Family pathology conditional on unemployment in the Slovak society Man as a social, self-aware being cannot exist in isolation. Human existence is given in the environment, which has an immense influence on the formation of a person's personality and on the quality of his life. "The social environment consists of phenomena, states, processes and relationships that surround a person in the family, social group, social stratum and the whole society. It is the sum of all the influences of other people and groups that an individual meets in society and that have such a strong effect on the course of educational processes and its results" (Průcha, In: Bargel, Mühlpachr, 2010, p. 22). It is characteristic and characteristic for a person to establish cooperative relationships with other people, to develop a sense of belonging and reciprocity. Without the existence of an environment and individual relationships, a person cannot fully develop his being. Being part of the environment, belonging to society is part of its social nature.
Being part of a social environment, belonging to a family and society also requires living in accordance with certain rules and values, which should reflect the plurality of opinions of the given society, that is, they are typical or characteristic for it and are in accordance with the goals that the society wants to achieve. However, in every such society there are also failures of individuals and groups, which threaten the stability of the community and lead to unhealthy manifestations. That's when we talk about pathology. The term pathology generally characterizes something sick, unhealthy, something that threatens stability, security, peace. It affects all areas of human life, various aspects of society, family, individual. In connection with the social life of a person, with his existence in a social environment, with his actions, free decision-making, the situation in which he finds himself, we speak of social pathology.
Social pathology (eng. social pathology, German Sozialpathologie) Ondrejkovič et al. (2009) we characterize it as a collective term, which we use to name sick, abnormal, or generally undesirable social phenomena, where we also include sanctioned forms of deviant behavior, but also the study of the causes of their origin and existence. We can therefore include aggression, alcoholism, drug addiction, suicide, prostitution, homosexuality, divorce, unemployment, pathological gambling, war, violence, but also newer forms of pathological manifestations, to which Mühlpachr (2008) includes e.g. extremism, which today represents one of the greatest dangers, and also various types of addiction: addiction - addiction to the Internet, addiction to television, sexual addiction, workaholism, or pathological shopping and overeating. Marešová (2010) considers alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling and other addictions to be the most common socio-pathological phenomena of today; membership in extremist groups and religious sects, xenophobia and racism; domestic violence, sick stalking; bullying at school, at the workplace (mobbing, bossing), in social and educational institutions against clients of these institutions; prostitution, promiscuity, participation in porn production, pimping, commercial sexual exploitation; vandalism including spraying, violence in stadiums, street violence; asociality spread via the Internet and on the so-called social networks, misuse of personal data accessible on the Internet, dissemination of records of physical attacks on peers, teachers, disabled persons, etc.; suicides; corruption, clientelism; creation of street gangs of children and adolescents; homelessness.
The term social pathology was first used by the English philosopher and sociologist Herbert Spencer (1820-1903), who used it in connection with society as a specific kind of human organism in which the same laws figure. He was convinced of the unity of social (social) and natural laws that influence human behavior. It was this biologicalism that became the cause of the later rejection of this term and replaced it with the term social deviance (Ondrejkovič, In: Tokárová et al., 2002). Unlike Spencer, Èmile Durkheim (1857-1917), the French founder of scientific sociology, considered social pathology to be the science of "diseases and adverse facts, actions and behaviors that deviate from established norms, but at the same time are an organic part, a component of the life of social units" (Ondrejkovič et al., 2009, p. 23). The prominent Czech sociologist Inocenc Arnosšt Bláha (In: Schavel, Čišecký, 2005, p. 55) used the term social pathology to emphasize the disorder "of social processes and social facilities, as determinants of individual and collective disorders". In general, we can therefore define the concept of social pathology in connection with the monitoring, investigation, observation of negative social phenomena occurring in society at the level of individuals, groups, wider communities or the whole.
