Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales Research Articles

Psychosocial factors associated with coping of inpatient stroke survivors and family caregivers: A dyadic analysis.

Stroke survivors' and their family caregivers' (stroke dyads) coping during the inpatient period can affect their short- and long-term health and well-being. This study aimed to investigate whether survivors' and caregivers' psychosocial factors (i.e., depression, anxiety, family functioning, and mutuality) were associated with their own and their counterparts' perceptions of family coping among inpatient stroke dyads. A cross-sectional design was adopted for this study which included 162 stroke dyads. Family coping, depression, anxiety, family functioning, and mutuality were measured using the Family Crisis-Oriented Personal Evaluation Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, General Functioning subscale of Family Assessment Device, and Mutuality Scale, respectively. The actor-partner interdependence model estimated by path analysis was performed for the dyadic data. The results revealed that survivors' own (depression: β = -0.337, p < .001) and their counterparts' (caregivers' anxiety: β = -0.220, p = .021) psychological symptoms were negatively associated with survivors' perceptions of family coping, whereas none of them were associated with caregivers' perceptions of family coping. Moreover, higher family functioning reported by the survivors (β = -0.375, p < .001) and family caregivers (β = -0.195, p = .029) were associated with better family coping perceived by both counterparts, respectively. This study highlights that stroke dyads' psychosocial factors play a vital role in their perceptions of family coping. Future studies can be conducted to develop coping-focused interventions from the dyadic or family-oriented approach regarding psychosocial states as potential targets for inpatient stroke dyads. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Validation of the Chinese version of the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales in families of patients with dementia

Caring for people with dementia causes heavy care burdens to their families. Family coping is important in decreasing burdens and promoting family adaptation. To comprehensively assess and understand these issues, we validated the Chinese version of the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales (F-COPES) which is widely used to evaluate family coping. Data for psychometric property evaluation were obtained from 215 family members of patients with dementia. The instrument showed satisfactory content validity (scale content validity index 0.98), convergent validity (r = 0.50, P < 0.01), and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.86). The confirmatory factor analysis identified six factors, namely, acquiring relatives’ support, acquiring friends’ support, acquiring neighbors’ or others’ support, seeking spiritual support, reframing, and passive appraisal (χ2/df 1.86, CFI 0.88, TLI 0.87, PGFI 0.68, RMSEA 0.06). This instrument may serve as a useful scale for assessing the coping behaviors of families of patients with dementia in mainland China.

Breast cancer and social relationship coping efficacy: validation of the Greek version

ABSTRACT The Social Relationship Coping Efficacy scale (SRCE) was designed to assess cancer patients’ efficacy for maintaining social support and social relationships. The purpose of the study was to confirm the psychometric quality and utility of a Greek-language version of the (SRCE) scale. The study included 116 women with breast cancer, who underwent surgery at a public hospital In Greece. The SRCE scale was translated using standard procedures and then culturally adapted for use in Greece. Psychometric evaluation of the SRCE-Greek scale included reliability, structural validity and convergent validity analyses. The SRCE-Greek scale demonstrated strong internal consistency (Cronbach a 0.87), and split-half reliability (Spearman-Brown, 0.747; Guttman, 0.742). The structural construct validity was confirmed with factor analysis using principal axis factor analysis. Construct validity was further supported with convergent validity with the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales (F-COPES) (Acquiring Social Support, Reframing) and Family Support scale. The Greek language SRCE has strong internal consistency reliability and construct validity, as well as satisfactory convergent validity. Results provide support for the use of the SRCE-GR as a research and clinical instrument for the assessment of breast cancer patient’s self-efficacy with regard to maintaining and enhancing close social relationships and social support.

