Understanding the Family Structure - the Brofenbrenner's Ecological Model

The Brofenbrenner's Ecological Model refers to a set of Russian dolls that are nested inside each other with the smallest being at the core. This model is used to describe a child's development. This model is composed of four different layers: Microsystem, Mesosystem, Exosystem, and Macrosystem. These four layers interact with each other and form a high complex context that the child develops. For instance: James is a child who interacts with his immediate family and other children in his neighborhood. This developmental stage that James is in is considered the microsystem. James interacts directly with the people in the microsystem and the effects of the interaction go both ways (Gonzalez-Mena 8).

Maslow's Hierarchy of needs offers the information needed for one to accommodate their knowledge of working with children and their families. This hierarchy is composed of five different levels. Maslow's hierarchy focuses on the idea that basic physiological needs such as food, air, water, and rest are to be met for child growth to occur (Gonzalez-Mena 19). As the levels advance the child's emotion, attention, and personality develops in the process. Case in point after the basic needs are met, children have the need for safety and love. Self –esteem is the recognition phase and this is very vital to a child's personality.

These two approaches benefit families by providing new parents as well existing parents with the proper information that allows the parent to ensure the correct development of their child. Many parents become fearful of the fact that they may be horrible parents, and with these two models they can provide the parents with the correct tools in order to be great parents, thus abstracting any anxiety of being a parent.