Extended Family Members Research Articles

Love, support and structural holes: Māori whānau carer experiences in collective family care systems

Abstract As the population of Aotearoa New Zealand ages, informal family carers will play an increasingly important role in caring for older adults at home. Multi-generational living arrangements are a growing trend, particularly among Māori communities, where caring for older relatives within the family home is widespread. This article uses in-depth, semi-structured interviews with Māori whānau (extended family members) caring for kaumātua (older family members) at home to explore how carers experienced care coordination in the broader care collective. The findings centred on three interconnected factors that described the collective organisation of care: (1) whānau care as normal; (2) whānau care as collective coordination; and (3) whānau carer knowledge and needs as unseen. The findings show that although whānau care of kaumātua is highly valued, ‘structural holes’ within care systems contribute to challenges in care coordination. Despite extensive whānau support for kaumātua, primary carers often felt that their knowledge, preferences and self-care needs remained unseen and not translatable to those outside the everyday care situation. Rather than assuming an artificial binary difference between ‘collective’ and ‘individually oriented’ care contexts and cultures, analysing the cultural norms surrounding whānau care-giving confirms that collective care system members face similar and different challenges to carers with smaller caring capacities.

Home Literacy Environment of Young Children in Xinjiang, China

This study used qualitative descriptive research methods in order to explore the home literacy environment (HLE) of young children within the Chinese sociocultural context, aiming to identify its key components. Thirty parents of children aged 3 to 6 residing in the capital city of Xinjiang, China, were purposefully sampled for this study. In-depth interviews were conducted to explore several key areas: the home physical literacy environment, parental beliefs and practices regarding literacy learning, specific parent-child literacy activities and interactions, and parental literacy habits. The results revealed that Chinese parents predominantly perceive literacy as the acquisition of reading and writing skills. They frequently engaged in informal activities that supported emergent literacy, often without fully recognising the benefits of these practices. Parents claimed a relatively rich resources that promoted language and literacy learning, and the quality of parent-child interactions was closely linked to family SES and adult’s responsiveness. Technology plays a significant role in the Home Literacy Environment (HLE), but its optimal use for promoting literacy is still not well understood, highlighting the need to incorporate digital aspects of HLE into future research. The study also uncovered distinctive family structures in China, where extended family members and neighbourhood peers contribute to children's HLE. Additionally, parents often grapple with academic pressures and a lack of knowledge about child development, which leads them to reinforce school practices while simultaneously questioning traditional methods. This study advocates for a broader framework of HLE in future research, particularly focusing on children under 6 years old.

Redefining ‘family’: Conceptualising social support networks of transfeminine women in the Western Cape, South Africa - A case descriptive study of in-depth qualitative data from the HPTN 071 (PopART) trial

Transfeminine women (assigned male sex at birth and identifying with a feminine gender identity) are at risk for intersectional stigma related to their gender, sexual orientation, and other parts of their social identities (including age, class, and race). These layered stigmas can result in increased physical and mental health concerns related to physical and emotional violence, substance use, high risk sexual behaviour and HIV exposure. Social networks are important support structures for transfeminine women to ameliorate imposed risk and stigma. We investigated the family networks, household structures and community support systems of eight transfeminine women in the Western Cape, South Africa. The data for this study are embedded in a qualitative component of the larger HPTN 071 (PopART) trial. Data included in-depth interview transcripts, genogram activities and community map drawings. We found that participants who were not living in a supportive family and household structure faced stigma and health risks. In addition, we found examples of how transfeminine women in unsupportive social situations constructed their own family and household unit for support. Our findings agree with those of other studies in that transgender people often rely on extended family members, friends, or peers as social support when their families do not support or ostracise them. Understanding how transfeminine women re-organise social units to be better supported is important so that better health services can be provided to them in the local South African and international context. Further research on family re-structuring among gender and sexual minority groups is needed.