Family functioning and coping strategies in families of people with visual impairment

This article attempts to determine the relationship that exists between family functioning and the family coping strategies used by families of people with visual impairment while responding to this non-normative life event. The method used was a transversal correlational design that is part of a PhD research study called “An Analytical Model of Functional Relationships of the Fatalistic Attitude, Family Life Quality and Its Incidence in Functioning, Coping and Vital Events in Families of People With Visual Impairment.” The instruments F-COPES (Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scale) and FACES-III (Family Adaptation and Cohesion Scale) were applied, and among the findings, it was established that there exist meaningful relationships between cohesion and internal strategies used by the families to face visual impairment. This report also establishes new perspectives for practitioners regarding the guidelines for rehabilitation practices and public policy designs for inclusion.

The Role of Family Caregiver's Sense of Coherence and Family Adaptation Determinants in Predicting Distress and Caregiver Burden in Families of Cancer Patients.

Background:Most cancer patients' families suffer from maladaptation which increases family distress and caregiving burden. This study was conducted to explore the relationship between these maladaptation indicators, and the sense of coherence (SOC) of family caregivers alongside other family resilience determines among family caregivers of cancer patients.Methods:A total of 104 family caregivers of cancer patients were included in this cross-sectional study. They answered three questionnaires to assess family resilience factors: Family Inventory of Resources for Management (FIRM), Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales (F-COPES), and SOC scale. In addition, family maladaptation factors were determined by two instruments, including Family Distress Index (FDI) and Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI).Results:The results of this study showed that the FIRM and the SOC together were responsible for 35% and 43% of the variances in FDI and CBI scores, respectively (P < 0.001). “Reframing”, the subscale of the F-COPES, significantly predicted the variances of FDI (β = −0.26, P = 0.01) and CBI scores (β = −0.21, P = 0.04). Moreover, “Mastery and health”, the subscale of the FIRM, significantly predicted the variances of FDI (β = −0.38, P < 0.01) and CBI scores (β = −0.21, P = 0.02).Conclusions:Family caregiver's SOC alongside other family resilience determinants plays a significant role in alleviating family distress and caregiver burden. It is suggested that palliative care providers consider family caregivers' SOC in developing a psychological intervention plan to improve family resilience in families of cancer patients.

Caregiver burden and health-related quality of life among primary family caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia: a cross-sectional study.

This study aimed to examine correlates of caregiver burden and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among primary family caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia in inpatient psychiatric rehabilitation facilities. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 157 Taiwanese primary family caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia residing in inpatient psychiatric facilities. Measures included socio-demographic questionnaires and clinical information, Mutuality Scale, Family Crisis-Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales, Zarit Burden Interview, and World Health Organization Quality of Life-brief version. To describe the degree of caregiver burden and domains of HRQoL, descriptive statistics were computed. Independent sample t test, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson's correlation analysis followed by multiple regression analyses were performed to determine correlations and relationships between characteristics of patients and primary family caregivers with caregiver burden and domains of HRQoL. Primary family caregivers experienced mild to moderate caregiver burden and poor HRQoL. Primary family caregivers who were older and unemployed, caring for patient's severe psychiatric symptoms, and had low monthly incomes, decreased mutuality, and fewer family coping strategies were associated with greater caregiver burden and poor HRQoL. Greater mutuality and family coping strategies of reframing and seeking spiritual support were the most significant factors in improving caregiver burden and all domains of HRQoL, respectively. Family-focused interventions for caregivers of institutionalized persons with schizophrenia that include psychological support and peer support groups are recommended to enhance mutuality and family coping strategies, reduce caregiver burden, and improve HRQoL.

Strategies used by families to cope with chronic mental illnesses: Psychometric properties of the family crisis oriented personal evaluation scale.