Establishing the pathological aspect presupposes establishing normality. It is impossible to recognize normal from abnormal, healthy from sick, if we cannot distinguish or even name what is correct, good, normal. In order to be able to correctly define the concept of normality, the factor of time and space must be taken into account. Every era and every culture is characterized by its conformity, i.e. customary customs, rules, norms, values, religion. Their observance or non-observance, changes, acceptance of new rules, of course, depend on the foundations of the existence of human beings in connection with establishing certain boundaries of mutual coexistence, on the development of society, quantitative and qualitative indicators of economic development, social and cultural maturity of the nation. So judging normality is not easy. Ondrejkovič et al. (2009) says that a double understanding of normality can be found in the literature, namely as inner security, experiencing one's own world, and then normality, which is typical of the welfare state, that is, help in coping with existing social problems. It is thus perceived by the subjective experience of a specific individual and subsequently by the social and cultural-ethical aspect. "In general, it can be said that it makes sense to consider as normal social phenomena and processes, but also the social situation, which enable a person to have such life manifestations as are the result of consensus and do not always need a special argument for their own justification" (Ondrejkovič et al., 2009, p. 23). Laca (In: Bargel, Mühlpachr et al., 2010) adds that the concept of normality can be explained using social relations, social roles, attitudes, patterns of behavior or culture in a given society. However, it is not possible to equate normality with the standard. Because what is natural and therefore normal for one may not automatically be for another. It is therefore necessary to draw attention to the socio-cultural determination of socio-pathological phenomena and their variability depending on time and environment. We are primarily referring to the age categories of youth and adults. In this way, we can say that normality describes the acceptance, observance and respect of such norms, values and rules that are in accordance with the conformity of society, their stability represents the appropriateness and necessity of their use in order to ensure the functioning of society as a whole and thus also of every individual, group, family, organization, institution.
Social-pathological phenomena mostly occur where there are certain kinds of problems, stressful situations that cause internal pressure, unrest, and a person is more or less unable to accept such a state, adapt, or to face and find solutions. Social pathology is thus linked to the term social problem, which is defined by V. Lamser (In: Žilová, 2005, p. 42) as "developmental tendencies in human relationships and in society, which are considered burdensome (problematic) and to which it is necessary to pay attention in the form of corrective and compensatory, but especially preventive measures". Lamser (In: Levická, 2002, p. 63) further claims that "we only talk about a social problem when the problem goes beyond the personal situation, affects a larger number of people and requires a solution". It is understood as a stressful situation that must be solved from the point of view of the entire society and of each individual. On the basis of these characteristics, we can list some factors affecting the emergence of socio-pathological phenomena. This mainly concerns the dysfunction of the family, when there is a degradation of customary rules, norms and values, health problems, death, indebtedness, unemployment and others.
Problems of social pathology are at the center of interest of many scientific disciplines such as legal sciences, social psychology, sociology, social pedagogy, social work. Each of these sciences contributes to the solution of the given issue to the extent that it is able to obtain the necessary knowledge of a specific socio-pathological phenomenon within its subject of interest. In this context, Ondrejkovič et al. (2009) notes that social work represents an integrated discipline dealing with the issue of social pathology not only on a theoretical, but especially on a practical level, mostly in the form of a social service that is capable of solving individual, family and society-wide problems, also in connection with social policy. Therefore, we can consider social pathology as a scientific discipline that investigates negative phenomena and processes occurring within society and is the dominant subject of social work.
Socio-pathological phenomena affect every individual, family, as well as the whole society. Because they exist, they are dangerous, they represent a threat, the instability of the whole society. An effective way to fight against evil, which we call a socio-pathological phenomenon, is mainly to prevent its emergence, spread, and escalation, by respecting the common good, that is, by accepting and applying such standards, rules, patterns of behavior that will ensure the common benefit, justice, dignity and humanization of every human being.
