Family Dimensions Research Articles

An ABCX model of family adjustment in adoption and permanent fostering of children with intellectual disability

Children with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) represent a growing proportion of children who are adopted or in foster care. This study aims to explore family adjustment in foster and adoptive families of children with IDD using the ABCX model of family adjustment. Sixty-two families with adopted and foster children with IDD between two and 36 years old in Spain participated in the study. Parents completed a self-reported questionnaire including measures of child demands, family strengths, adjustment of expectations and family adjustment to adoption. The combination of child demands, family strengths and family expectations predicted 55% of the variance of family adjustment (R2 = .55, F (3,56) = 25.571, p < .001), with C Factor being the most relevant (b = .458, p < .001). No differences were found in the adaptation process depending on the severity of the disability, the age of placement, or the adoption versus fostering process. Significant differences were found in the adaptation process dimensions depending on the special versus ordinary process. Differences were also found in some family dimensions depending on the diagnosis of the disability or the family stage. These findings highlight the importance of previous expectations and special processes in adopting children and young people with IDD.

Examination of Factors Affecting the Improvement of Corporate Well-being among Enterprises in Hungary

The main objective of the research is the multi-aspect examination of the factors affecting corporate well-being among medium and large size enterprises in terms of number of employees, which belong to different sectors. During the sampling procedure, we included the data of 46 enterprises (n=46) with headquarters or premises in Hungary in the starting database. Data from 205 employees were processed using computerized mathematical statistical methods (SPSS) within the framework of cross-sectional online questionnaire research conducted using validated measuring instruments. The statistical and correlational analyses based on the processing of the questionnaires revealed issues related to the compatibility of work and family dimensions, workplace and family conflicts, satisfaction with work and life, the impact of workplace conditions and social relationships, which all have an influence on the quality of life of employees. The ultimate goal of increasing corporate well-being is for employees to be satisfied, committed and motivated at their workplace, which enables them to achieve higher performance. Since employee wellbeing can significantly contribute to sustainable and human-centered workplaces - thereby increasing the work motivations, work performance and satisfaction of employees - it is therefore recommended for employers to create a corporate well-being strategy and implement well-being measures in the organization in order to reconcile the requirements of work and family

Learning Family: Concept, Measurement and the Effect on Individuals' Behaviors.

A learning society cannot be built without each family playing its role. The learning family integrates the modern education concept and the actual needs of family education. However, scholars are still exploring the concept, structure, and measuring tools of the learning family. Based on the bioecological system theory, this study explored the concept and characteristic dimension of the learning family and verified the effect of the learning family through cross-population samples. The results of this study showed that, first, the learning family involves a process of mutual influence on the part of family members, who view the enhancement of comprehensive literacy as their core goal and can continuously accumulate knowledge and improve skills from the internal and external environments of the family through learning support and learning involvement, thereby achieving common growth, the main structure of which includes four characterizing dimensions of learning involvement, learning effectiveness, learning support and continuous learning. Second, the developed learning family scale has good reliability and validity. Third, learning families have significant positive effects on individual creativity, innovative behavior, prosocial behavior, proactive behavior, work performance, academic achievement, and science literacy. This study not only deepens our understanding of the importance of family learning and family education but also contributes to exploring the influence mechanisms underlying learning families on individual psychology and behavior in the future.

Identification of premature cardiovascular disease using a family-based strategy: a feasibility pilot study

