Sigrún Júlíusdóttir, Ph D MAIN FIELD OF WORK
Professor in Social Work at the University of Iceland. Holds a Fil.kand in social sciences, University of Stockholm, Sweden, MSW from U of M, Ann Arbor, USA with training in couple- and family therapy, and a PhD in family research, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. A licenced psychotherapist, trained in supervision and consultation. After twenty years as Chief Social Worker at the University Psychiatric Hospital becoming a professor at U of I, teaching and researching, also conducting continuing educational programmes in family therapy and supervision. She is Chair for Research Center of Family Relations, U of I, and runs a small private practice Tengsl (Relations) offering psychotherapy with individuals and families, supervision and counselling. Has published books and articles in Icelandic, Swedish and English on families, custody issues, childrens right and on professional development.
ABSTRACT
Intimate Relationships, Human Interaction and Family Work in a Digital Age
The paper starts by portraying characteristics of some prominent factors in the contemporary life of ordinary people. In that connection the influences of the commercial global market, increasing individualism and the emerging technical development, e.g. as reflected in the new media, are depicted. This is related to current social discourse on the human condition and contributions from social critics on the digital culture and its effect on family contact and interaction, especially on the parent-child intimate relationship. The portrayal of the digital culture is focused on what recent family research, communication studies and clinical experience reveal. Under that perspective we discuss individual life-course development, and jeopardizing life events such as parents’ divorce, disease, death or emigration, young peoples‘ patterns of risk behaviours, deficits and dependency on drugs and digital media. Furthermore, this is related to recent research findings of the correlation between childhood trauma, crises or serious neglect and mental or physical health problems later in life. It is argued that marginalized, less educated groups of parents, immigrants, unemployed and other minorities are particularly unprotected and vulnerable. Finally, it is claimed that professionals, as family workers, play an essential part in preventing harm to children in current perilous upbringing conditions. Their contribution is thus crucial for prophylactic achievements in multidisciplinary teamwork, through family life education and various interventional programmes with young couples, families and children. They have a gatekeeping role in social, health and school settings, also mediating knowledge to leaders and policy makers.
Key words: contemporary life, digital culture, individualism, families, prevention, policy.