Family Management Strategies Research Articles

Balancing Medical School and Manage a Social Life and Perform in Class

Background: Medical students face significant challenges in balancing academic obligations with maintaining a social life, which is crucial for their well-being and interpersonal skills. This study aims to explore the difficulties medical students encounter in this balance, the effects of social activities on their health and academic performance, and to propose actionable solutions. Methods and Materials: Employing a mixed-methods research design, this study integrates quantitative data from survey questionnaires with qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling was used to select participants from various medical schools, ensuring a diverse representation of experiences. Data analysis combined statistical tools for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative interviews, highlighting the intricate dynamics between social engagement, academic responsibilities, and well-being. Results: The findings reveal that many medical students struggle with balancing their social and academic lives, citing heavy workloads and limited free time as substantial barriers. However, a robust social support network was correlated with reduced stress and better overall mental health. Time management skills emerged as crucial for achieving a satisfactory work-life balance. Qualitative data underscored the value of emotional support from peers, family, and mentors and effective time management strategies. Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of social support and time management in navigating the demands of medical education. It suggests that educational institutions should foster supportive environments and offer programs that enhance students' social well-being and time management capabilities. Addressing these issues can lead to improved mental health, academic performance, and a more balanced life for medical students.

Nurses' Work-Family Strategies during COVID-19 Lockdown and Their Association with Individual Health and Family Relations.

The COVID-19 lockdown forced people to stay at home and address their family duties more equally. However, since nurses themselves were involved in the closed-loop management in hospitals and unable to return home, there was also an increased likelihood of non-traditional work-family strategies emerging. To ascertain the extant and implications of this phenomenon, this cross-sectional study explores work-family management strategies among nurses during the COVID-19 lockdown and their association with nurses' individual health, family relationships, and job performance. Survey data were collected from 287 nurses who were involved in the closed-loop management in Shanghai hospitals from March to June 2022. Latent Class Analysis of seven categorical variables of nurses' work-family status (e.g., the division of childcare labor) produced a best-fit solution of five strategies (BLRT (p) < 0.001, LMR (p) = 0.79, AIC = 5611.34, BIC = 6302.39, SSA-BIC = 5703.65, Entropy = 0.938): (1) fully outsourcing to grandparents, (2) partially outsourcing to grandparents, with the husband filling in the gap, (3) the husband does it all, (4) egalitarian remote workers, and (5) a neo-traditional strategy. Nurses who applied the egalitarian strategy had less psychological distress and relationship tension and better performance than those who applied the neo-traditional strategy and performed most of the childcare. The "husband does it all" strategy and the outsourcing strategies seem to have double-edged effects, with better job performance and family relations but also more distress and fewer sleeping hours among nurses. Overall, with a view to future risk mitigation, policymakers and practitioners should be aware of the diversity of the work-family strategies among nurse families during the lockdown period, and their association with individual and family outcomes, and provide tailored support.

Family language policy in an endangered heritage language context: Gagauz mothers’ perspectives

ABSTRACT This paper investigates family language policy reported by Gagauz migrant mothers using a qualitative approach. The Gagauz language, the native language of the participants, is one of the languages which is at risk. Data were collected from 14 Gagauz mothers who were living in Turkey. Semi-structured interviews were held with the participants to examine family language practices, beliefs and management strategies. Although language beliefs about family language policy differ from each other, generally Gagauz mothers expect their children to speak Russian due to its status as a lingua franca in trade, education and employment in the post-Soviet context. Moreover, it was found that the Gagauz mothers employed a wide range of family language practices. Majority of participants reported that they spoke mainly Russian whereas others stated that they preferred Turkish at home. As for language management strategies, the lack of educational and audiovisual materials in the Gagauz language affected the Gagauz mothers’ family language management strategies in a negative way. Additionally, the Gagauz language has a symbolic function which is considered a part of Gagauz identity. The findings also revealed insights about Gagauz language maintenance and a shift in heritage context.