Abstract Background Current guidelines fail to identify and effectively prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) in young adults. Purpose To assess the feasibility of a systematic cardiovascular risk assessment in first-degree relatives of individuals with premature coronary artery disease (CAD). Method Index patients with obstructive CAD aged ≤ 45 years or ≤ 55 years without standard modifiable cardiovascular risk factor or ≤ 55 years with a 3-vessel coronary disease were prospectively identified among admissions. Pre-existing cases of CVD and prior cardiovascular check-ups were assessed among their first-degree relatives. Siblings and adult-children (≥25 years) without known CVD or active cardiology follow-up were eligible for a first cardiovascular evaluation. Index patients were encouraged to invite their eligible relatives to contact the Cardiology service for consultation. The primary endpoint was the relative’s eligibility for a cardiovascular prevention consultation. Result From September 2022 to June 2023, 137 patients with premature CAD, with 55.5% aged ≤ 45, were invited to initiate cardiovascular screening among their first-degree relatives. Of the 626 identified relatives, 153 (24.4%) had known atherosclerotic disease, primarily CAD (19.6%). Premature onset (before the age of 45) occurred in 5% of first-degree relatives. Among the 352 siblings and adult-children, 48 (13.6%) were already diagnosed with CVD, 68 (19.3%) were treated or followed for primary prevention, and 226 (64.2%) lacked active cardiovascular monitoring or treatment and were eligible for a first cardiovascular check-up (Figure 1). Within 10 months, 11.1% (25/226) of eligible relatives attended a first cardiovascular evaluation. Conclusion This family-based screening strategy for premature CVD demonstrated 1) a significant familial dimension, with 33% of siblings & adult-children already monitored for CVD prevention, and 2) an opportunity for cardiovascular prevention in two out of three young relatives.

Confidants for life: Examining sibling relationship positivity and disclosure in U.S. Latinx college students while considering the role of familism

Familism is a central facet of Latin culture, yet there has been little work examining its role within the sibling relationship. Importantly, young adulthood provides a unique context where sibling dynamics may shift as independence increases and one begins to solidify their personal beliefs. During this time, sibling relationship quality remains influential. One mechanism to encourage positive sibling relationships is by teasing apart disclosure content. Therefore, we posited the following research questions: Is disclosure content associated with sibling relationship quality? Are there differential associations between familism dimensions (referent, support, obligations, and respect for family) and sibling relationship quality? Do these familism dimensions moderate the association between domain-differentiated disclosure and sibling relationship quality? To address these questions, via online surveys, 186 Latinx undergraduates ( M age = 21.35, SD = 1.79) reported on frequency of disclosure to their closest-in-age sibling, sibling relationship quality, and endorsement of four familism values. Findings revealed that more frequent engagement in personal disclosure (e.g., “How I spend my free time”) was associated with more reports of sibling positivity. With prudential disclosure (e.g., “Whether I smoke cigarettes”), more frequent disclosure was associated with less sibling positivity. All four dimensions of familism were associated with more sibling positivity. For personal disclosure, across all familism models, its association with sibling positivity was magnified under average to high levels of familism endorsement. For prudential disclosure, its association with sibling relationship quality was magnified under high levels of familism endorsement for all models except for respect for family. Within the respect for family model, when endorsed at low levels, multifaceted (e.g., “Whether I stay out late”) disclosure was associated with more sibling positivity. Our study highlights the particularly positive implications of siblings disclosing about personal domain issues compared to other topical domains. Our work also suggests familism is positive for sibling relationships, but interestingly, when it interacts with disclosure, the findings are mixed.

Inheritance Law as interpreted by the Supreme Court in Albania

Abstract In Albanian civil law, inheritance is established as a cornerstone institution within the legal framework. It arises upon the death of an individual and is categorized in two forms: legal inheritance and testamentary inheritance. This legal concept encompasses all state-issued norms that regulate property relations arising from an individual’s death and governs the transfer of assets from the de-cuius (the testator) to their heirs. This process confers civil rights and obligations upon the inheritors. Within civil law, inheritance pertains to property relations that commence posthumously, defined as “the lawful or testamentary transfer of the deceased’s property to one or more individuals in accordance with the provisions of the legal code.” The legal relationship of inheritance in Albania is contingent upon the death of the testator, marking a pivotal legal fact. This relationship is characterized by its dual nature: it encompasses both property and familial dimensions. The property aspect becomes manifest at the moment of the testator’s death, as their rights and real property are transferred to their heirs. Meanwhile, the familial dimension pertains to specific qualities required of heirs, such as blood relations, adoption, or marital status. A will has legal effect only at the moment of the testator’s death, when the inherited property automatically transfers to the heirs by operation of law. The death of the specified individual is essential for initiating these legal effects.

Exploring the symptoms and psychological experiences among lung cancer convalescence patients after radical lobectomy: A qualitative study.