TOBACCO USE BY FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS OF TOBACCO USERS: RESULT FROM CLIENTS ATTENDING TOBACCO CESSATION CLINIC AT URBAN PRIMARY HEALTHCARE SET UP IN MALDIVES

Objective: This study aimed to identify tobacco use among family members and friends of tobacco user who attended tobacco cessation clinic at an Urban Primary Healthcare set up in Male’, Maldives, starting from 2017 through 2023. Methods: A retrospective, quantitative, descriptive survey was employed utilizing secondary data extracted from tobacco cessation assessment forms at the Urban Primary Healthcare set up’s tobacco cessation clinic. The study utilized a census sampling approach, encompassing all available tobacco cessation forms, resulting in a total sample size of 544 participants. The primary researcher developed a data transfer sheet based on a review of the assessment forms, facilitating the systematic transfer of required data. Descriptive statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 21.0 to summarize and interpret the collected data. Results: Out of 544 tobacco users, 494 (90.8%) were male and 50 (9.2%) were female. Majority of the tobacco users reported that their friends and family members use tobacco. Huge amount of tobacco users reported tobacco use by nuclear family members while less than a quarter reported tobacco use among extended family members. Majority of tobacco users reported their coworkers or someone who lives together are non-tobacco users and majority of their class mates or best friends are tobacco users. Conclusion: The study concluded that majority of tobacco users reported about tobacco use among family members and friends This could be influencing factor for the tobacco users to continue tobacco use as tobacco use among parents or family member and friends has negative effects on tobacco users.

The Eye of the Beholder: Attitudes toward divorced parents and perception of children's happiness in Peru and Spain

Studies of divorce's effects on children have been oriented toward the parents' characteristics, ignoring their extended families. In the current study we collected data from 414 participants, both divorced parents and the children's extended families in Peru (155) and Spain (259). Participants completed a questionnaire on attitudes toward the parents, and the Short Dark Tetrad questionnaire. Multivariate tests were conducted on participants' responses, showing that negative attitudes toward parents are not very strong but that attitudes toward fathers are more negative than attitudes toward mothers. Custodial parents are perceived less negatively, and parents who share custody are perceived the least negatively. Extended family members hold more negative attitudes against parents than the parents themselves. Mothers have significantly more negative attitudes toward fathers than the fathers towards mothers. Dark traits are a significant predictor of negative attitudes toward the mother but not toward the father. The perception of unhappiness in the child was predicted by negative attitudes toward the parents. Non-parents tend to evaluate both parents more negatively compared to parents' mutual perceptions. There was an effect on dark traits, negative attitudes against parents, and perception of unhappiness in the child. Peruvians scored significantly higher in all variables.

First Generation Latine Students’ Use of Community Cultural Wealth in the Transition to University Education

ABSTRACT This study uses the Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) paradigm to describe the experiences of ten first-generation Latine students who transitioned from high school to a four-year Hispanic- Serving Institution. It enhances our comprehension of these learners’ educational journeys by centering their descriptions of challenges faced in the transition process and how they used their CCW to address and overcome those challenges. Findings indicate that students utilized all six types of cultural capital that comprise CCW, though social capital emerged as central. Relationships with both school personnel and extended family members provided access to the skills and resources necessary to complete the transition process and increased participants’ aspirational capital. Familial support in the form of encouragement to persist led to greater aspirational capital and assisted students in overcoming self-doubt. The use of linguistic capital was closely linked to resistant capital and students’ desires to disrupt racist and sexist social structures affecting themselves and their communities. The importance of cultural capital in the transition to higher education indicates the need for university administrators, faculty, and staff to understand and nurture first-generation Latine learners’ CCW as a step toward serving them more successfully.

