Effectiveness of Family Coping Interventions in Improving Problem-Solving Skills in the Care of Children and Adolescent Cancer Survivors during and after Treatment: A Scoping Review.

(1) Context: Cancer triggers significant changes in family dynamics. It is noteworthy that coping and problem-solving skills, particularly in situations involving cancer in children and adolescents, have not been adequately explored in the context of family adaptation. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of family interventions in coping to improve problem-solving skills in parents and/or caregivers of children and adolescents during and after oncological treatment. (2) Methods: This is a scoping review following the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute and the Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR), from 2014 to 2024, in the databases LILACS, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and PUBMED. (3) Results: Forty-five studies were eligible. Coping strategies were categorized as follows: (1) positive attitudes (including a sense of courage and hope, family support to enhance resilience, and future planning), (2) caregiver empowerment (involving acceptance of diagnosis, emotional distancing, and coping through religiosity), and (3) communication skills (encompassing professional communication, horizontal dialogue with healthcare teams, and sincere communication with friends and family). (4) Conclusions: Over time, families develop coping and problem-solving strategies that influence changes in family functioning patterns, aiding them in accepting, reinterpreting, and reframing ideas and feelings associated with neoplasia.

Latent profile analysis of family adaptation in breast cancer patients-cross-sectional study.

When individuals face life pressure or significant family changes, individuals with better family adaptation can better survive the crisis. Although the influencing factors of family adaptation have been investigated, the application of potential profile analysis has yet to be found. This analytical approach can reveal different potential categories of family adaptation, providing new perspectives for theoretical development and interventions. This study used latent profile analysis to explore family adaptation levels in breast cancer patients and identify different latent categories, examining their characteristic differences. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jinzhou, China, from July 2023 to March 2024. The questionnaire included Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, Benefit Finding Scale (BFS), Dyadic Coping Scale (DCI), Chinese Perceived Stress Scales (PSS), and Family adaptability and cohesion evaluation scales (FACES). Mplus8.3 and SPSS26.0 software were used for data analysis. The latent profile analysis (LPA) method was used to fit the family adaptations of breast cancer patients. Three latent categories of family adaptation were identified: low-level family adaptation (21.5%), medium level family adaptation (47.8%), and high-level family adaptation (30.6%). All 14 items with high levels of family adaptation scored higher than the other two groups. In particular, out of all the categories, item 9, "The idea of educating children is sound," scored highest. Compared with the low-level group, the influential factors of family adaptation in the high-level group were BFS, DCI, PSS, relapse and personal monthly income; The factors influencing family adaptation at the middle level are DCI, BFS, breast cancer type, family history of breast cancer, and personal monthly income. Compared with the medium level group, PSS and DCI were the influential factors of family adaptation in the high-level group. Family adaptation in breast cancer patients can be divided into three categories: low-level, medium-level, and high-level. There were significant differences among different categories of family adaptation levels in "personal monthly income", "family history of breast cancer", "type of breast cancer", "recurrence", "dyadic coping", "benefit finding", and "perception stress".

The Impact of Parental Autonomy Support on Family Adaptation in the Context of "Double Reduction": The Mediating Role of Parent-Child Communication and Cohesion.

The implementation of the "Double Reduction" policy indicates a significant change in the way households operate, such as through parental education conception and parenting form, in which family adaptation needs particular attention. Parental autonomy support has been evidenced to be related to family adaptation in prior studies. However, the mechanism underlying the relationship between parental autonomy support and family adaptation in the context of "Double Reduction" are not clear enough but remain fascinating. This study aims to explore the process through which parental autonomy support affects the whole family's adaptation in the context of "Double Reduction" from the perspectives of parent-child behavior and emotions (i.e., parent-child communication and parent-child cohesion). A cross-sectional design based on the questionnaire method was used to collect the characteristics of 4239 adolescent parents (1493 fathers and 3427 mothers; Mage = 43.20, SDage = 22.39) one year after the implementation of the "Double Reduction" policy. In addition, this study also used the retrospective method to obtain the characteristics of parental autonomy support before the "Double Reduction" policy. In the context of "Double Reduction", the research results found that parental autonomy support can predict family adaptation; parental autonomy support can also influence the whole family's adaptation through the quality of parent-child interaction. This study reveals the impact mechanism of parental autonomy support on family adaptation under the background of "Double Reduction" in China and provides insights on how to improve the adaptation of the entire family from the perspective of parent-child interaction.