This study was aimed at investigating the psychometric properties of the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scale (F-COPES) for Turkish society, which assesses the coping skills of caregivers of individuals with chronic mental illnesses. The study was conducted with 153 family caregivers of patients with a chronic mental illness admitted to the inpatient and outpatient units of two university hospitals and İzmir Schizophrenia Solidarity Association. For the language validity, the translation-back translation method was performed, for the content validity, expert opinions were obtained, for the construct validity, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was performed. For the reliability analysis, Cronbach α reliability coefficient was calculated and the test-retest reliability analysis was performed. The content validity index of the scale was 0.96. The Cronbach's α reliability coefficient for the overall scale was .80. Factor loadings of the subscales ranged between 0.56 and 0.69 for the Acquiring Social Support subscale, between 0.43 and 0.74 for the Reframing subscale, between 0.53 and 0.74 for the Seeking Spiritual Support subscale. The model fit indexes were as follows: χ2 = 176.369, df = 116, χ2 /df = 1.52, RMSEA = 0.059, CFI = 0.90, IFI = 0.91, GFI = 0.88. The results of the present study show that the levels of psychometric properties of F-COPES in Turkish society are acceptable. It is thought that it would be useful to use the F-COPES in the assessment of coping behaviors of individuals who give care to patients with a chronic mental illness and that it can be used as measurement tool in studies to be conducted with caregivers of patients with a chronic mental illness to assess their coping skills.

Persian version of Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales: Psychometric Properties

Background Family coping is an active process in which the family and each member of it use the available resources to decrease or control the demand. Using effective coping strategy, a family can react to stresses and adapt better to its situation. The purpose of this study was to examine psychometric properties of a Persian version of Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales (F-COPES) in a population of Iranian mothers with cerebral palsy children. Materials and Methods F-COPES was translated into Persian following Wild et al.’s model, face and content validities of the translated version were determined by 12 faculty board members in different nursing fields, psychology, and tool development. Afterward, to fill out the scale, 208 mothers with cerebral palsy children who had referred to Kermanshah based rehabilitation centers were selected through convenient sampling. Construct validity of the tool was determined by using confirmatory factor analysis. To examine internal consistency, Cronbach’s alpha and to examine reliability, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) (15 participants with 2 weeks interval) was used. The collected data was analyzed in SPSS (version 16.0) and EQS6.1. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis supported validity of the whole tool and its five subscales. Cronbach’s alpha of the whole tool was obtained alpha=0.84 and the alpha of the five subscales ranged from 0.76 to 0.94. In addition, ICC was obtained equal with 0.89. Conclusion: The Persian version of F-COPES was featured with acceptable psychometric properties so that it can be used to survey family coping in Iranian mothers with cerebral palsy child.

'We're completely back to normal, but I'd say it's a new normal': a qualitative exploration of adaptive functioning in rural families following a parental cancer diagnosis.

The purpose of this study was to explore rural families' functioning following a parental cancer diagnosis. Ten families in which a parent of dependent children had received a cancer diagnosis were purposively sampled using two questionnaires based upon the Resiliency Model of Family Adjustment and Adaptation (RMFAA): the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales (F-COPES) and the Family Attachment Changeability Index 8 (FACI8). The total participant number was 34, which comprised the involvement of 17 parents and 17 children. The use of questionnaires ensured representation from both high and low functioning families. Qualitative data were gathered via semi-structured family interviews, and thematic analysis was used. Families identified three key challenges that are not accounted for by the RMFAA and may be unique to the rural cancer patient experience: frequent travel, increased work/financial demands and family separation. Families also described a number of protective factors that enabled them to cope with the demands of the cancer diagnosis, some of which were specific to rural families, while others may apply to Australian families more broadly. Many of these protective factors aligned with the RMFAA framework. The findings suggest that rural families' ability and willingness to access external resources, including informal community support and formal support services, are influenced by the strength of their internal protective factors. This result has practical implications for the development of interventions that accommodate the specific supportive care needs of rural families affected by cancer.

Effective Coping Strategies for Stress in Parents of Autistic Children: A Training Module

The purpose of the study is to determine the level of stress and different coping mechanisms used by parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder on pre-training and post-training tests. A researcher-developed training module was used to impart training to enhance the coping mechanisms used by parents to reduce their level of stress. A sample of 100parents of one child with Autism Spectrum Disorder was taken. They were administered on Parental Stress Index and Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales (F-COPES). The study utilized a quantitative approach, using Means, Standard Deviation and t –test in analysing data. Results reveal that parents of autistic children differed significantly on coping strategies and level of stress after the training.