Conceptual Framework for the Psychosocial Management of Depression in Adolescents in the North West Province, South Africa

Background A conceptual framework is imperative in the understanding of the psychosocial management of depression in adolescents, owing to the ability to effectively present and demonstrate the linking of concepts for an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon. Objectives This study aims To develop and validate a conceptual framework for the psychosocial management of depression in adolescents in the North West Province, South Africa. Methods A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, contextual research design was followed in two phases: the empirical phase (phase 1) and the development of a conceptual framework phase (phase 2). Phase 1 consisted of two steps: firstly, a systematic review (referred to as step 1), followed by qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, and contextual research (referred to as step 2). The outcomes from the empirical phase served as the foundation for developing a conceptual framework for the psychosocial management of depression in adolescents, North West Province, South Africa. In Phase 2, the development of this conceptual framework was guided by addressing the six crucial questions introduced by Dickoff et al. (1968) regarding Practical Orientation and validated by Chinn and Kramer’s five criteria questions. Results The conceptual framework focused on mental health practitioners, immediate and extended family members of adolescents, social workers, psychologists and peer groups of adolescents, adolescents diagnosed with depression, mental health institutions, homes of adolescents, schools, religious institutions, and communities. Conclusion The conceptual framework for the psychosocial management of depression in adolescents provides comprehensive insights capable of enhancing the recovery process for adolescents dealing with depression. Implementing this conceptual framework has the potential to enhance professional practice, elevate the quality of care provided, and contribute to expanding the body of knowledge within the field of mental health.

Study of prevalence of minimum acceptable diet and associated factors among children aged 6-24 months in rural Gurugram, Haryana, India

Background: Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) is the key area to improve survival of child and promotion of growth and development of the child. For assessing the IYCF for children aged 6-24 months, minimum acceptable diet (MAD) is one of the core indicators. A community based cross sectional study was done to assess the MAD and its associated factors among children aged 6-24 months in rural Gurugram, Haryana. Methods: A sample of 200 mother-child dyads were interviewed. Majority of children (90.1%) did not receive MAD. Results: The proportion of children who has received minimum diet diversity (MDD) and minimum meal frequency (MMF) were 14% and 61% respectively. More than three fourth (77.5%) of children consumed junk food in last 24 hours dietary recall. Conclusions: Counselling of mothers, encouraging involvement of fathers and extended family members in adequate feeding practices was done.

Perspectives of mental health professionals on kinship care for persons with mental illness in Ghana

Globally, people with mental illness are more likely to present poor social, health and economic outcomes than the general population. While formal mental health services have been integral to the wellbeing of these vulnerable individuals, the relevance of kinship support in their lives cannot be overemphasized. Mental health practitioners play a crucial role in navigating the complex dynamics inherent in family relationships when mental illness is present. As such, their perspectives could shed light on the intricate dynamics of kinship care and emphasize the need for tailored interventions that address the diverse issues within familial contexts. In this qualitative study, the perspectives of twenty mental health professionals on kinship care for persons with severe and persistent mental illness in Ghana were explored. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews and were analyzed via content analysis. The mental health professionals mainly understood kinship care as nuclear and extended family members providing support to their ill relative, albeit mostly with reference to nuclear family support. While kinship was deemed relevant due to the bonds that tie family members, some drawbacks were noted. When working with patients and their families, mental health professionals are expected to assess the availability of kinship support from the patient’s perspective in collaboration with the family members before deciding whether to integrate kinship into their support services.

A correlational study on the experiences of family members of trans and gender diverse people in Portugal

Introduction : Research on the experiences of family members of transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people remains limited, despite their crucial impact on the well-being of TGD individuals. This study aimed to fill this gap, by investigating their experiences within the wider ecological context that influences them. Method : A sample of 87 parents, siblings, partners, children, and extended family members of TGD people (M age = 39.9) were surveyed through questionnaires about their reactions and concerns regarding the disclosure of their TGD relatives, experiences in education and health contexts, and perceptions of the Portuguese legal framework. Results: The results revealed largely positive reactions to disclosure, favorable experiences with healthcare services, and optimistic views of the Portuguese legal framework. Average scores were reported regarding distress and concerns at the time of disclosure and experiences with the education system. Additionally, results revealed a significant correlation between greater concerns and more negative reactions to disclosure. Discussion: These findings highlight the need for support and resources for family members of TGD people and wider dissemination of information on gender identity issues.