Adolescent Predictors of Deliberate Self-Harm Thoughts and Behavior Among Young Adults: A Longitudinal Cross-National Study

PurposeThis study builds upon and extends previous longitudinal research on deliberate self-harm (DSH) among youth by investigating which risk and protective factors during adolescence predict DSH thoughts and behavior in young adulthood. MethodsSelf-report data came from 1,945 participants recruited as state-representative cohorts from Washington State and Victoria, Australia. Participants completed surveys in seventh grade (average age 13 years), as they transitioned through eighth and ninth grades and online at age 25 years. Retention of the original sample at age 25 years was 88%. A range of risk and protective factors in adolescence for DSH thoughts and behavior in young adulthood were examined using multivariable analyses. ResultsAcross the sample, 9.55% (n = 162) and 2.83% (n = 48) of young adult participants reported DSH thoughts and behaviors, respectively. In the combined risk-protective factor multivariable model for young adulthood DSH thoughts, depressive symptoms in adolescence (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.05; confidence interval [CI] = 1.00–1.09) increased risk, while higher levels of adolescent adaptive coping strategies (AOR = 0.46; CI = 0.28–0.74), higher levels of adolescent community rewards for prosocial behavior (AOR = 0.73; CI = 0.57–0.93), and living in Washington State decreased risk. In the final multivariable model for DSH behavior in young adulthood, less positive family management strategies during adolescence remained the only significant predictor (AOR = 1.90; CI = 1.01–3.60). DiscussionDSH prevention and intervention programs should not only focus on managing depression and building/enhancing family connections and support but also promote resilience through efforts to promote adaptive coping and connections to adults within one's community who recognize and reward prosocial behavior.

Sibling Support Program: A Novel Peer Support Intervention for Parents, Caregivers and Siblings of Youth Experiencing Mental Illness.

Caregivers and siblings of youth with mental illness often experience role-related psychological challenges, and it is important to focus on the needs of these family members. Existing literature demonstrates that caregivers and affected children benefit from participation in peer support and family-centered programs. This paper describes the Sibling Support Program: A Family-Centered Mental Health Initiative (SSP), a novel intervention for families of youth with mental illness. The SSP distinguishes itself from existing family-centered programs in that it utilizes a unique combination of peer support, parent mentor guidance, and clinician-led group therapy. The paper details the structure of the treatment model and presents preliminary data from participant surveys. Results show preliminary indications that the program provides both emotional and practical benefits. Along with high satisfaction ratings, family members report decreased feelings of isolation, gains in knowledge, and more positive thinking after program participation. Caregivers report that the SSP helped improve their understanding about the impact of a child’s mental illness on family members, and that they learned about effective family management strategies and access to resources. Siblings report learning coping strategies and feeling better after meeting peers with shared experiences.

Entrepreneurial strategies and family firm culture in the Arab world: a systematic literature review

PurposeFamily businesses are value-based enterprises, contributing significantly to wealth creation. Although extensive research is conducted on family businesses, there is no study investigating how the cultural traits in the Arab world affect the organizational culture of family businesses. This paper discusses how the cultural characteristics in the Arab world shape family enterprises and explores how the Arab world's organizational culture enables family firms to establish competitive advantage underpinned by founder centrality, the concept of family, and business principles spanning many generations.Design/methodology/approachA thorough search of the extant literature was done in Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO, and ScienceDirect using a combination of keywords such as Arab culture, family businesses, family firm culture, organizational culture, cultural traits, management strategies, and entrepreneurial strategies. Selected articles were classified according to their content, reviewed, and analyzed.FindingsThis study makes a few critical contributions about the nature, and the origins of organizational culture in family firms, entailing the founder's centrality and stewardship theory. Specifically, family firms in the examined region appear to have a stronger firm culture compared to non-family businesses. Also, organizational culture affects family businesses considering the firm-level outcomes, such as hereditary transition success, family inertia, etc.Originality/valueThis paper adds to the existing theoretical knowledge and underlines the cultural traits and family firm culture in the Arab world. A framework is presented, offering practical recommendations to managers of family firms striving to advance their competitiveness.

Adolescent Antecedents of Young Adult Homelessness: a Cross-national Path Analysis.

