Jim Collins, author of “Good to Great,” cites successful enterprises, from companies to countries, go out of their way to capture core identity. Take that thought and extend it; can this concept be applied to families?
Dr. Marshall Duke and Dr. Robyn Fivush, psychologists at Emory University, put this theory to test as they set out to answer the question, "what factors lead to more emotionally healthy children and families?"
Their research included interviewing dozens of families and taping dinner table discussions. They then examined the interviews and administered a number of psychological tests to the children in the study. The conclusion: The more children knew about their family’s history (or core identity), the stronger their sense of control over their lives, the higher their self-esteem and the more successfully they believed their families functioned. In short, family storytelling builds resiliency.
From their research they developed the
"Do You Know?"
scale which we've attached
via this link
. As our busy lives unfold, perhaps we can all foster great discussions and even build resilience.
