ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses a family impact assessment model employs social impact assessment methodology as an underlying structure and as a general framework. The following discussion of a family impact assessment model is presented from a general macro-cosmic orientation, which assumes that the multiple levels of the social system must be considered in any analysis of social impacts. The development of a family impact model should start from the premise that the family is an open system, molded by the natural and social environments, especially in relationship to the degree of access to goods and services and things of value. The focus on the family, social policy, and impact analysis, suggests some general conceptual formulations concerning social impacts on the social structure. Some social theorists automatically assume family functional capacity is adversely affected when a key family member such as the father-husband is absent.
