ABSTRACT
Crises occur when a family lacks the resources to cope or when “family demands significantly exceed their capabilities” (Patterson, 2002, p. 351). All families undergo some degree of strain or stress. Strain can be defined as that tension or difficulty sensed by family members which indicates that change is needed in their relationships and their family environment. Stressor events, discussed in this chapter, are characterized by unexpectedness, greater intensity, longer duration, and their undesirability and serious effects (Lavee, Sharlin, & Katz, 1996).