Pathological manifestations of the family system
As we have already mentioned, socio-pathological phenomena do not only affect the individual. Their eventuality goes beyond individual failures, i.e. they affect all age categories, whether it is children, youth or the adult population, but they also affect institutions, organizations and the whole society. It must be realized that the failure of an individual can result in the pathological germ of the wider community in which the individual exists and, of course, a community that has signs of pathological manifestations causes the destruction of smaller groups and individuals. It is a kind of chain reaction that should not be underestimated or even closed. One of the important systems where such a failure causes further malignant reactions and where the adverse effects of these pathological manifestations are most evident is the family.
The family represents a kind of social system. A social system according to Eriksen (2008) is a set of social relations that are regularly updated and reproduced in the process of interaction. A social system also shares a normative system with a functional set of sanctions, that is, a kind of conformity or enforced obedience with respect to what is, or should be, happening within the system and interpersonal interactions. The family system is built on the social relations of its individual members, each family member has his own position and his own tasks that he should fulfill. Pay or certain rules should apply here within the framework of social status and common division of labor. The peculiarity of the family system consisting in the connection of public, sociological, psychological and purely private elements is expressed by Možný (In: Sobotková, 2007) as follows: "The family is today perceived simultaneously with the world that surrounds it, as a rational, pragmatic, functionally vertically hierarchical, culturally restrictive institution and at the same time as a special world of authenticity, emotionality, natural equality and spontaneity."
The family is the foundation, an important element of society. This is the most general way to characterize a family, and several authors have already characterized it in this way. We must basically agree with the definition formulated in this way, which describes the relationship of the family to the society, that is, in which it exists, and, of course, this relationship also goes from the society to the family. Such a relationship is an expression of the individual functions of the family (individual functions of the family will be discussed in the next chapter), which are directed to its interior, but also to society as a whole, and society's duty is to create favorable conditions for its functionality. It is a ratio that expresses the mutual bond between the two institutes. Society needs a functional family and a family needs a functional society. The relationships between its members are very important for the functionality of the family, it is important how they know how to help each other, how they accept the individual needs of their members. A positive socio-psychological arrangement of the family with adequate economic security is a good constellation for the positive direction of the family and ensuring its normality. Froma Walshová (In: Sobotková, 2007) distinguishes four approaches to family normality:
- normality as health and the absence of pathology – a family is normal if no family member shows symptoms of a disorder,
- normality as an ideal – the success of families refers to values such as loyalty, understanding, tolerance, etc., and to the fulfillment of certain tasks, e.g. správna výchova dieťaťa. Thus, social, cultural and ethical norms have a great influence on the image of the ideal family,
- normality as an average – a family is normal if its functioning corresponds to what is considered typical or standard in society,
- normality as a transactional process – attention is directed to the ongoing process in time, that is, the social and temporal context of the family is taken into account.
The social development after 1989 brought to our society the long-awaited freedom, new horizons, possibilities, but also changes, in practically all areas of life, including in our families (Laca, 2005). We have to say that in every respect there are many positive changes, whether in the field of economy, economy, politics... On the other hand, the consequences of these so-called successes. It is necessary to notice the penetration of new elements of the Western world, which, in addition to the positive aspect, bring chaos, overturning of values, instability, uncertainty, confusion to this world of ours. What was considered to be of primary importance, and by that we mean the family and its stability, willy-nilly is pushed into the background. The traditional family, its values and roles in it are slowly but surely beginning to disintegrate. And this with all the negative consequences, as Mühlpachar talks about it (In: Bargel, Mühlpachr, 2010, p. 20): “... non-marital parenting, marriage as an economic-contractual relationship, childless marriages, premature "socialization" of children, divorce as a tool for solving common conflicts, incomplete family - raising children with the absence of a male (father) role model, budget disorder in to the family, loss of authority in the family, aging of the (grand)parent as a burden, dying in an anonymous environment, misunderstanding of the true meaning of female and male roles".