Adolescent and young adult health, development, and behavior lay a foundation for future population health. Increasing rates of young adult homelessness mean there is a need for research which generates evidence to support a stronger focus on population-level prevention. Using longitudinal data from a population-based sample of young adults participating in the cross-nationally matched International Youth Development Study, we examined adolescent antecedents of young adult homelessness in Washington State in the USA and in Victoria, Australia. Participants were surveyed using a modified version of the Communities That Care youth survey. Analyses of prospective, longitudinal data from 1945 participants, recruited as state-representative secondary school samples at grade 7 (average age 13, 2002) and longitudinally compared at young adulthood (average age 25, 2014), showed that young adults in Washington State reported higher rates of past year homelessness (5.24%) compared to those in Victoria (3.25%). Path modeling showed less positive family management strategies at age 13 uniquely increased risk for age 25 homelessness. This effect remained after accounting for age 15 antecedents in peer-group, school, and community environments. Friends' drug use, school suspension, academic failure, and low neighborhood attachment at age 15 mediated the association between less positive family management strategies at age 13 and age 25 homelessness. Despite observing some cross-national differences in levels of family, peer-group, school, and community antecedents, we found that these factors equally increased risk for age 25 homelessness in both states, suggesting similar cross-national influences for young adult homelessness. The findings indicate cross-nationally common adolescent antecedents for young adult homelessness that could be targeted by prevention strategies across international settings.

Old Order Amish Family Management of Children With Genetic Conditions.

Families who raise children with genetic conditions manage health care within the context of cultural communities. For Amish families, although genetic conditions are prevalent and have been well reported, few studies document family management of these conditions. This article describes Amish family management strategies in light of the Family Management Framework's contextual factors. Ethnographic data captured variations in perspectives from Amish families with children with diverse genetic conditions, Amish community members, and health care providers. Findings describe families at the center of decision making and health care management for children with genetic conditions, utilizing health care professionals and their surrounding Amish community members as resources. Amish families' management strategies lie across a spectrum from home-oriented to medical-oriented, and this spectrum is elaborated in the findings and discussion of this article.

A developmental cascade perspective of paediatric obesity: A systematic review of preventive interventions from infancy through late adolescence.

The goals of this systematic review were to identify and describe paediatric obesity prevention interventions from infancy to late adolescence and to provide recommendations for future intervention research in light of a recently proposed developmental cascade (DC) model of paediatric obesity. We conducted an electronic search of randomized controlled trials with a minimum 6-month postintervention follow-up published between 1995 and 2019. We included 74 interventions: prenatal/infancy (n = 4), early childhood (n = 11), childhood (n = 38), early to mid-adolescence (n = 18), and late adolescence (n = 3). Infancy and early childhood trials targeted early feeding and positive parenting skills. Half of the childhood and adolescence trials were school based and used universal prevention strategies; those classified as selective or indicated prevention tended to involve the family for more intensive lifestyle modification. Less than 10% of studies followed participants over long periods of time (greater than or equal to 5 years), and only 16% and 31% of studies assessed intervention mediators and moderators, respectively. We recommend that future interventions focus on early prevention, assess long-term intervention effects, use a standardized taxonomy for defining intervention behavioural strategies, assess underlying mechanisms of action and intervention moderators, target parent and family management strategies across development, and increase scientific equity. We also provide specific recommendations regarding intervention targets for each developmental stage.

Gender Differences in Youth Exposure to Community Violence: A Partial Test of Power-Control Theory

Youths’ exposure to community violence increases their risk for harmful emotional and behavioral outcomes. Several family management strategies protect youth against exposure though there is scant literature exploring whether their application is gendered. Using data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, we draw from power-control theory to assess gender differences in family management strategies and the extent to which this accounts for boys’ greater exposure to neighborhood violence. Controlling for neighborhood contextual factors and youth covariates of exposure to violence, findings suggest that parents adopt gendered parenting practices, which in turn helps clarify why boys are more likely to report exposure to community violence.

Secure Base Representations in Children With Asthma: Links With Symptoms, Family Asthma Management, and Cytokine Regulation.

Children's perceptions of caregivers as a secure base have been linked with socioemotional outcomes, but little is known about connections to physical health. We examined whether secure base representations are associated with children's symptoms, family management strategies, and inflammatory processes in children with asthma. Participants included 308 children (ages 8-17) and one parent. Children completed a blood draw to measure asthma-related immune functions and reported on perceptions of their mothers as a secure base and their asthma symptoms. Dyads completed interviews about asthma management. Analyses revealed that children's secure base perceptions were associated with better family asthma management and lower Type 2 T-helper cell cytokine production. These findings suggest that secure base representations may be protective for children with asthma.