The Internal Reliability of Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scale (F-COPES) in Malay version among caregivers of individual with learning disabilities.

Caregivers face challenges to adapt while handling individual with learning disabilities (LD). The Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scale (F-COPES) is a widely used instrument to measure coping strategies among caregivers. The current study performed cross cultural translation of F-COPES in Malay language. This study aims to examine the reliability by testing internal consistency of Malay version of F-COPES which is developed through back to back translation method from original English version. The Malay version of F-COPES was administered among 30 caregivers. The reliability of F-COPES in Malay version is good with Cronbach's alpha coefficient value of 0.79. The internal consistency on sub domains of F-COPES such as reframing, acquiring social support and seeking spiritual support also acceptable with Cronbach's alpha values 0.67, 0.74, and 0.80, respectively. The Malay version of F-COPES is a reliable tool to evaluate the coping strategies adopted by the caregivers of individual with LD.

The relationship between family resiliency factors and caregiver-perceived duration of untreated psychosis in persons with first-episode psychosis

Although the family has an important role in the early detection and intervention of first-episode psychosis (FEP), there are few findings reporting associations between family strengths and early treatment-seeking experiences. This study aimed to investigate, within the framework of the resiliency model of family stress, adjustment, and adaptation, the association between family coping strategies, resource management factors and duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) in Iranian families with one adult child with FEP. Hundred and seven individuals referred to three medical centers in Tehran and diagnosed with FEP participated in this study. Caregiver-perceived DUP was measured via semi-structured interviews administered to primary caregivers. They also completed two questionnaires regarding family resources of stress management and family coping strategies. Data analysis indicated that the Family Inventory of Resources of Management (FIRM) total scale score did not significantly explain the variance of caregiver-perceived DUP, but one of the FIRM subscales, the Extended Family Social Support, and the Family Crisis-Oriented Personal Evaluation scale (F-COPES) total score and one its subscales, the Acquiring Social Support, explained a significant amount of the variance of caregiver-perceived DUP. The results suggest that higher family resiliency, especially social support, facilitates the family׳s appropriate adaptive reaction (i.e., treatment-seeking), with the consequent decrease of DUP.

Cross-Ethnicity Measurement Equivalence of Family Coping for Breast Cancer Survivors

Objective: The current study examines the equivalence of a measure of family coping, the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation scales (F-COPES), in Chinese American and Korean American breast cancer survivors (BCS). Methods: Factor structure and cross-ethnicity equivalence of the F-COPES were tested using structural equation modeling with 157 Chinese American and Korean American BCS in California. Results: Of the original F-COPES subscales, acquiring social support, reframing, and passive appraisal did not adequately fit the data. Thus, a modified five-factor structure of the F-COPES was created. The modified F-COPES was validated with respect to quality of life, psychological distress, and family communication. Conclusions: The findings illustrate the importance of cross-ethnicity measurement testing and provide a rationale for developing culturally tailored measurements for ethnic minority populations.

Spirituality as a Coping Resource for African American Parents of Chronically Ill Children

To examine spirituality as a coping resource for a sample of African American parents who have a child with a chronic condition. Descriptive correlation design with a sample of 168 African American parents. Parents completed a demographic questionnaire, the Coping Health Inventory for Parents (CHIP), the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scale (F-COPES), and the spirituality subscale of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Measurement System (FACIT-Sp-12). Data were analyzed with frequency distributions and Pearson product moment correlations. Most frequently reported positive coping patterns included "believing in God," "doing things with my children," "believing that my child is getting the best medical care," and "having faith in God." Most frequent coping resources included "having faith in God," "seeking information from the family doctor," and "showing that we are strong." Results revealed a significant positive correlation between positive parental coping patterns and spirituality. It is important for nurses to recognize ethnic and cultural aspects of coping and spirituality, and design and implement care measures that support spirituality among families with a child with special healthcare needs.