The family is the basic socializing entity. It has an immediate influence on the further direction and application of its youngest family members, i.e. children in society. The child is very perceptive and considers his parents as role models, considers their behavior and actions to be correct, so it is natural that he tends to copy them. It can thus be expected that the child will be beneficial to society to the extent that his parents are beneficial. In addition, the family has an influence on the psychological state of the child (Hudáková, 2011). Raising a child in a functional family conditions his healthy development. A child who grows up in a harmonious family, in which he finds emotional support, where expressions of love, belonging, mutual sharing of joys and worries are part of coexistence, is equipped with sufficient ability to share everyday life even in adulthood. "Only people who were armed in their childhood for the burdens of the future world can handle all the difficulties and demands and find a way to live together with other people, close and distant" (Koluchová, In: Mühlpachr, 2008, p. 147). However, it must be said that the emotional function of the family seems to have faded into the background.
The consumptive way of life and its provision mainly robs men of their family life. Lack of time for family, lack of contact with children, opportunities to accept and receive love threatens men with various pathological manifestations in their family relationships. If there is a lack of cooperation from men, women in such a family feel unfree and deprived of their own forms of self-realization. By preferring wealth and a consumerist way of life, respect for motherhood and fatherhood is thus weakened (Lenczová, 2005). Hrehová (2005) shares a similar opinion, claiming that loving understanding and mutual respect are mostly lacking in modern families today. And it is precisely this absence that causes the family to lack unity, happiness and equality. The loss of both paternal and maternal authority is then added to this deficiency. Many parents do not know how to deal with their own children since puberty.
The way out of this dilemma is a return to true moral and Christian values. And today's families seem to be breaking away from the values and principles that have been a part of them for centuries. Infidelity, lack of interest in a spouse, lack of interest in raising children, spending time outside the family, low reproduction, life of partners without a marriage bond, these are just some of the question marks over today's families. The Christian understanding of marriage as an irrevocable institution, the permanence of the family based on the belief "What God has joined, man cannot separate" does not represent such a high moral-Christian value nowadays. Family stability is no longer such a high credit. Divorce is becoming a natural act for today's society, a form of individual independence, an obligatory manifestation of unwanted cohabitation. Even a few decades ago, the institution of divorce was understood as a deviation from the usual behavior. Divorced women, in particular, were often the target of ridicule, or even contempt, from the immediate and wider environment. Divorce did not fit into the customs and moral standards of society. We cannot fully claim that we do not know such manifestations today, but the level of tolerance has increased. An incomplete family, for whatever reason, often becomes a dysfunctional element of the family as such, leaving consequences for basically all of its members. Lower household income, changes in the division of labor in the household, less social support, stress, these are factors that can cause pathological failures of its individual members, and the family as a whole suffers from a certain kind of dysfunction. Research shows that the low economic (but also cultural) standard of the family, functional disorders of the family, unfavorable emotional climate and negative parental role models have an immediate effect on the moral quality of the child, on his expressions and relationship with the environment (Mühlpachr, 2008). It is only natural that a child who does not find love, understanding, support in the family, more easily becomes a focus of various pathological phenomena. All the necessities that a child should receive in the family are thus found on the street, in the circle of the so-called friends. In children from dysfunctional families, truancy, behavioral disorders, drug addictions, illegal activities, etc. occur more often.
However, we cannot claim that a complete family is a guarantee of its functionality. Pathological manifestations occur even in complete families, even if everything looks normal on the outside. We know many failures of the family system in the form of neglected upbringing, in the worst case, in the form of physical, psychological, emotional abuse of children. It is essentially an insensitive approach to children by parents, their aggressive behavior caused by unemployment, insufficient financial situation, frustration, their own inability to find and have meaning in life, alcoholism and many other factors. Such an action is thus related to a person's personality, to his inability to face life situations in an appropriate and desired manner. A special case is the sexual abuse of children. As Mühlpachr (2008) claims, persons who sexually abuse their child are intellectually below average, from a psychiatric point of view they are assessed as psychopaths or anomalous personalities. Many of them are alcoholics, drug users and commit other forms of pathological manifestations. However, not only the child is abused in the family. Unfortunately, we encounter domestic violence or domestic terrorism quite often. It is not about families with a lower education and a lower standard of living, on the contrary, these cases occur more in families with a higher education and a higher standard of living (Šmolka, Mach, 2008). Domestic violence manifests itself in unreasonable demands on the partner. It can be violence by both men and women, but more often it occurs in the form of violence against women. Domestic violence manifests itself in direct physical violence, as well as psychological, sexual, social, and economic violence.