Investigating family resilience factors for enhancing family adaptation in children with epilepsy.

PURPOSE: To identify and understand the key family resilience factors that contribute to the improved family adaptation of children with epilepsy. METHODS: Parent of children with epilepsy treated in the outpatient unit and general ward at Severance Children's Hospital in Seoul, Korea, completed a structured online questionnaire between April and May 2023. This study examined risk (epilepsy severity, time since diagnosis, parental depression, and perceived stigma) and protective factors (child temperament, epilepsy knowledge, family communication skills, parent's educational level, monthly household income, and social support) of family adaptation based on Patterson's Family Resilience Model. Furthermore, general characteristics such as daily caregiving time, perceived parental health, family type, and primary caregiver role were analyzed. RESULTS: This study included 131 participants with a mean age of 41.79 ± 5.77 years, with children having an average age of 9.19 ± 4.94 years. The regression model was significant, and revealed the impact of communication skills, social support, and primary caregivers other than parents. Moreover, a shorter time since diagnosis has a more positive impact on family adaptation. CONCLUSIONS: To improve family adaptation in children with epilepsy, the focus should be placed on improving communication skills, increasing social support, and providing access to external support services. Furthermore, families expecting longer illness duration require proactive measures to support them. These findings could guide future strategies to enhance adaptation in families with children with epilepsy.

Family Caregiver Adaptation during the Transition to Adulthood of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities: A Scoping Review.

During the transition to adulthood, individuals diagnosed with intellectual disability (ID) and their family caregivers have unique experiences. This scoping review studies the sources of the family caregiver's objective burden, support, coping mechanisms, positive caregiving, and quality of life to understand the caregiver's adaptation process when the individual with ID transits to adulthood, according to Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Scoping Review methodology guidelines. The inclusion criteria included studies of family caregivers of any age who provide unpaid care and live with individuals diagnosed with ID who are transitioning to adulthood. Of 2875 articles identified, 12 published studies were included. The main themes included caregivers reporting dissatisfaction with the available adult services and exhaustion from being a caregiver. Overall, a vicious cycle of likely increased demands during the transition, with caregivers not being prepared to cope with these demands while concurrently being dissatisfied with the adult services system, leads the caregivers to develop a pervasive sense of helplessness. Future studies would benefit from recruiting caregivers from sources other than adult-only service centres and using qualitative (to identify the broad aspects of the key factors) and quantitative (to identify the significant differences between the key factors) methodologies.

Effect of stressors on family adaptation in stroke patients: A parallel multivariable mediation model.

AIMS: The mechanisms underlying how stressors affect family adaptation are unclear. This study determined the relationship between stressors and family adaptation among stroke patients, particularly the parallel mediating role of family function and family resilience. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study was conducted in the neurology ward of a tertiary hospital in China. A total of 335 stroke inpatients were interviewed face-to-face from August 2020 to March 2021. A questionnaire was administered that included demographic characteristics, the Family Inventory of Life Events and Changes, Family Apgar Index Scale, Family Hardiness Index Scale, and Family Adaptation Scale. The demographic data and correlations among the research variables were analyzed. A bootstrap method using the SPSS PROCESS macro was employed to test a mediation model. Family adaptation was negatively related to stressors (r = -0.291, p < 0.01) and positively related to family function (r = 0.531, p < 0.01) and family resilience (r = 0.393, p < 0.01). Furthermore, family function and family resilience played parallel mediating roles between stressors and family adaptation. CONCLUSIONS: This study elaborated how stressors interacted with family adaptation through the mediation of family function and family resilience. The findings suggest that enhancement of family function and family resilience may help to improve family adaptation among stroke patients.

Economic strain and quality of life among families with emerging adult children: The contributions of family rituals and family problem-solving communication.

