Family well‐being, parenting, and child well‐being: Pathways to healthy adjustment

Family well‐being provides a foundation for positive parenting and child well‐being. Many previous studies have outlined the possible connections between family well‐being, parenting, and child well‐being, yet translating research into practice continues to be problematic. The purpose of this article is to review the current literature (from 2000 to 2014) on family and child well‐being in order to create a model of well‐being that is useful for both researchers and practitioners. The model builds upon Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory, and is differentiated from other prominent models of family functioning by focusing on bolstering family strengths and well‐being (as opposed to ameliorating family stress, risk, or deficits) and on supporting child well‐being (as opposed to treating maladjustment). The model addresses family well‐being (parental well‐being, family self‐sufficiency, and family resiliency), developmental parenting (affection, responsiveness, encouragement, teaching, engagement, positive discipline, and co‐parenting), and child well‐being (physical and mental health, self‐regulation, social and cognitive competence). Direct and indirect connections between model components and possible moderating factors are discussed. A theory of change model is proposed as a tool for practitioners from a variety of disciplines and fields to guide their work with families. Recommendations for clinicians, limitations of the model, and future directions are discussed.