This study aims to explore the symptom experiences and psychological feelings of lung cancer patients after radical lobectomy in China. A qualitative study was conducted using face-to-face semistructured interviews with lung cancer patients who had a radical lobectomy for treatment of their cancer during the convalescence period. Participants (n = 18) were recruited from a general hospital in China, and patients were selected using purposive sampling from September 2021 to February 2022. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim, and Colaizzi's seven-step method of phenomenology was used. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist was conducted to report the study. Four themes were extracted from the interview data: physiological dimensions (fatigue, cough or sputum, chest tightness and shortness of breath, daily activities affected, sleep disturbance, lack of appetite); psychological dimensions (negative emotion, fear of cancer recurrence, learning to accept reality, strengthened faith and hope); family dimensions (heavy economic burden, perceived family care, improved health management behavior); and social dimensions (perceived support of medical staff, decreased sense of social value and self-identity, changes in social and working style). Lung cancer patients are still troubled by many problems during the postoperative recovery period. Medical staff should design and implement effective evaluations and targeted interventions for patients' physical and mental health as soon as possible to improve patients' physical and mental health, as well as their quality of life.

Suma Jakaña: Interacción Socio-Ética Familiar y Comunitaria Aimara

Objective: Describe, identify and interpret the manifestations of the sum jakaña in its dimension of socio-ethical family and community interaction expressed in the daily life of the Aymara population, district of Acora. Theoretical framework: The theoretical framework used is the concepts and definition of Good Living and Living Well, the etymology and linguistic analysis of the terms sum qamaña, sumq kawsay, sum jakaña. Method: The research has been approached through the qualitative approach, ethnographic method, in-depth interview techniques and participant observation. Results and Discussion: For families and community members, the sum jakaña is manifested in harmonious marital, interfamilial, community, intercommunity interactions, in the integrative relationship of the human being with his natural environment, deities and the deceased, processes that are fluid by ethical values. morals, such as the reciprocity practiced in agricultural-pastoral work, in the celebrations of social and vital events. Research implications: Aymara families in yesteryear practiced various customs related to cooperation, “The word sums jakaña; It means that we live well, we die well. So we must understand the Aymaras as a “great Aymara family” or a “great Aymara community”, united by language, by community norms, by ethical-moral principles, by cosmolife. The sum jakaña will serve as a model of life to be followed by generations worldwide. Originality/Value: This research work is original first-hand, the informants were selected for their wisdom and experience; the same one that has been worked in a context of coexistence and collective participation resorting to the same source in the customary festive activities of the community, therefore, it is subjected to its own work with a unique idea.

Family types and family dimensions: The paradigmatic framework and the circumplex model

AbstractThe Paradigmatic Framework is a formal and rigorously derived systems‐theoretic model of the organization and operation of human systems, a map covering not just families but also the broader range of human social systems in general. The origins, derivation, and development of the framework and its salient features are summarized. The framework is applied to a close examination of the well‐known and influential Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems in terms of its theoretical premises and assumptions and its typological and dimensional features, placing the Circumplex Model within the larger context of other relevant theoretical models of family and the still larger context of human systems in general. Implications for research and practice in the marriage and family field are highlighted with special attention to socio‐cultural context.

DESCRIPTIVE OF FAMILY PLANNING AND SPIRITUAL SERVICES AT THE VOLUNTARY COUNSELING AND TESTING CLINIC

One way to anticipate HIV/AIDS transmission is through biopsychosociospiritual services, meaning seeing patients not only from physical, psychosocial but also spiritual/religious aspects. One intervention that can be carried out is by providing counseling to respondents about contraceptives and spiritual services to improve the quality of life of women with HIV/AIDS. Research Objectives: To determine family planning services and spiritual services at the VCT Clinic at the Cilacap Regional General Hospital. This research is a qualitative study describing the dimensions of family planning services and spiritual services at the VCT Clinic at the Cilacap Regional General Hospital with a sample of 3 women aged HIV/AIDS sufferers, Peer Support Group 2 people and VCT Clinic management 1 person. The sampling technique used purposive sampling and three participants were obtained. Research results: Family planning services have been integrated into VCT services, and there are no spiritual services by religious officers at the VCT Clinic. Suggestions need to improve family planning and spiritual services in VCT services.Keywords : Family Planning Services, Spiritualy Services, Women, HIV/AIDS

Lifestyle Dimensions of Public Safety Personnel Families: There's No Life Like It.