Coping strategies used by parents of children with autism

The purpose of this research was to determine (a) the level of family adaptation, as measured by the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales (F-COPESs) instrument, among persons with a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) aged 12 years and under, (b) if there was a difference in F-COPES scores based on family demographics, and (c) the time lag between parent's suspicion of ASD and the actual professional diagnosis of ASD. A descriptive survey was used with a convenience sample derived from ASD treatment agencies and a parental support group in the California Bay Area that supports the children and parents of children with special needs. Overall, the level of adaptation was within the normal limits with coping scores similar to the norm scores of the F-COPES with males scoring slightly higher than females in the coping scale. Subscale scores of the F-COPES indicated that the parents sought encouragement and support from friends, informal support from other families who faced similar problems, and formal support from agencies and programs. Reframing revealed similar results as the norm with less use of spiritual support, and more passive appraisals were noted from the parents of children with ASD. Within internal comparisons, there were no statistical differences among gender and amount of time a member spent in coordination of services. Comparisons in ethnicity for Caucasians and Asian Americans revealed a higher coping score for reframing in Asian Americans and a higher passive appraisal score among Caucasians. Non-English speakers scored higher on spiritual support, while English speakers scored higher in passive appraisals. Because of insufficient statistical power, comparisons in education, income, marital status, and relocation of residence were deferred. The time from parents' suspicions of developmental delays or disability to a professional diagnosis of ASD was at least 6 months or greater. It is imperative for nurse practitioners (NPs) to provide appropriate professional support and other social support systems to families with children with ASD. Educating parents to sound therapy approaches to provide them with the skills needed to directly address stressful events in order to increase the parent's confidence level as to avoid passive appraisals is also a crucial role of the NP. NPs may want to use the F-COPES as part of the assessment to ascertain the areas of needs of families. This study reveals the resiliency and highly adaptive nature of these parents who are under severe strain and stress of caring for a child with ASD. The effective ways they coped as a family were in the areas of informal and formal social support networks. Participants also used passive appraisal to cope. The study also supports the need for early recognition and diagnoses of ASD and referral for early intervention for better outcomes for the children and families affected by ASD.

Homeless mothers: is there a relationship between coping strategies, mental health and goal achievement?

AbstractThis study examined the relationship between coping, mental health and goal achievement among homeless mothers. Seventy‐two women took part and 44 were re‐interviewed 4 months later. The Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales (F‐COPES) were used to identify their coping strategies at the time of homelessness; the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) measured mental health problems; and a semi‐structured questionnaire identified their goals. Outcome measures at follow‐up were goal achievement and mental health. A variety of coping strategies were used, with some differences ascertained according to reason for homelessness and age of respondent. Lower use of problem‐focussed coping was associated with poorer mental health at the time of homelessness. Mental health problems improved over time, but levels of psychopathology remained high at follow‐up. Most women had achieved their primary goal of resettlement, and this was associated with use of problem‐focussed coping. Lower use of problem‐focussed coping, in particular, acquiring social support, was associated with continuation of mental health problems at follow‐up, however the greatest predictor of mental health at follow‐up was mental health status whilst homeless. Despite exposure to major stressors and poor mental health, mothers experiencing homelessness can maintain their ability to cope effectively, in order to achieve their goals. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