Young people and their families around the world are especially vulnerable to macroeconomic hard times. This study sought to provide a more comprehensive view on how families with emerging adult children can successfully overcome economic distress. Specifically, we examined the links between economic strain-that is, the subjective perceptions of one's current and future financial situation-family ritual meaning, family problem-solving communication, and quality of life, as reported by emerging adults and their parents. Data were collected from 1017 individuals nested in 334 families living in Portugal in 2016/2017. Results from multilevel modeling provided evidence for a negative impact of economic strain on family members' quality of life (ß = -0.30, p < 0.001); and for the role of family ritual meaning (ß = 0.01, p = 0.022), but not family problem-solving communication, as a buffer against the negative effect of economic strain on quality of life. Findings also suggested that the subjective evaluations that family members formulated about their financial situations played a greater role than objective economic conditions (e.g., income) in establishing a deeper understanding on the impact of economic demands on individuals and families' lives in today's complex financial world. This study provides a significant contribution to family economic stress research, advancing family ritual meaning as a key family dynamic contributing to positive adaptation to economic distress. The implications of these findings for clinical interventions include the potential benefits of symbolic forms of family communication in the work carried out with economically stressed family members.

Psychosocial Adaptation in Parents of Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder / Adaptación Psicosocial en Padres de Hijos Diagnosticados con Trastorno del Espectro Autista

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to describe the experiences of psychosocial adaptation in parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. A qualitative study of the phenomenological design was conducted using in-depth semi-structured interviews with 12 participants. The results illustrate that psychosocial adaptation can be explained through categories such as stressors, support received, perception of the situation, expectations developed, and strategies used to handle the situation. In conclusion, adaptation involves experiencing feelings of guilt, sadness, frustration, and anger, among others; however, this is followed by acceptance, seeking to provide the child with skills, thereby improving their social adjustment. Perceived support from family and spouses is identified as substantial.

RESUMEN El objetivo de este estudio fue describir la experiencia de adaptación psicosocial en padres de hijos diagnosticados con trastorno del espectro autista. Se realizó una investigación cualitativa de diseño fenomenológico, haciendo uso de la entrevista semiestructurada en profundidad a 12 participantes. Los resultados ilustran que la adaptación psicosocial se explica a través de categorías tales como, factor estresante, apoyo recibido, la percepción de la situación, las expectativas desarrolladas y las estrategias utilizadas para manejar la situación. Se concluye que la adaptación implica experimentar sentimientos de culpa, tristeza, frustración, enojo, entre otros, sin embargo, posteriormente se logra la aceptación, buscando dotar de habilidades al hijo, mejorando su ajuste social. Se identifica al apoyo percibido de la familia y cónyuge como sustancial.

Perfectionism, Big Five and biopsychosocial functioning among parents of children with and without acquired brain injury (ABI).

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Personality factors are often investigated in the context of parenting but are rarely studied in relation to coping with child disabilities like pediatric acquired brain injury (pABI). This study (1) compares Biopsychosocial functioning (BPSF), Big Five personality traits, and dimensions of perfectionism of parents of children with and without pABI, and (2) examines the role personality factors play in parental BPSF in each group. METHOD: 57 parents of children who sustained a significant pABI and 50 parents of typically developing children participated in this cross-sectional study. Parents completed scales measuring Multidimensional Perfectionism, Big Five inventory, and BPSF. RESULTS: Among the pABI group, multivariate analysis indicated significantly poorer BPSF, higher levels of neuroticism, socially prescribed perfectionism, and lower levels of openness, than controls. Regression analysis showed that personality explained 60.5% of the variance in parental BPSF post pABI. In both samples, neuroticism and socially prescribed perfectionism appeared as two prominent personality factors with a significant negative effect on parental BPSF, while self-perfectionism appeared prominent only in the pABI group, indicating a significant positive effect. IMPLICATIONS: pABI may result in changes to parents` personality. Personality characteristics significantly contribute to parental BPSF post-injury and should be addressed in clinical practice.

"I have always lived with the disease in the family": family adaptation to hereditary cancer-risk.

