Ethnic Families in the Circumplex Model: Integrating Nuclear with Extended Family Systems

SUMMARY. This article compares ethnic families on the cohesion and adaptability dimensions of the Circumplex Model from the perspective of intergenerational and extended family systems. Recent studies unexpectedly found that rigid enmeshed families function well when they have high expectations for togetherness. These findings probably occurred because enmeshment in extended families, in contrast to nuclear families, increases the resources available for alleviating problems and moderates the effects of low adaptability.