The nature and cumulative occupational demands imposed on families of public safety personnel (PSP) are substantial, in many cases non-negotiable, and distinct from the general population accentuating risk factors for family well-being. Despite this reality, the contributions of PSP families are not well understood, and a conceptual framework is needed. The aim of this paper is to summarize contextual factors (lifestyle dimensions) that shape the lives of PSP families; factors supported in the existing, albeit limited, body of research. Grounded in the interpretive/constructivist paradigm, a synthesis was central to understanding the lived experiences of PSP families. An interdisciplinary research team engaged in an iterative process of framework analysis to capture the variability and complexity of PSP family life and distilled the overarching lifestyle dimensions. Three lifestyle dimensions-logistics, risks, and identities-emerged from contextual factors and represent distinct aspects of PSP family life. PSP families play a crucial role in that their capacity to accommodate the lifestyle dimensions (i.e., logistics, risks, and identities), without which the PSP could not meet the demands of the profession. Promoting awareness of these dimensions and their consequent demands underscores the cumulative demands that put PSP families at risk. Responses from governments, public safety organizations, and communities are required to help PSP families manage non-negotiable elements of the public safety occupation that spill over into family life over which they have no control.

Unwritten ground rules of school choice: Excavating capital as a regulator of access to educational goods

District leaders in school choice contexts tend to overlook the many hidden costs of selecting schools in terms of mobility, time, liquidity, and labor. Meanwhile, a body of literature on school choice policies and cultural, social, and political capital shows that middle-class parents use the resources they possess to get the school access they want. In this study, I critically examine the complex interplay between school choice policies and forms of capital. This analysis extends our empirical understanding of the political dimensions of families’ school choices—the way parent resources, relationships, and strategies determine “who gets what, when, and how” (Laswell, 1936) in terms of schooling opportunities, and way these policies help structure disproportionate school access. By attending to families’ affordances of cultural, social, and political capital in studies of school choice, authorities may be more likely to design choice supports that address some demand-side inequities.

Family functioning and mental health before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a two-cohort comparison of emerging adults

The aim of the present study was to analyze how family relationships changed during the COVID-19 pandemic and to determine whether the health crisis modified the association between family dimensions and emerging adult children’s mental health. A large sample of 1732 emerging adults was recruited at two different moments. In 2015, 755 emerging adults were recruited, 201 from campus A (sample 1) and 554 from campus B (sample 2). In 2020, a new sample was recruited and 977 emerging adults completed the questionnaire, 198 from campus A (sample 1 / “Pre-pandemic sample”, recruited before the lockdown) and 779 from campus B (sample 2 / “COVID-19 sample” / recruited after the lockdown. The results reveal that the COVID-19 sample of emerging adults perceived poorer parent-child relationships (lower parental involvement and warmth) and reported poorer mental health (lower flourishing and higher psychological distress) than their counterparts in Cohort 1. For their part, the Pre-pandemic sample reported higher levels of psychological distress than their counterparts in Cohort 1. In all samples (Cohort 1 and Cohort 2, both Pre-pandemic and COVID-19), parenting functions were positively associated with children’s flourishing and negatively associated with their psychological distress. However, these associations were stronger in Cohort 2 than in Cohort 1, both when assessed before and when assessed during the pandemic. The results of the study support the increasingly important role played by the family as a protective factor for mental health, even in stressful situations when family relationships tend to deteriorate. Study limitations include the use of a sample composed mainly of young emerging adult university students. Future studies should strive to include more emerging adults from the entire age range encompassed by emerging adulthood, as well as members of the non-university-going emerging adult population. Investing in public programs focused on family functions during emerging adulthood is an essential strategy for protecting and improving young adults’ mental health and promoting positive family relationships in stressful situations.

