Family Impact Research Articles

Environmental and outdoor education in preschool through family camping: the example of Czech Woodcraft in parents’ opinions

The present study focuses on the impact of woodcraft-style family camping on preschool children, using their parents’ perspectives. Although the history and methodology of Woodcraft have been well documented, the theme of family camping has attracted very little research attention, and even fewer studies have targeted the impact of this leisure activity on preschool children. By inquiring about the parents’ experience, the researchers adopted a qualitative approach backed by a phenomenology and hermeneutics-based philosophy for their empirical research. Data was collected through insightful interviews with seven respondents; parents experienced in Woodcraft camping with young children. Interpretative phenomenological analysis, which aims at understanding the uniqueness of one’s experience and the meaning attributed thereto, identified six phenomena describing the fundamental structure of this lifestyle: motivation for family camping; camp life and its principles; outdoor education; education through nature; community; and romanticised experiencing following the Native Americans. Since direct childhood experiences predominantly shape environmental attitudes, this topic should be addressed more in environmental education research.

Establishing the psychological impact of congenital upper limb differences on parents and families.

The aim of this prospective study was to report the psychological experiences of parents caring for children with a congenital upper limb difference and to compare these to population norms. Contributing factors were explored, including access to support and coping strategies. Finally, parents with a congenital upper limb difference themselves were compared to those without. Data recorded included demographics, a validated wellbeing and family impact measure, a unique measure of emotions experienced and exploratory questions. Wellbeing and family impact scores were significantly lower than populations norms. Mothers experienced significantly more negative emotions than fathers. There was no significant different between parents with and without a congenital upper limb difference. Of the parents, 68% felt there should be improved access to psychological support. This demonstrates that parents of children with congenital upper limb differences have unique psychological experiences and needs. They may benefit from specialist psychological support and further research is needed.Level of evidence: III.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery: An Example of Integrated Care for Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

After post-coronary artery bypass surgery, patients often experience physiological issues such as pain and complications as well as psychological issues such as fatigue and depression. These issues may burden family caregivers and impact patient quality of life. Therefore, a comprehensive, multidisciplinary integrated care plan is needed to expedite postoperative recovery and reduce the social burden on patients. In recent years, government promotion of integrated healthcare, including the implementation of postoperative accelerated recovery care models, has led to the introduction of the enhanced recovery after surgery program as part of post-cardiac surgery integrated care. This program, providing combined care that is multidisciplinary and evidence-based, incorporates elements such as the provision of carbohydrate drinks, multimodal pain management, and fluid management. Reducing to a minimum the emotional and physiological stresses on patients facilitates a faster return to normal functionality. In this paper, a literature review is conducted to provide a reference for future post-coronary artery bypass surgery care by clinical teams, with the aim of offering an integrated approach to patient care.

The impact mechanism of telework on job performance: a cross-level moderation model of digital leadership

Traditional enterprise management believes that telecommuting activities are out of the enterprise's control, which may reduce staff performance. We use the extension of job demand-resource theory and work embeddedness theory to develop and test the intermediary mechanism of embedded in and out of work in telework. Moreover, it judges the mediating effect of job embeddedness on telecommuting → job performance. With the help of family conflict theory, we have revealed the possible performance changes in telework and the impact of family on telework. We predict embedding outside of work may reduce job performance. However, this worry will not happen under the adjustment of digital leadership and job insecurity. We collected survey data from 36 enterprise teams and 328 members. We have confirmed that work performance will not be reduced by telecommuting. Digital leadership magnifies the embedding of telecommuting resources into employees’ work to a certain extent and inhibits the embedding problem outside work caused by telecommuting requirements. The telecommuting requirement may become a positive factor for employees staying home and avoiding workplace conflicts. We confirmed the inhibitory effect of job embeddedness on turnover rate and expanded the antecedent model of job embeddedness theory.

Early-life family and school impacts on adolescent conduct problems: A path analysis.

