The way in which a family system changes its relationship rules, power structure, and role expectancies in response to either normal developmental changes or crises depends upon its:

• A. Adaptability
• B. Rigidity
• C. Cohesion
• D. Structure

Answer: (A)

Adaptability is the degree to which a family can adjust its rules, power dynamics, and role expectations to fit new circumstances, whether those arise from normal developmental changes or from crises. When a family is adaptable, it can loosen or tighten boundaries, redistribute authority, and reassign tasks so the system remains functional as members grow or as stressors appear. This flexibility is what lets the family reorganize itself to meet new demands. In contrast, rigidity would keep patterns fixed despite changing needs, and cohesion describes emotional closeness rather than the capacity to change structure; structure refers to how the family is organized, not necessarily how flexibly it can adjust in response to development or crisis.