What is the definition of a “Dysfunctional” family?
A dysfunctional family is a family in which conflict, misbehaviour and even abuse on the part of individual members of the family occur continually, leading other members to accommodate such actions. Children sometimes grow up in such families with the understanding that such an arrangement is normal. Dysfunctional families are most often a result of the alcoholism, substance abuse, or other addictions of parents, parents’ untreated mental illnesses/defects or personality disorders, or the parents emulating their own dysfunctional parents and dysfunctional family experiences. Above is the definition from the encyclopedia. This tells me that these behaviours are only normal if they happen on occasion. The positive thing is that the cycle can be broken by the next generation.