BACKGROUND: Hereditary cancer syndromes have been conceptualized as a family level process. The present study explores the complexity and challenges of family adaptation to the hereditary cancer syndrome, in the context of genetic counseling and long-term cancer risk management and follow-up surveillance. METHODS: We performed semi-structured interviews with 13 participants with one of the following hereditary cancer syndromes: Lynch Syndrome, Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer Syndrome, Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome, or Familial Adenomatous Polyposis. The interview was developed through a participatory approach with the involvement of healthcare professionals and individuals with first-hand experience of living with the hereditary cancer syndromes. RESULTS: The family is the main source of information and emotional support to deal with hereditary cancer syndromes. Multiple individual adaptation processes and communal coping networks interact, influencing the emotional and health-related behavior of family members. This is affected and affects the family's communication and its' members reactions to disclosure, with consequent changes in relationships. CONCLUSIONS: The systemic interdependent dynamics of family adaptation calls for family-centered care of genetic cancer syndromes.

Walsh Family Resilience Questionnaire-Polish Adaptation (WFRQ-PL).

Family resilience is a construct based on interactive processes occurring in the family, enabling the family to effectively overcome everyday stressors, as well as developmental and unpredictable crises. By observing how the family deals with difficulties using family resilience processes, we are able to support both parents and protect children against the harmful effects of unfavourable conditions. The aim of our research was to carry out the procedure of adaptation to the Polish language and culture of the Walsh Family Resilience Questionnaire. In this study, 930 Poles participated (72.5% women), aged from 18 to 63 (M = 26.94, SD = 9.8). They filled in the questionnaire online. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the model with three factors: belief system, organisational processes, and communication processes. The model indicators were found to be well suited to the data: χ2/df = 1.12, RMSEA = 0.01, CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.99, SRMR = 0.04. The reliability (Cronbach's alpha) of the scales was also satisfactory (0.94 for the belief systems, 0.86 for the organisational processes, and 0.94 for the communication processes). Tool validation with FRAS-PL scales showed convergence. We named the Polish version of the WFRQ Questionnaire Kwestionariusz Preznosci Rodzinnej Walsh (WFRQ-PL) and found it to be a good tool for assessing the processes of family resilience in our country.

Perceived Experiences of Korean Immigrant Mothers Raising Children With Disabilities in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: The challenges of acculturation that immigrant families experience could intensify if they have a child with a disability. This qualitative descriptive study aimed to describe the experiences of Korean mothers raising children with a disability in the United States. METHODOLOGY: Semi-structured interviews were conducted based on the Resilience Model of Family Stress, Adjustment, and Adaptation. Directed content analysis was used. RESULTS: Six Korean mothers participated in the interview and 16 codes were identified in relation to the five concepts of the Resilience Model, namely family demands, family resources, family appraisal, family problem-solving and coping, and family adaptation. Overall, mothers thought their families were well-functioning and viewed their quality of life positively within the context of immigration despite experiencing various family demands. DISCUSSION: Findings of this study showed the resilience of Korean immigrant mothers and revealed the importance of understanding and considering unique cultural differences when providing care to this population.

Family resilience factors affecting family adaptation of children with cancer: A cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Pediatric cancer impacts all family members, including parents and siblings, who strive to adjust to a multitude of changes brought about by the illness. Family resilience is an important factor in the successful adaptation of families of children with cancer. Therefore, we aimed to identify risk and protective factors for family resilience at the child, family, and community levels that affect the adaptation of families of children with cancer. METHOD: This study employed a descriptive survey design, and data were collected from 111 parents of children undergoing treatment for cancer between April and May 2020 at a university hospital in South Korea. Based on Patterson's family resilience model, risk factors-severity of child's condition, parental depression, and stigma and discrimination-and protective factors-the child's temperament, family communication skills, and supportive health services-for family adaptation were analyzed using multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: Among family resilience factors affecting the adaptation of families of children with cancer, parental depression (ß = -0.290, p = 0.004) and family communication skills (ß = 0.403, p < 0.001) were identified as risk and protective factors, respectively. These variables accounted for 29.3% of the variance in family adaptation (F = 7.503, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to develop strategies such as intervention programs that focus on reducing parental depression and strengthening family communication skills to promote the adaptation of families to pediatric cancer.