Generational Guardians: Preserving India's Cultural Heritage through Family Values

This paper delves into the intricate fabric of the Indian family system, elucidating its pivotal role as a cornerstone of civilization, embodying the ethos of sanskar (values) and perpetuating the ancient sanatan sanskriti (eternal culture). Drawing from historical, sociological, and cultural perspectives, it explores the multifaceted dimensions of the Indian family, encompassing kinship structures, familial roles, and rituals. The paper examines how the family serves as a microcosm of society, transmitting cultural mores, traditions, and spiritual beliefs through generations. It also analyzes the resilience of the Indian family system in the face of modernization and globalization, highlighting its adaptive capacity while retaining core cultural values. Furthermore, the paper discusses contemporary challenges and opportunities confronting the Indian family system, including changing demographics, urbanization, and evolving gender dynamics. Through a nuanced understanding of the Indian family as a repository of civilization, sanskar, and sanatan sanskriti, the paper advocates for its continued recognition and revitalization as a foundational institution in India's cultural landscape.

Life Satisfaction and Its Relationship With Personality Traits Among Medical College Students in China.

Life satisfaction is a comprehensive psychological index to measure a person's life quality. Previous studies have found that population sociological factors, physiological factors, psychological factors, and social factors all affect life satisfaction, but few studies have looked at the role of stable psychological factors, such as personality, in life satisfaction. Thus, this study combined previous research results and theories to study the current situation of college students' life satisfaction and its correlation with personality. This study aims to comprehensively assess the life satisfaction levels among university students enrolled in a medical college in China, explore their correlation with various demographic factors and personality traits, identify potential areas for intervention, and provide recommendations for improving students' overall well-being and fostering the development of a positive and healthy personality. A stratified cluster sampling method was used to select college students from a university. The questionnaire consists of general characteristics, a life satisfaction scale, and the Big Five Inventory. Descriptive statistical methods were conducted to describe the college students' life satisfaction status; an analysis of variance was performed to compare the score of life satisfaction among different demographic features; and the correlation between the score of life satisfaction and the Big Five Inventory was also analyzed. A total of 3116 subjects were included in this survey. The life satisfaction of females was higher than that of males in the dimensions of family, friends, school, and overall satisfaction (p<0.05). The life satisfaction of males in the self dimension was higher than that of females (p<0.05). The life satisfaction of different weight types had statistical significance in the life dimension (p<0.05). The life satisfaction of family, school, and overall well-being among smoking college students was lower than that of non-smoking college students (p<0.05). The life satisfaction of non-drinking college students in family, friends, life, school, and overall life satisfaction scores was higher than those of drinking college students (p<0.05). College students who get plenty of sleep a day (more than eight hours) scored higher life satisfaction scores in the self dimension than sleep-deprived college students (p<0.05). In addition to the family dimension, students taking long physical exercise breaks every day had higher life satisfaction scores in every dimension than students lacking physical exercise (p<0.05). The mean score of personality in the agreeableness and openness dimensions is the highest. Correlation analysis showed that the personality score in each dimension was positively correlated with the life satisfaction score in each dimension except for the neuroticism dimension of personality (p<0.05). The life satisfaction of college students is different for different lifestyles. The student management department should pay attention to the physical and mental health of college students with low life satisfaction and further find out the reasons for the difference in life satisfaction. Meanwhile, education should be strengthened for college students and encourage them to give up smoking and alcohol; strengthen physical training; and university education should strengthen the personality cultivation of college students.

On approximating dependence function and its derivatives

Bivariate extreme value distributions can be used to model dependence of observations from random variables in extreme levels. There is no finite dimensional parametric family for these distributions, but they can be characterized by a certain one-dimensional function which is known as Pickands dependence function. In many applications the general approach is to estimate the dependence function with a non-parametric method and then conduct further analysis based on the estimate. Although this approach is flexible in the sense that it does not impose any special structure on the dependence function, its main drawback is that the estimate is not available in a closed form. This paper provides some theoretical results which can be used to find a closed form approximation for an exact or an estimate of a twice differentiable dependence function and its derivatives. We demonstrate the methodology by calculating approximations for symmetric and asymmetric logistic dependence functions and their second derivatives. We show that the theory can be even applied to approximating a non-parametric estimate of dependence function using a convex optimization algorithm. Other discussed applications include a procedure for testing whether an estimate of dependence function can be assumed to be symmetric and estimation of the concordance measures of a bivariate extreme value distribution. Finally, an Australian annual maximum temperature dataset is used to illustrate how the theory can be used to build semi-infinite and compact predictions regions.