Unemployment brings serious dysfunctional elements into the family. On the one hand, a reduction in the family budget, on the other hand, a feeling of inadequacy, a feeling of incompetence, and other and more negative factors stemming from this, reflecting not only on the individual, but on the family as a whole, whether in connection with alcoholism and other drug addictions, aggression, psychological and somatic disorders, disturbed family relationships; household and so on. The worst thing is if unemployment for the family reaches a certain tolerable limit on the economic level and grows into family indebtedness, poverty, or even homelessness in the worst case. These are extreme cases, so to speak, but not non-existent. And they are not cases that arose in the past, they are cases of today's times, the situation of the current world.
As we can see, problems in the family are still current, one problem causes another (Dirgová, 2010), and it is therefore appropriate to consider whether we are not indifferent to the various sociopathological manifestations that affect today's family, whether we have a sufficiently high-quality, adequate and satisfactory social, economic and normative-legal system, whether we do not reject social life based on values such as culture, friendship, equality, but especially the right to life and the right to dignified life and justice. The family undoubtedly belongs to the system of universal values, it belongs to the system of Christian values to which Slovakia publicly subscribes. It is true that the family is supposed to be an independent institution, capable in every respect and, of course, obliged to maintain its situation in such a way that it is able to solve all its problems. However, there are moments in life when she cannot take care of herself. As noted in the blessed memory of John Paul II. (1995), the future of humanity passes through the family. In order for the family to be able to fulfill its mission, it is necessary and urgent to ensure its help and support. Society and the state must provide the necessary help, including economic help, so that the family can solve its problems in the most humane way possible. Strieženec (2001, p. 62) adds to this that "in the functional changes of the family, we consider the creation of such conditions for the family as the most essential, so that the widest possible range of social needs of families can be provided by their own forces. Above all, with work income, an adequate insurance system, etc.". It is important for the development of society and for the existence of future generations to return to the family basic universal values built on long-standing traditions, which can restore "life" to the family, to family relationships, and therefore to the whole society.
Conclusion
We live in a period in which we strive for global connections, for information connections, we achieve unprecedented progress in terms of science and research (Černá, Hrablik, 2010), we try to conquer not only the earth, but also space and the world under water. And at the same time, we somehow forget at what cost we do all this, we forget the basic unit of society, i.e. the family.
Time flies very quickly and this speed deprives us of the feeling that we have time to realize what is happening to us and what is happening in our families. We try to be the first, we pursue our goals without regard for others and often without regard for ourselves, and at the same time we miss the essential thing that is so important in the family. Only when a "problem" comes, a reality that fundamentally affects our life, that gives a vague signal to the future, only then does a person wake up from his lethargy, when face to face and willy-nilly he has to solve a problem (occurring some socio-pathological phenomenon in the family) that he could not even imagine. The most effective way to solve socio-pathological phenomena occurring within the family and within society is their prevention. And that is the mission and duty of science, research, state and political representatives, but also every person.
Author: PaedDr. Slavomír Laca, PhD. List of references
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Publications of the author of the article: PaedDr. Slavomír Laca, PhD
Základy sociálnej pedagogiky - Social pedagogy undergoes constant development in connection with the development of the entire society, which is marked by social changes related primarily to the growing technology, automation and globalization of the world, but also to the growing number of socio-pathological phenomena in society.
Vybrané kapitoly z etiky pre sociálno-zdravotnícke profesie - Currently, we can state that there is a large increase in scientific knowledge about man as a rational individual at the level of the human population, up to various issues. Multiple and complicated ethical questions regarding human life are increasingly coming to the fore.