn’t about four stages of child development, three phases of family change, or ten steps of family assessment, which describe different concepts.

Duvall's theory looks at how families move through eight stages across the life span, with specific developmental tasks to accomplish at each stage. It treats the family as a system that changes as children are born, grow, and eventually leave home, then as the couple ages and retirement approaches. By focusing on the sequence of stages and the tasks the family must handle—forming a couple, adjusting to parenting, guiding school-age children, managing adolescence, launching children, redefining the couple relationship, aging as parents—the theory explains how family dynamics evolve over time. This is why describing it as eight developmental tasks of the family throughout its life span is the best fit. It isn’t about four stages of child development, three phases of family change, or ten steps of family assessment, which describe different concepts.