Measures of Adaptability A family's ability to adapt to stressful and potentially damaging events, as well as to predictable life-cycle changes, has been identified as an important characteristic of strong families. Researchers note that ability to adapt is contingent upon a number of other characteristics common to strong families such as effective communication, affective involvement, external resources, etc. (for example, Stinnett and DeFrain, Lewis, Olson, McCubbin). This section focuses on family characteristics not yet discussed that have been linked to successful adaptation.

Like cohesion, adaptability is a major dimension identified by Olson's Circumplex Model. Indeed, much of his research focuses on the ability or inability of different families to overcome stress and crises. T