It takes a village

Several stakeholders, such as community groups, government officials, parents, guardians, and educators have shown concern about the achievement gap between Nova Scotia learners of African descent and their predominantly White peers. Using the African proverb ‘It takes a village’ as a framework, this study involved parents, extended family members and caregivers of children aged 4 to 6 years to explore the scaffolding strategies employed as well as the experiences of participants when supporting children’s emergent writing skills during COVID-19 pandemic. Survey and focus group sessions demonstrated how participants frequently scaffolded emergent writing using highly effective strategies including Africentric approaches. The importance of ‘It takes a village’ proverb in enhancing literacy developmenthas also been established.

Establishing substitute families: Care arrangements for childless older people in urban China

While the issues of childlessness and social support in old age have received considerable attention in more developed countries, the phenomenon of aging without children in China has been relatively underexplored. The existing, albeit limited, literature highlights the vulnerability of the childless elderly in China and the inadequacy of social care services, which is predominantly directed toward most impoverished groups. This study examines the care arrangements and social support mechanisms for childless older people in urban China, emphasizing the role of community-level officers in this context. Drawing on in-depth interviews conducted in 2019 with 27 childless elderly individuals and 10 community-level officers in Shanghai, the study reveals the formation of community-based substitute families. These substitute families, comprising neighbors, extended family members, and friends, provide daily assistance, emotional support, and sometimes intensive care. The establishment of these substitute families hinges on the childless individuals’ ability to navigate public and social resources, as well as the institutionalized mobilization and informal work strategies of community-level officers. We argue that the care arrangements for childless older people are significantly shaped by the state's aging-in-place elder care policy. However, the effectiveness of this policy is mediated by the informal work strategies of community-level officers and the proactive care planning by the childless elderly themselves. Our findings offer important insights for improving the current family-based elder care policies and enrich our understanding of aging without children in urban China.

墓誌와 族譜를 통해 본 行第 사례 고찰 －中國 宋代 安陽韓氏 가문을 중심으로－

This paper analyzes the “Hangje” of the Anyang Han clan during the Song Dynasty based on an initial case study of the Tang Dynasty’s Nak-An Sohn clan. By analyzing Han Qi’s The Literary Collection of Anyang, the recently excavated epitaphs of the Anyang Han clan, and The Genealogy of Xiaoshan Yidu Han Family Clan, it was possible to reconstruct the specific appearance of the “Hangje.” As a result, it was revealed that the generational ranks were assigned based on birth order of each male member, including cousins of the same generation among the extended family members within the Song Dynasty’s Anyang Han clan. This is a similar result to the research previously conducted by the author regarding the Nak-An Sohn clan of the Tang Dynasty. Despite a time gap of about 200 years between the Nak-An Sohn clan of the Tang Dynasty and the Anyang Han clan of the Song Dynasty in Chinese history, both clans are believed to have maintained a hierarchical system, known as “Hangje,” based on the birth order of family members, thereby suggesting a continued tradition of establishing generational ranks to preserve familial order among descendants sharing a common ancestor. In Imperial China, in order to establish the hierarchical order within the same clan, Chinese families adopted the practice of giving family members the names that included a common Chinese character for those of the same generation. Furthermore, each member was assigned a generational rank (行第: Hangje) to further distinguish the order within the family. This family-centric hierarchical structure likely played a crucial role in defining roles and responsibilities within the family, fostering harmony among its members, and contributing to the maintenance of social order.