Estratégias de mulheres e familiares no enfrentamento da síndrome congênita do zika vírus / Estrategias de las mujeres y los miembros de la familia para hacer frente al síndrome congénito del virus del zika / Strategies of women and family members in coping with congenital zika virus syndrome

Objetivo: conhecer os recursos familiares e as estratégias de enfrentamento utilizadas na situação de cuidar de uma criança com Síndrome Congênita do Zika vírus. Método: pesquisa qualitativa e interpretativa realizada com mulheres acometidas pelo Zika vírus na gestação e filhos com diagnóstico da Síndrome Congênita do Zika vírus, mediante análise temática de conteúdo embasada no modelo de resiliência, estresse, ajustamento e adaptação familiar. Coleta de dados realizada por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas e construção de genogramas e ecomapas das famílias como suporte. Resultados: contribuíram como recursos para o enfrentamento das mulheres e famílias a própria família, amigos, vizinhos, grupos, pessoas da comunidade, profissionais de saúde, fontes de informação e a fé em Deus. Considerações finais: as estratégias utilizadas pelas mulheres e seus familiares para cuidar de criança com Síndrome Congênita do Zika vírus procuraram encontrar um caminho singular, em busca do equilíbrio no processo de adaptação, conforme cada realidade e necessidade.

Objetivo: conocer los recursos familiares y las estrategias de afrontamiento utilizadas en la situación de cuidado de un niño con Síndrome Congénito del virus del Zika. Método: investigación cualitativa e interpretativa realizada con mujeres afectadas por el virus Zika durante el embarazo y niños diagnosticados con Síndrome Congénito del virus Zika, a través del análisis temático de contenido basado en el modelo de resiliencia, estrés, adaptación y adaptación familiar. La recolección de datos se realizó a través de entrevistas semiestructuradas y la construcción de genogramas y ecomapas de familias como soporte. Resultados: las familias, sus familias, sus propios amigos, vecinos, grupos, personas de la comunidad, profesionales de la salud, fuentes de información y fe en Dios, contribuyeron como recursos a las mujeres y las familias. Consideraciones finales: las estrategias utilizadas por las mujeres y sus familias para cuidar a los niños con Síndrome Congénito del virus del Zika buscaron encontrar un camino singular, buscando el equilibrio en el proceso de adaptación, de acuerdo a cada realidad y necesidad.

Objective: to know the family resources and coping strategies used in the situation of caring for a child with Congenital Zika virus Syndrome. Method: qualitative and interpretative research conducted with women affected by Zika virus during pregnancy and children diagnosed with Congenital Zika virus Syndrome, through thematic analysis of content based on the model of resilience, stress, adjustment and family adaptation. Data collection was performed through semi-structured interviews and the construction of genograms and ecomaps of families as support. Results: the families, their families, their own friends, neighbors, groups, community people, health professionals, sources of information and faith in God, contributed as resources to the women and families. Final considerations: the strategies used by women and their families to care for children with Congenital Zika virus syndrome sought to find a singular path, seeking balance in the adaptation process, according to each reality and need.

Evaluation of Psychosocial Pathways to Family Adaptation of Chinese Patients With Liver Cancer Using the McCubbin's Family Resilience Model.

Background and Aim: With the prolonged survival time of patients with liver cancer, these families may face tremendous pressure and development dilemmas that can easily lead to family adaptation crises. Correspondingly, family adaptation crises adversely affect the quality of life of patients and family members. Basing on McCubbin's resilience model of family stress, adjustment, and adaptation, and considering the key factors affecting family resilience based on a review of literature, this study involved a construction of a family adaptation influencing factors model in Chinese liver cancer patients, which was then verified and revised. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between August and December 2020. Using convenience sampling, we selected 265 liver cancer families from the liver tumor center of a teaching hospital affiliated with a university in Shanghai, China. Data from 252 patients with liver cancer and their caregivers were used to identify the factors and pathways associated with family adaptation. The relationships were modeled using structural equations. Results: A total of 265 liver cancer families participated in the survey, and 252 valid questionnaires were returned, with a response rate of 95.09%. The pathway regression coefficients of six factors (family burden, individual resilience, family problem-solving and coping, inner family support, outer family social support, and family function) in the model were found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05), indicating that all of them were significantly associated with family adaptation. Among them, inner family support, outer family social support, and family function were direct influencing factors, while the others were indirect. The path coefficients of the total effect of the determinants on family adaptation were as follows (from largest to smallest): individual resilience (0.562), family function (0.483), outer family social support (0.345), family burden (-0.300), inner family support (0.293), family problem-solving and coping (0.127). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that clinical nurses should not only pay particular attention to direct influencing factors, develop strategies to strengthen the overall family function, encourage patients and caregivers to utilize inner family and outer family social support, but should also consider indirect influence factors, focus on the vital role of the individual, and promote patients' and caregivers' personal and family coping ability.