Dimension in team semantics

AbstractWe introduce three measures of complexity for families of sets. Each of the three measures, which we call dimensions, is defined in terms of the minimal number of convex subfamilies that are needed for covering the given family. For upper dimension, the subfamilies are required to contain a unique maximal set, for dual upper dimension a unique minimal set, and for cylindrical dimension both a unique maximal and a unique minimal set. In addition to considering dimensions of particular families of sets, we study the behavior of dimensions under operators that map families of sets to new families of sets. We identify natural sufficient criteria for such operators to preserve the growth class of the dimensions. We apply the theory of our dimensions for proving new hierarchy results for logics with team semantics. To this end we associate each atom with a natural notion or arity. First, we show that the standard logical operators preserve the growth classes of the families arising from the semantics of formulas in such logics. Second, we show that the upper dimension of $k+1$ -ary dependence, inclusion, independence, anonymity, and exclusion atoms is in a strictly higher growth class than that of any k-ary atoms, whence the $k+1$ -ary atoms are not definable in terms of any atoms of smaller arity.

Analysis of the sociodemographic and economic profile of family agricultural production units: a comprehensive view of the challenges experienced

The present research aimed to investigate and analyze the social, demographic and economic profile of family farming in the municipality of Passagem, located in the Agreste region of the State of Rio Grande do Norte. The study took into account eight indicators: age, size of properties, number of residents in rural establishments, occurrence of gender variables, marital status, condition of the property, aspects of financial aid, and interviewees' perception of income, monthly expenses and about your surroundings. The methodology included collecting qualitative and quantitative data through structured interviews, applied to a sample composed of 97 family units of agricultural production, covering all rural communities in Passagem-RN. Data analysis was conducted through data tabulation in Microsoft® Office Excel and descriptive statistics using Jamovi® Software. The results identified that there is low female representation in family farming in the municipality, in addition to vulnerabilities regarding welfare policies, which directly impacts the economic and family dimension in the rural context of this municipality.

Leisure, Work, and Study Among University Students, an Approach From a Colombian Perspective

The dynamics and demands of contemporary society require increasingly tight adjustments concerning time, space, and human relationships. Maintaining a healthy balance among work, education, and leisure is necessary and challenging. In this scenario, distance education and information and communication technologies offer university-level training opportunities for those working in various contexts. In addition to time management challenges, finding leisure spaces that promote well-being presents another challenge. In this context, this study aimed to analyze the implications of simultaneously working and studying in leisure spaces and times, particularly focusing on students pursuing education through a distance-learning modality at the Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios-UNIMINUTO at a national level in Colombia. Methodologically, the study adopted a mixed research approach, utilizing a sequential explanatory design. Data were collected through questionnaires and the focus group technique. The analysis was based on categories such as serious leisure, casual leisure, digital leisure, and satisfaction with leisure. The quantitative component constituted a sample size of 455 students. The results revealed the characteristics of the leisure spaces within this population and the level of satisfaction with the limited leisure times and spaces available, given the peculiarity of working and studying concurrently. This satisfaction, whether derived from serious, casual, or digital leisure activities, correlated with the achieved well-being on personal and familial dimensions. Keywords: Leisure, education, work, student

Family ideals in an era of low fertility

Taking stock of individuals' perceived family ideals is particularly important in the current moment given unprecedented fertility declines and the diversification of households in advanced industrial societies. Study participants in urban China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the United States, Italy, Spain, and Norway were asked to evaluate vignettes describing families whose characteristics vary on ten dimensions. In contrast to previous studies that focused on a single dimension, such as fertility ideals or gender roles, this holistic vignette approach identifies the relative importance of each dimension. Multilevel regression analysis reveals both expected and unexpected findings. Parenthood remains a positive ideal, but the number of children does not matter once other family dimensions are considered, a potentially important finding in light of conventional wisdom regarding the two-children ideal. When evaluating families with at least one child, respondents tend to positively evaluate more traditional arrangements, including valuing marriage relative to cohabitation and, particularly, divorce. Also, in addition to financial resources, good communication between immediate and extended family members, as well as maintaining respect in the larger community, are highly salient attributes of an ideal family. Notwithstanding some important cross-national differences, egalitarian gender roles and avoiding work-family conflict are also valued positively. Overall, even as the study reveals some notable variations between societies, respondents across countries identify similar components of an ideal family.