Impact of family and caregiver factors on development and behaviours in maltreated young children

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of developmental and emotional/behavioural concerns in maltreated children and to examine the impact of adverse family/caregiver risk factors on these outcomes. Method: We analysed family demographic and baseline data of 132 maltreated children and their caregivers from a family support programme in Singapore. We examined the associations of 3 main risk factors (i.e. caregiver mental health, educational attainment and family socio-economic status [SES]) with developmental/behavioural outcomes using multivariable logistic regression, controlling for caregiver relationship to the child. Caregiver mental health was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) and General Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) tools. Developmental/behavioural outcomes were assessed using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ-3), ASQ-Social-Emotional (ASQ-SE), and the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL). Results: The children ranged in age, from 2 months to 3 years 11 months (median age 1.7 years, interquartile range [IQR] 0.9–2.6). Among caregivers, 86 (65.2%) were biological mothers, 11 (8.3%) were biological fathers, and 35 (26.5%) were foster parents or extended family members. Low family SES was associated with communication concerns on the ASQ-3 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 3.04, 95% CI 1.08-8.57, P=0.04). Caregiver mental health concerns were associated with increased behavioural concerns on the CBCL (AOR 6.54, 95% CI 1.83–23.33, P=0.004) and higher scores on the ASQ-SE (AOR 7.78, 95% CI 2.38–25.38, P=0.001). Conclusion: Maltreated children with caregivers experiencing mental health issues are more likely to have heightened emotional and behavioural concerns. Those from low SES families are also at increased risk of language delay, affecting their communication.

Chronic stress exposure, social support, and sleep quality among African Americans: findings from the National Survey of American Life-Reinterview

ABSTRACT Objective The purpose of this study was to determine whether social support from extended family and church members moderate the association between chronic stress exposure and sleep quality in a nationally representative sample of African American adults. Design Data from African American respondents aged 18 and older were drawn from the National Survey of American Life-Reinterview. The analytic sample for this study included 1,372 African American adults who attended religious services at least a few times a year, as the church-based relationship measures were only assessed for these individuals. Self-reported sleep quality was assessed by sleep satisfaction, trouble falling asleep, and restless sleep. Chronic stress exposure was measured by a nine-item index. OLS and logistic regression were used to estimate the relationship between chronic stress exposure, extended family and church relationships, and sleep quality. Results The data indicated that chronic stress exposure was associated with decreased sleep satisfaction, increased likelihood of trouble falling asleep and restless sleep. Receiving emotional support from family and more frequent contact with church members were associated with decreased restless sleep. Emotional family support moderated the associations between chronic stress exposure and trouble falling asleep and restless sleep. The positive associations between chronic stress exposure and these two sleep quality measures were attenuated among respondents who received high levels of emotional support from their family. Conclusions Together, these findings underscore the detriment of chronic stress exposure to African Americans’ sleep quality and suggest that extended family members are effective stress coping resources and play an important role in this population’s sleep quality.

Impacts of anemia and its determinants among 6–59 months age children residing in Dayniile internally displaced person’s camps, Banadir region, Somalia

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The prevalence of anemia in children under 5 years of age is a multifaceted issue influenced by various factors, leading to diverse findings across studies. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anemia and its associated factors among children under 5 years of age living in internally displaced persons camps in the Dayniile district of Somalia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2022 and July 2023 in Mogadishu, Somalia. Blood samples from children under 5 years of age were checked for malaria and parasites, as well as for hemoglobin, erythrocytes, hematocrit, mean cell volume, and hematocrit. SPSS version 27.0.1 was used for data analysis, involving descriptive and inferential statistics. Fisher’s exact test examined anemia associations due to low expected counts. RESULTS: The prevalence of anemia among children under 5 years old was 17.6%. Anemia severity varied from mild (8.4%) to moderate (8.7%) to severe (0.5%). No significant correlation was found between a child’s primary caregiver and anemia status nor between anemia and sex, age, maternal factors, or family income sources. However, the presence of income from other relatives was statistically significant (P = 0.046*), indicating that financial support from extended family members may reduce the incidence of severe anemia in young adults. Children with a history of malaria had notably higher rates of mild and moderate anemia (25.0% and 75.0%, respectively) than those without. CONCLUSION: Our study, along with previous research, underscores the complexity of the prevalence of childhood anemia and its contributing factors. Addressing anemia in children from lower-income families and urban areas requires tailored intervention. In addition, controlling malaria and promoting breastfeeding are essential strategies for reducing the prevalence of anemia in young children. Overall, a multifaceted approach considering socioeconomic, health, and dietary factors is crucial for the well-being of children under 5 years old.