Limited research has been conducted to examine the factors during early childhood that may contribute to conduct problems in later stages of life. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between family and school environments during early childhood and conduct problems in adolescence. In Wave 1 (W1), the study recruited 502 participants, aged 5-6 years, from Hong Kong local kindergartens, with 51.4% boys. One of their parents provided information about family socioeconomic status (SES), parent-child recreational activities, and child screen time, whereas the class teacher rated their school readiness using the Chinese version of the Early Development Instrument. Data on the number of special facilities were obtained from the kindergartens. In Wave 2 (W2), the same parents of 395 participants were asked about their involvement in their children's education. Finally, in Wave 3 (W3), the parents of 206 participants completed the Conduct Problem scale of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire to evaluate the level of conduct problems in the participants. The results of the path analysis revealed that higher W1 family SES was associated with fewer W3 conduct problems through an increase in W1 and W2 parental involvement in children's learning and play activities. Findings have implications for understanding the impact of early-life family and school environments on adolescent conduct problems. Early childhood interventions that promote family resources and positive parent-child interactions have the potential to reduce adolescent conduct problems.

The Influence of Family Nurturing Environment on Children's Emotions and Behaviors

This paper explores the impact of family upbringing environment on children's emotions and behaviors, and analyzes its theoretical framework and research findings. Firstly, we delve into the concept of family upbringing environment, including factors such as family atmosphere, parenting styles, and family support systems. Subsequently, we systematically review relevant literature, discussing the mechanisms through which different family upbringing environments influence children's emotions and behaviors. We find that warm and supportive family environments typically promote healthy emotional development in children and contribute to the formation of positive behavioral patterns; conversely, hostile and indifferent family environments may lead to emotional problems and behavioral abnormalities in children. Further analysis indicates that the influence of family upbringing environment on children extends beyond emotions and behaviors, profoundly impacting their psychosocial development. Finally, this paper proposes suggestions for future research, aiming to deepen understanding of the comprehensive impact of family upbringing environment on children and provide more effective intervention strategies for promoting children's healthy development.

Long-term Impact of Chinese Family Businesses on Earnings Management under the Sustainable Business Concept

This study aims to delve into the long-term impact of Chinese family businesses on earnings management under the framework of sustainable business practices. Considering the significant role of family businesses in the global economy, this paper focuses on the criticality of their earnings management strategies to economic stability. Employing an in-depth case study methodology, the paper analyzes several successful family businesses to explore the practical implications of sustainable business models on earnings management. The research reveals that integrating the concept of sustainable business into corporate culture and orienting towards long-term development can balance short-term gains with long-term sustainability, thereby fostering the robust growth of the enterprise. The conclusions of this paper emphasize the need for family businesses to concentrate on collective efforts in areas such as social responsibility, innovation upgrading, transparency, and effective communication to achieve long-term and stable development. This study provides practical guidelines for sustainable business strategies tailored for Chinese family businesses, aiming to create more favorable conditions and establish a solid foundation for future long-term development.

AGC1-mediated Metabolic Reprogramming and Autophagy Sustain Survival of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells under Glutamine Deprivation.

The dependence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells on glutamine suggests the feasibility of targeting glutamine metabolism for therapy. However, drugs inhibiting glutamine uptake and breakdown have not shown promising outcomes. Therefore, investigating the mechanism of glutamine metabolism reprogramming in HCC cells is crucial. We used bioinformatics approaches to investigate the metabolic flux of glutamine in HCC cells and validated it using qRT-PCR and western blotting. HCC cells were cultured in glutamine-deprived medium, and changes in glutamate and ATP levels were monitored. Western blotting was employed to assess the expression of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and autophagy-related proteins. The impact of Solute carrier family 25 member 12 (AGC1) on HCC cell proliferation was studied using CCK-8 and colony formation assays. Furthermore, the effects of AGC1 knockdown via siRNA on metabolic reprogramming and energy supply during glutamine deprivation in HCC were explored. During glutamine deprivation, HCC cells sustain cytosolic asparagine synthesis and ATP production through AGC1. Low ATP levels activate AMPK and inhibit mTOR activation, inducing autophagy to rescue HCC cell survival. Knockdown of AGC1 inhibits mitochondrial aspartate output and continuously activates autophagy, rendering HCC cells more sensitive to glutamine deprivation. AGC1 serves as a critical node in the reprogramming of glutamine metabolism and energy supply in HCC cells. This study provides theoretical support for overcoming resistance to drugs targeting glutamine metabolism.