Minority and Immigrant Youth Exposure to Community Violence: The Differential Effects of Family Management and Peers.

Experiences with neighborhood violence can produce negative consequences in youth, including stress, anxiety, and deviant behavior. Studies report that immigrant and minority youth are more likely to be exposed to violence but less likely to perpetrate it. Similarly, research shows parenting practices are differentially adopted by Blacks, Whites, and Hispanics. Although family management strategies can often act as a barrier to the detrimental effects of exposure to community violence (ETV-C), there is a paucity of investigation on how Hispanic subgroups (e.g., Puerto Rican, Mexican) and immigrant families employ such practices in protecting their children against victimization and violence in the community. Applying an ecological framework, we use data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods to examine the role of parenting and peer relationships on youth ETV-C, across race/ethnicity and immigrant generational status. Our sample is drawn from Cohorts 9, 12, and 15, and is over 40% Hispanic-Latino. We investigate the differences in within and outside the home family management strategies in terms of both race/ethnicity and immigrant generational status. Our work also seeks to determine the effects of race/ethnicity and immigrant status on youth ETV-C, while examining the influence of family management and peer relations. Results indicate that the adoption of family management practices is not homogeneous across Hispanic subgroups or immigrant generational status, and parenting practices seem to mediate the relationship between these characteristics and exposure to violence. Variations in parenting practices underscore the need to disentangle the cultural plurality of racial/ethnic grouping and how immigrant generational status influences parenting choices that protect children from exposure to violence in the community.

A Comparative Study of Family Management Style According to Severity of Childhood Atopic Dermatitis

Purpose: This study of secondary analysis aims to compare family management style according to severity in children with atopic dermatitis. Methods: A convenience sample of 109 Korean mothers caring for a child with atopic dermatitis, were recruited from the pediatric departments of two general hospitals in Seoul. Data were collected from November 1, 2015 to February 28, 2016. A structured self-report questionnaire was used. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and one-way ANOVA with IBM SPSS Version 22.0. Results: For family management style, condition management effort, family life difficulty, and view of condition impact were significantly different according to the severity of the atopic dermatitis in these children. Conclusion: The findings indicate that family management strategies to enhance care of children with atopic dermatitis as well as members of the family should include these significant variables in a family-centered approach.

The Use of Qualitative Methods in Developing Implementation Strategies in Prevention Research for Stroke Survivors in Nigeria.

Implementing complex clinical interventions is a key challenge in many global regions. Local communities play a necessary role in enhancing feasibility and strengthening adaptive issues in the design and implementation of stroke interventions in developing countries. Drawing on the knowledge of physicians, patients, and caregivers, the authors employed qualitative methods as a phase 1 strategy to explore the challenges of stroke management and improve the adaptability and efficient delivery of a multimodal preventive intervention for secondary stroke disease in Nigeria. A total of 22 individual interviews were conducted with healthcare professionals, as well as 12 focus groups with patients and caregivers. Findings revealed four operational domains to improve strategies for phase 2 implementation and intervention: (1) barriers influencing optimal adherence in stroke survivors, (2) patient health beliefs and perceptions of patient health beliefs by others, (3) adoption of the "patient report card," and (4) "medical action plan" and family management strategies.

Locus of Control Orientation: Parents, Peers, and Place.

An internal locus of control contributes to positive youth outcomes such as a general well-being and academic success, while also serving as a protective factor against exposure to community violence and reducing negative behaviors like violence. Despite these benefits, very little is known about antecedents of an internal locus of control orientation. Without an understanding of what factors contribute to the development of an internal locus of control, it is not clear how to best encourage its formation. This study uses data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods to examine whether various mesosystem variables (family management strategies, peer interactions, neighborhood context, and individual-level characteristics) are associated with an internal locus of control orientation among 1,076 youth ages 9-19 living in 78 Chicago neighborhoods. Study participants were Hispanic (46%), African American (34%), and White (15%), and 50% were female. The findings suggest that, while most levels of the mesosystem influence locus of control orientation, family management strategies are more prominent determinants of an internal locus of control than peers, neighborhood context, or individual characteristics. Parental supervision over the time a youth spends at home and family socioeconomic status are consistent predictors of an internal locus of control, while harsh discipline is associated with an external locus of control. The discussion examines the import of various parenting techniques in shaping an internal locus of control and considers future avenues for research to further unpack how antecedents of locus of control can vary across youth.