Sources of attitudes towards parent-child co-sleeping and their effects: A systematic scoping review.

Parent-child co-sleeping is a common practice in many cultures, although in Western countries, families who engage in parent-child co-sleeping can encounter attitudes about co-sleeping that feel critical from the people around them, as it is not commonly accepted and often stigmatized. This systematic scoping review examined and synthesized the available literature on the attitudes about parent-child co-sleeping that people encounter, their origins, and their effect on parents' own attitudes and behaviors. A total of 9796 abstracts were screened, and 33 studies were included. While the scope of the literature on this topic was narrow, this review demonstrated that parents/caregivers mostly encounter encouraging attitudes about co-sleeping from their extended family members and within their culture and discouraging attitudes from healthcare professionals. Findings suggest that encouraging attitudes enhance the likelihood of parents engaging and continuing with co-sleeping behavior, while discouraging attitudes can lead to the avoidance of parents discussing sleep with their healthcare professionals and can cause conflicts with other family members, including partners. Based on these findings, we conclude that further research is needed in several areas related to co-sleeping in Western culture, most specifically in how external attitudes influence the decision to co-sleep, as well as other behaviors and cognitions such as engagement with healthcare professionals, family satisfaction, parental self-efficacy, and overall mental health.

Understanding the lived experiences of families with Extended Family Members: a phenomenological study

Understanding the lived experiences of families with Extended Family Members: a phenomenological study

The biology of reactivity in human relationships: a conversation with Victoria Harrison

AbstractThe concept of differentiation of self and its relationship to the natural capacity of humans and other social animals to adapt underpins clinician and researcher Victoria Harrison's long‐term investigation of the biology of reactivity in relationships. Victoria's early research related to infertility and reproduction demonstrated how reactivity in at least three prior generations can contribute to chronic conditions, such as endometriosis, that are less amenable to intervention. Her most recent project, the ‘Observations of Change in Physiology and Family’ research, highlights how work on differentiation of self improves functional outcomes in physical and mental health for the family. While an individual may not experience the ‘calm mind’ that is often the goal of conventional therapeutic intervention, a significant reduction in symptoms and an improvement in overall functioning and relatedness are outcomes. This occurred when participants focused on increasing person‐to‐person contact with extended family members, reducing their emotional reactivity to significant others in the important triangles of their life and family and maintaining intellectual activity, often described as curiosity, even while reacting.

A Socio Linguistic Study of Village Associations in Amauzara, ISI-ALA Mbano, Imo State, Nigeria

This work examines Village Associations in Amauzari Isi-Ala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State. Amauzari is a town with Ten Villages, namely: Okwosu, Umueze, Ekwe, Umuagwu, Umudim, Umunumo, Umumpele, Umuechem, Okwelle and Anuzo. Associations do exist in different societies. Associations are platforms on which religious, social, and economic status of individuals and the community in general can improve themselves. The aim of this study is to show that the formation of associations enhance the development of the individual in Amauzari. Data for this study were collected through a random sampling technique using oral interviews and participant observations with elders aged 50-70 years in the ten villages of Amauzari. The researcher conducted oral interviews during village meetings of the different associations. The theoretical framework on which this paper is carried out is Ethnography of communication. This theory is concerned with the linguistic and sociocultural rules that are operational amongst a group of people. Findings reveal that social organizations are training grounds to persons in Amauzari and that associations lead to a communal system where everybody cares for one another. The results reveal that the village associations are socio-political organization where family conflicts between husband and wives, brothers and sisters, and extended family members are resolved. Village associations are peace keeping organization in Amauzara. Peace is a collective effort and responsibility because without peace there will be no development. All hands should be on deck for peace to reign in our society.