Health-related quality of life in children with childhood acute myeloid leukemia in China: A five-year prospective study

PurposeThis study aims to identify the key factors influencing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients following their initial diagnosis and examine their impact on the five-year survival prognosis. MethodsA chart review and follow-up were conducted for children with AML who participated in a prospective cohort study between 2017 and 2020. We identified factors influencing HRQoL through Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ (PedsQL™ 4.0), PedsQL™ Cancer Module 3.0 (CM 3.0) and PedsQL™ Family Impact Module 2.0 (FIM 2.0), as well as assessed the impact of impaired HRQoL on the overall outcomes of patients. ResultsSixty-four subjects enrolled in the study had complete HRQoL outcome data, and 61 of them completed the 5-year follow-up. In CM 3.0, age was positively associated with parental proxy reports (p = 0.040), whereas divorced families were negatively associated with child self-reports (p = 0.045). A positive medical history correlates with FIM 2.0 (p = 0.025). Residence (p = 0.046), the occupation of caregivers (p = 0.014), disease severity (p = 0.024), and the only child (p = 0.029) exhibited statistically significant associations with the impairment of HRQoL. Impaired HRQoL scores shown by the PedsQL™4.0 parent proxy report (p = 0.013) and FIM 2.0 (p = 0.011) were associated with a reduced 5-year survival rate. ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that early impairment of HRQoL in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia patients has predictive value for long-term prognosis. Once validated, these findings may provide some guidance to clinicians treating children with AML.

Study on the Influence of Family of Origin on the Mental Health of Vocational College Students

This paper aims to explore the psychological impact of family of origin on vocational college students. Studying vocational college students revealed how factors such as family of origin environment, and education mode affect their psychological development, personality formation, and academic and career choices. This study found that the economic conditions of the native family, the educational level of parents, the family environment, and other factors have a significant impact on the psychological development of vocational students. Finally, based on Bandura’s three-way interaction theory, the paper puts forward some suggestions on improving the family environment and optimizing family education and students’ self-growth, so as to promote the mental health and all-round development of vocational students.

The longitudinal impact of an evidence-based multiple family group intervention (Amaka Amasanyufu) on family cohesion among children in Uganda: Analysis of the cluster randomized SMART Africa-Uganda scale-up study (2016-2022).

Family functioning plays a critical role in childhood disruptive behavior disorders (The Family Journal, 2003, 11(1), 33-41; Research in Nursing and Health, 2016, 39(4), 229-243). Yet, there is limited research on the impact of evidence-based family strengthening interventions on improving family cohesion as a protective factor among children experiencing behavioral challenges. To address this gap, we analyzed data (N = 636) from the SMART Africa-Uganda study (2016-2022), a cluster randomized clinical trial testing an evidence-based family-strengthening intervention called Amaka Amasanyufu (translated as "Happy Families" in the local language). Children aged 8-13 and their caregivers were recruited from 26 public primary schools that were randomized to: (1) control condition receiving generalized psychosocial literature (10 schools), (2) intervention delivered via parent peers (eight schools), and (3) intervention delivered via community healthcare workers (eight schools). Children completed the family cohesion questionnaire at baseline, 8 weeks, 16 weeks, and 6 months post-intervention completion. The intervention effectiveness was evaluated via a three-level logistic mixed effects model with pairwise comparisons across study conditions within each time point. Participants in the parent-peer intervention group had greater odds of being in the higher family cohesion group than participants in the control group at 8 weeks (OR = 3.24), 16 weeks (OR = 1.88) and 6 months (OR = 2.07). At 8 weeks, 16 weeks, and 6 months, participants in the community health worker group had 3.98, 2.08, and 1.79 times greater odds of being in the higher family cohesion group than participants in the control group, respectively. Our findings strengthen the evidence base for Amaka Amansayufu as an effective intervention that can be utilized in SSA to improve family cohesion in families with children experiencing behavioral challenges.