Adaptação familiar à prematuridade durante a internação na unidade de terapia intensiva neonatal e ao longo do primeiro ano após a alta hospitalar / Family adaptation to prematurity during admission to the neonatal intensive care unit to the first year after hospital discharge

Introdução: a ocorrência do nascimento prematuro e a evolução da criança é influenciada por aspectos biológicos, econômicos, comportamentais, tecnológicos e de condição de saúde da população. Diante desta situação e hospitalização de um filho, a família passa a ter a sua autonomia para o cuidado ameaçada e a sua organização familiar se modifica para atender às necessidades da criança. Este contexto repercute no funcionamento da família e sua consequente adaptação à condição de ter um filho nascido prematuro, podendo ser comprometido em situações de vulnerabilidade familiar. Objetivo: analisar a associação entre aspectos da vulnerabilidade familiar e o processo de adaptação familiar à situação de cuidar de uma criança nascida prematura, desde a internação na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal (UTIN) até o primeiro ano após a alta hospitalar. Métodos: trata-se de um estudo do tipo longitudinal, de abordagem quantitativa, realizado no município de Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, e guiado pelo referencial teórico do Modelo de Resiliência, estresse, ajustamento e adaptação familiar de McCubbin & McCubbin (1993). A coleta de dados foi organizada em três etapas. O primeiro momento da pesquisa (T0) correspondeu ao período de internação do prematuro na UTIN e foi realizado em Unidades de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal de um hospital público, não governamental. As mães foram acompanhadas após a alta hospitalar em dois momentos diferentes, do 1º ao 6º mês (T1), e do 6º ao 12º mês (T2). Neste período, a coleta de dados aconteceu em cenários diferentes, de acordo com as possibilidades de localização e contato com a família. No T0, participaram do estudo 72 mães de recém-nascidos prematuros internados na UTIN com idade gestacional menor do que 32 semanas. No T1 e no T2 foram acompanhadas 25 e 34 mães, respectivamente. Treze mães foram acompanhadas nos três momentos. Utilizou-se um questionário para caracterização da população, com a utilização das Escalas de Depressão Pós-Parto de Edimburgo, Apoio Social (MOS-SSS) e Funcionamento familiar (B-FAM). Para a análise de dados foram utilizados testes específicos de acordo com as variáveis correspondentes. Os dados foram apresentados em tabelas e gráficos. O nível de significância adotado em toda a análise foi de 5%. O estudo foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais sob o parecer de n° CAAE: 37059020300005149. Resultados: no T0, as principais características da vulnerabilidade familiar que tiveram associação com um pior processo de adaptação familiar foram: não residir em Belo Horizonte; ter um menor grau de escolaridade; ter filhos anteriores de risco; ter um maior número de pessoas residindo no mesmo domicílio; e prematuridade extrema. No período após a alta hospitalar, as principais características da vulnerabilidade familiar que tiveram associação com um pior processo de adaptação familiar foram: a necessidade de reinternação hospitalar da criança e a presença de sintomatologia depressiva, ambas especificamente no T2. O apoio social teve associação positiva com o processo de adaptação familiar em todos os períodos. Conclusão: é possível inferir que o processo de adaptação familiar é contínuo e dinâmico e pode estar diretamente associado a características que compõem o constructo da vulnerabilidade familiar. Além disso, cada família possui características, contextos e realidades singulares, por isso, destaca-se a importância dos enfermeiros e outros profissionais de saúde neste processo, podendo contribuir com estratégias de inclusão da família nos cuidados com o prematuro e com a manutenção de uma relação de apoio e confiança, para que dessa forma seja possível identificar aspectos da vulnerabilidade familiar que possam impactar no processo de adaptação familiar ante ao nascimento de um filho prematuro.