COPING BEHAVIORS OF PARENTS OF SCHOOL AGE/LATENCY AGE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

Purpose/Hypothesis: This study identified the coping behaviors parents use to adjust to raising a latent/school age child with a disability. The differences in coping behaviors between mothers and fathers were investigated as well as differences between single and married parents of children with disabilities. Number of Subjects: Approximately 250 survey packets were distributed to program directors, physical therapists, occupational therapists and parents. Twenty-five of these surveys were returned. Participation was also solicited by placing a link to an electronic version of the survey on support group websites. Five electronic surveys were received bringing the total sample size to 30 (n = 30). Materials/Methods: Two instruments were used in this study. The Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales (FCOPES) identifies coping strategies utilized by families in difficult or problematic situations. The Coping Health Inventory for Parent (CHIP) measures the parents' appraisal of the coping behaviors they use to manage raising a child with a serious of chronic illness. In addition to the survey instruments, a demographics page was included to identify pertinent information regarding the parent and child. Results: When analyzing the data from the FCOPES, spiritual support was found to be utilized most often followed by passive appraisal, reframing, mobilizing family to acquire and accept help, and acquiring social support. Social support was found to be used significantly less than other coping behaviors (P < 0.05). The CHIP revealed maintaining family integration, cooperation, and an optimistic definition of the situation was the most helpful coping behavior, followed by understanding the medical situation through communication with other parents and consultation with medical staff. Maintaining social support, self-esteem and psychological stability was found to be significantly less helpful than the other subscales (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found between coping behaviors of mothers and fathers, nor married and single parents. Conclusions: This study revealed social support was used less frequently and reported less helpful than the other coping behaviors. This finding contradicts much of the current literature which reports that social support is one of the most commonly cited coping strategies for parents of physically and/or intellectually disabled children. This study has shown that parents are not utilizing social support services. It is unknown however, if this is because the parents view social support as not helpful, they do not have enough time to engage, or they are not aware the available services. Clinical Relevance: Physical therapists have more frequent and prolonged contact with both the family and the child than most healthcare professionals. It is pertinent for physical therapists to understand the stress these families are facing in order to help them develop effective coping behaviors and to be able to provide information regarding available resources.

Responses of Seventh Grade Students to “Do You Have a Partner with Whom You Would like to Have a Baby?”

This study investigated differences in demographic data, self-esteem, and coping skills for 225 students in Grade 7 who reported having a partner with whom they wanted to have a baby and 946 students who did not. Data were collected on the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, the Family Crisis-oriented Personal Evaluation Scale, and questions related to attitudes towards teen pregnancy and demographic data. The sample included 548 (46.8%) boys and 624 (53.2%) girls whose mean age was 13.2 yr. Students with a partner had significantly lower scores on the curriculum questions, self-esteem, and family coping skills, combined with higher scores in passivity. They indicated a desire to have a greater number of children, beginning by having their first child at a younger age and believed that having a baby improves a couple's relationship. Possible approaches may include effective teaching methods to overcome passivity through boosting self-confidence, goal-setting, and acquiring a purpose in life besides parenting a child.

The Effect of Reminiscence Therapy on Family Coping

The purpose of this pretest-posttest experimental study was to determine if participating in six reminiscence therapy sessions would increase family coping strategies of individuals with chronic renalfailure and their significant others. Reminiscence therapy involved recalling and sharing positive and pleasant past events and experiences, and it was guided by the investigator. Thirty-six participants, including 18 elderly individuals (65 years or older) with chronic renal failure, and their significant others were randomly obtainedfrom three outpatient hemodialysis centers. Participants completed the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales (F-COPES) before and after participating in six weekly sessions of reminiscence therapy in their homes. Statistical analysis revealed a statistically significant increase (t = 2.94, p &lt;.003) in posttest F-COPES scores. Findings indicate that reminiscence therapy positively affects family coping.

Identification of coping strategies used by heart transplant recipients.

Heart transplantation confronts the patient with major physical, psychological and social demands. Psychological adjustment to these stressors requires effective coping abilities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the coping mechanisms used by heart transplant recipients. A group of 42 heart transplant recipients completed the questionnaire. The instrument, F-COPES (Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales), was used to measure coping behaviours, thereby producing scores on five coping subscales: Acquiring social support; Reframing; Seeking spiritual support; Mobilizing family to accept help; and Passive appraisal. The results indicated that subjects in the present study (Scottish patients) scored slightly higher than normative subjects (American patients) on the Reframing subscale, slightly lower on the two subscales Acquiring social support and Mobilizing family to accept help, and much lower on Spiritual support. These results also indicated that the coping strategies used by this sample appeared to be largely independent of the time elapsed since transplantation, and the age of the subject. The major finding was that subjects scored much higher on the Passive appraisal coping subscale (almost double the score of the normative subjects).