Families and job loss in rural Newfoundland and urban Ontario: A systems approach to identifying stress and coping strategies for pastoral care

• Main Author: Edwards, Christina Marguerite Emmaus
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: Scholars Commons @ Laurier 1994
• Subjects: Christianity; Family; Life Course; and Society; Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://scholars.wlu.ca/etd/831; https://scholars.wlu.ca/context/etd/article/1830/viewcontent/Thesis.PDF

In response to the Church's mission to manifest God's love in active concern for those in need, the experiences that have helped or blocked families to develop coping skills when faced with the pain of job loss due to the crisis in the fishing industry in rural Newfoundland and the recession in urban Ontario were investigated and recommendations for systemic pastoral care were made. The data was gathered using qualitative research methods and the FACES 111: Social Adaptability and Cohesion Scale. Building on the work of Hill, McCubbin and Patterson, and using Graham's Psychosystemic map a Triple ABC-X Model of Family Stressors and Strains was developed to allow a more vigorous systemic approach in the analysis. The experience of Job was used as a focus for theological reflection. The results indicated that families in each region had specific strengths to draw on and areas of need which challenge systemic care-givers to take prophetic action that will help families to turn their losses into gains.