Introduction: the occurrence of premature birth and child development are influenced by biological, economic, behavioral, technological and health aspects of the population. A child's premature birth and hospitalization threaten the autonomy of the family in providing childcare and it modifies family organization to meet the demands of the child. This affects family functioning and adaptation to having a prematurely born child, which may be aggravated in situations of family vulnerability. Objective: to analyze the relationship between aspects of family vulnerability and the process of adapting to the care for a prematurely born child from admission to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to the first year after hospital discharge. Methods: this is a longitudinal, quantitative study, performed in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. It followed the theoretical framework of the Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation by McCubbin & McCubbin (1993). Data collection was organized in three stages. The first stage of the research (T0) corresponds to the period of NICU hospitalization, and it was performed in Neonatal Intensive Care Units of a public, nongovernmental hospital. After hospital discharge, the mothers were monitored during two different time periods, from the 1st to the 6th month (T1), and from the 6th to the 12th month (T2). During these stages, data collection occurred in different scenarios, according to the possibilities of location and contact with the families. During T0, the study included 72 mothers of premature newborns of gestational age of less than 32 weeks, hospitalized in the NICU. During T1 and T2, 25 and 34 mothers were monitored, respectively. Thirteen mothers were monitored at all three stages. A questionnaire was used to characterize the population, Edinburgh postnatal depression scale, social support scale (MOS-SSS), and the family functioning scale (B-FAM). Specific tests were used to analyze the data, according to the corresponding variables. Tables and graphs present these data. The entire analysis adopted a 5% level of significance. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (CAAE: 37059020300005149). Results: at T0, the main characteristics of family vulnerability associated with a worse family adaptation were residing outside of Belo Horizonte; having a lower level of education; previous at-risk children; having a larger number of people living in the same residence; and extreme prematurity. After hospital discharge, the main characteristics of family vulnerability associated with a worse family adaptation were the need for child rehospitalization, and depressive symptomatology, both specifically during T2. Social support showed a positive association with the process of family adaptation at all moments. Conclusion: the process of family adaptation is continuous and dynamic, and it may directly associate with characteristics of the construct of family vulnerability. Moreover, each family has singular characteristics, contexts, and realities; thus, nurses and other health professionals are important in this process. They may contribute with strategies to include the family in the childcare and to maintain support and trust, making it possible to identify aspects of family vulnerability which may impact on the process of family adaptation to the birth of a premature child.

Loss and Resilience in the Time of COVID-19: Meaning Making, Hope, and Transcendence.

This article addresses the many complex and traumatic losses wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast to individually based, symptom-focused grief work, a resilience-oriented, systemic approach with complex losses contextualizes the distress and mobilizes relational resources to support positive adaptation. Applying a family resilience framework to pandemic-related losses, discussion focuses on the importance of shared belief systems in (1) meaning-making processes; (2) a positive, hopeful outlook and active agency; and (3) transcendent values and spiritual moorings for inspiration, transformation, and positive growth. Practice guidelines are offered to facilitate adaptation and resilience.

En este artículo se abordan las numerosas pérdidas complejas y traumáticas ocasionadas por la pandemia de la COVID-19. A diferencia de un trabajo de duelo individual centrado en los síntomas, un método sistémico orientado a la resiliencia con pérdidas complejas contextualiza el distrés y moviliza los recursos relacionales para fomentar la adaptación positiva. Mediante la aplicación de un marco de resiliencia familiar a las pérdidas relacionadas con la pandemia, el debate se centra en la importancia de los sistemas de creencias compartidas en (1) los procesos de creación de significado; (2) una actitud positiva y optimista y una intervención activa; y (3) los valores trascendentes y la estabilidad espiritual para la inspiración, la transformación y el crecimiento positivo. Se ofrecen pautas prácticas para facilitar la adaptación y la resiliencia.

