The concept that a family’s outcomes over a lifetime depend on the success or failure of each phase they go through is an example of which theory?

• A. Family life cycle theory
• B. Systems theory
• C. Life course theory
• D. Family ecology theory

Answer: (A)

Families move through a series of stages, and how each phase is navigated shapes the results of the whole life course. The idea that success or struggle in one stage affects later outcomes embodies this stage-by-stage view, with tasks and transitions at each point influencing the family’s overall trajectory. That perspective is central to family life cycle theory, which ties together the progression through defined family stages and the ripple effects of transitions. In contrast, systems theory focuses on how family members interact within the whole system, not on a fixed sequence of stages; life course theory emphasizes individual trajectories within social contexts; and family ecology theory looks at how environmental factors shape family life.