Protecting Youth Against Exposure to Violence

Youths’ exposure to violence (ETV) can have damaging effects especially in relation to the development of problem behaviors and psychological functioning. The devastating effects of exposure have also been found to vary by race and ethnicity. Though affirmative parenting can protect against ETV, researchers have yet to focus on the value of assessing different family management strategies and how these parenting practices may differ by race or ethnicity. Further, there is scant research on the nexus between protective family management strategies, peer relationships, and neighborhood characteristics, all of which influence ETV. In the current study, we account for these various contexts and youth covariates of ETV and examine how they work together in predicting ETV. Using data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, we employ hierarchical linear modeling to test the protective effects of various parenting strategies against ETV among African American, Hispanic, and White youth aged 9–19.

Context-dependent pathways of the transmission of risk from communities to individuals.

Research has consistently documented the role of environmental risk factors in the onset of delinquent behavior among youth. Less is known about the processes through which these contextual risks are translated to individual youth behavior. The aim of the current study is to examine the role of family risk factors in the transmission of community risk. Data was obtained from a nationally representative sample of over 30,000 middle school youth and community key informants (CKI). A multilevel, moderated mediation model was estimated with family risk as the moderator of the effect of CKI ratings of community risk on youth perceptions of risk. Results showed that when youth came from low risk families (measured by parental use of positive family management strategies), youth perceptions of risk mediated the effects of community risk on youth delinquency; however, there was no evidence of a significant mediated effect under conditions of high risk (measured by poor family management). This appears to be because youth from high-risk families perceived their neighborhoods as high-risk, regardless of actual levels of risk (as reported by CKI). This study finds that the relationship between communities and adolescent behavior is complex and interacts with the family environment.

FAMILY MANAGEMENT AND YOUTH VIOLENCE: ARE PARENTS OR COMMUNITY MORE SALIENT?

The family and community are both key components of child socialization and they influence developmental pathways. In this study, four family management strategies (supervision, discipline, restrictiveness, and familiarity with child's peers) and potential neighborhood effects on parenting behaviors are examined. Three proximal mechanisms (exposure to violence, peer deviance, and locus of control) are also examined as mediators. Data on three cohorts of youths ages 9 to 19 from the PHDCN are analyzed using HLM. Harsh disciplining practices increase violence by 33%, while reductions in unsupervised time in the community decrease violent behavior by 40%. The proximal mechanisms mediate the impact of family management strategies on youth involvement in violence. Results also show that family management factors are more influential over youth violence than neighborhood context. Research incorporating particular family management strategies can provide a more comprehensive investigation to research on the importance of family socialization.

Relationships of work–family conflict with business and marriage outcomes in Taiwanese copreneurial women

This study used bidirectional interrole conflict measures to examine the permeability of work and family domains, and to further investigate the relationships of work–family conflict with business and marriage outcomes in copreneurial women. Analytical results from 202 Taiwanese copreneurial women were summarized as follows: (1) family boundaries were more permeable than work domains; (2) work–family conflict is negatively related to perceived business success and marriage satisfaction; and (3) work-to-family conflict predicts marriage satisfaction, whereas family-to-work conflict predicts perceived business success. The results were interpreted and implications were discussed in terms of consulting strategies of work–family management strategies and participative management techniques in family business.

Medical adherence and childhood chronic illness: family daily management skills and emotional climate as emerging contributors

To describe recent research that examines family factors that promote or derail adherence to medical regimens for children with chronic health conditions, primarily asthma, diabetes, and cystic fibrosis. From the past 2 years, eight correlational studies were identified which specifically examined the links between family management strategies, family climate and medical adherence. Findings from the studies suggest that team-based management strategies and cohesive family climate promote adherence to medical treatments over time. Family interactions that are characterized by conflict and disengagement tend to disrupt adherence and inevitably cause a decline in child health. Moreover, these findings seem to be moderated by child age in that poorer adherence often occurs when a child reaches adolescence and is searching for greater autonomy. Future research should consider the challenges in measuring medical adherence in the family context as well as incorporating more naturalistic studies of family interactions. Randomized controlled trials using family-based interventions may consider focusing on medical adherence as an important mediator between family process and child health outcomes.