The Effect of Family Adaptation and Cohesion on the Well-being of Married Women: A Multiple Mediation Effect.

In the years since the implementation of the two-child policy in China, there has been an increase in attention to the psychological status of married women. It is necessary to increase knowledge on the association between family cohesion and the adaptation of married women and their well-being. To accomplish this goal, the mediating variables of social support and positive coping style were examined in this paper. Married women were assessed using the Family Adaptation and Cohesion Scale, the General Well-Being Schedule, the Perceived Social Support Scale, and the Positive Coping Style Scale. The 353 participants were married women across three provinces in China. The results indicated that (1) there is a significant positive correlation between family cohesion, adaptation, subjective well-being, age, and employment status; (2) there is a correlation between perceived social support, family adaptation and cohesion, and well-being; and (3) the effect of family cohesion and adaptation on subjective well-being is mediated by perceived social support and positive coping style. Therefore, married women with good family adaptation and cohesion can get adequate support from family members and have higher subjective well-being.

Development and validation of the Family Resilience (FaRE) Questionnaire: an observational study in Italy.

OBJECTIVE: Develop and validate an instrument to assess family resilience and, more specifically, the family dynamics and resources, estimating the adaptation flexibility to cancer disease. Cohesion, communication, coping style and relational style were considered as critical functional areas in the construction of the instrument. DESIGN: Two cross-sectional studies. Study 1: identification of factorial structure of the questionnaire in two samples with different cancer sites. Study 2: validation of the questionnaire in patients with cancer in two different phases of their therapeutic pathway. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: A total of 213 patients with a histologically confirmed non-metastatic breast or prostate cancer and 209 caregivers were recruited for the two studies from an oncological hospital in Italy. OUTCOME MEASURES: The Resilience Scale for Adults and the Family Resilience (FaRE) Questionnaire, developed by the researchers, were administered to all patients and caregivers who gave consent. RESULTS: In study 1, the 60-item version of the FaRE Questionnaire underwent discriminant and construct validity, internal consistency and factorial analysis. Comparisons between patient and caregiver populations showed that patients perceived higher levels of family resources (p=0.048) and that patients with prostate cancer perceived less social support compared with patients with breast cancer (p=0.002). Factor analysis demonstrated four domains: communication and cohesion, perceived social support, perceived family coping, and religiousness and spirituality. In study 2, the validity and factorial structure of the final scale, composed of 24 items, were confirmed. The Cronbach alpha of all subscales was above 82. Normative values for patients with breast cancer can provide indications of family resilience levels. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary findings showed acceptable psychometric properties for the FaRE Questionnaire to evaluate family resilience in oncological patients and their caregivers. Further research should test its sensibility to change to assess its use as a psychoemotional monitoring tool and its validity in other medical contexts.

The influence of social comparison orientation and family function on relocation stress in families of patients transferred from ICU / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective To explore the relocation stress in families of patients transferred from ICU, and the influence of social comparison orientation and family function on it. Methods There were 168 participants recruited from Critical Medical Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi′an Jiaotong University by convenience sampling method between June 2017 and February 2018. The ICU patients′Family Relocation Stress Scale, Chinese version of the Iowa-Netherland Social Comparison Orientation Measure and Family Adaptation and Cohesion Evaluation Scale Ⅱ were used. Results The score of relocation stress and social comparison orientation were 58.47±7.66 and 37.83±9.11. The score of family real cohesion was 65.85 ± 7.83, which was higher than norms (t=-2.067, P<0.05). The score of dissatisfaction of adaptation was 9.22±4.41, which was higher than norms (t=-3.093, P<0.05). The results of regression analysis showed that the time of patient staying in ICU, education level, religion, social comparison orientation, family real cohesion and dissatisfaction of adaptation could influence relocation stress. Conclusion Health professionals should pay attention to the relocation stress in families, provide emotional support and effective information support, guide family members to correctly understand the patients′ condition and prognosis, respect their religious beliefs, give full play to their family functions, help them adapt to the role changes quickly and reduce the level of relocation stress.