The Negative Impact of Broken Home Children in the Increase in Criminal Cases that Occur in Society in terms of Analysis of Islamic Family Law

This study will examine the impact of broken home families on children's behaviour. The effect of a broken home family condition can be analysed by observing a person's patterns and attitudes in daily activities. The observation procedure used is library research, using sources such as journals, books, and e-books relevant to this article's topic. In the analysis process, data is reviewed through the stages of review, sorting, grouping, and categorising to understand the impact of broken home families on children in increasing criminal cases in the community. The results showed that there are impacts of broken home families, including psychological effects that affect children's social life, children's knowledge of the criminal world, and spiritual effects that affect their religious behaviour.

The Role of Family Dynamics and Social Support in Substance Use Recovery within the Naga Society

While previous researchers have explored the impact of family and social support networks in the process of substance use recovery, there is a lack of research on the same for the Naga Community from North-East, India. A sample of 150 participants aged 18-35 from the Naga Community of Nagaland currently in the process of substance use recovery was surveyed. Data was collected through self-report measures including FACES III - Family Version Scale to assess the family dynamics, the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ6) to assess an individual’s perceived social support, the Substance Use Recovery Evaluator Scale (SURE) to assess the individual’s progress in substance use recovery. The study revealed a statistically significant correlation between substance use recovery and the family cohesion aspect of family dynamics, as well as between substance use recovery and social support. However, no correlation significant correlation was found between substance use recovery and the family adaptability aspect of family dynamics. The significant correlation observed between Substance Use Recovery and family cohesion indicates that strong family support and unity positively influence an individual’s ability to overcome substance use and addiction. Similarly, the association between Substance Use Recovery and Social Support emphasizes the role of social networks in helping individuals overcome their addiction. These results contribute to a deeper understanding of how family dynamics and social support have an impact on the recovery process of individuals dealing with substance use.

The impact of family on the development of adolescent career adaptability: the mediating roles of core self-evaluation and school connectedness

The impact of family on the development of adolescent career adaptability: the mediating roles of core self-evaluation and school connectedness

Global Challenges in Elementary Qur’an Memorization

Memorizing the Qur’an is a significant religious achievement, especially during elementary school years. However, students at SD Muhammadiyah 1 Sedati face difficulties in this regard. This study explores these challenges, focusing on factors like age, academic workload, and family support. Through qualitative methods including interviews and questionnaires, it was found that these factors significantly affect students' cognitive abilities and comprehension of the Al-Quran text. The study aims to provide insights for educators, parents, and policymakers to improve Qur’an learning at the elementary level, thus enhancing students' religious achievements and overall development. Highlight: Age, workload, family impact memorization. Understanding challenges crucial for improvement. Insights enhance religious achievements and development. Keywords: Qur’an memorization, elementary school, challenges, religious education, Muhammadiyah 1 Sedati.

Family members at the epicentre of policy discourses

The articles in this thematic issue of Sociolinguistic Studies, ‘Family as a language policy regime: Agency, negotiation and local practices’, are concerned with the impact of family (language policy) among the minority population, whether indigenous or otherwise, on the sociolinguistic makeup of the contemporary policy regimes worldwide. Although family language policy is already a well-established domain of inquiry, this issue points to the wide range of cases from around the world, including Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, Iran, Lithuania, Northern Ireland, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe, to understand how (individual) pathways are formed and choices made in favour of language and cultural maintenance. While covering a wide range of factors and perspectives that contribute to our understanding of families’ linguistic behaviour and the broader social implications of the discipline, these papers emphasise the complex relationships between language, culture, politics, and socioeconomic factors in today’s global multilingual and multicultural mosaic. This edition further underlines a number of present-day requirements in the field, such as being able to examine children’s or extended family members’ agency, use of digital technologies for language maintenance, different forms of parental language planning and activism to mention a few. The collection has emerged in the wake of a symposium ‘Family as a language policy regime: Agency, practices and negotiation’ at the 20th AILA World Congress (19–20 July, 2023, Lyon, France) and a closed call for papers.

From Genotype to Phenotype of Polish Patients with Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome concerning the Quality of Life and Family Functioning.

Background: Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS) is a rare genetic disorder affecting psychomotor, social, and intellectual development, caused by a mutation in the TCF4 gene. The study aims to gather the phenotype and genotype data of PTHS patients from Poland and to assess the quality of life (QoL) and the impact of the disorders on the family. Methods: Eight families with PTHS participated in the study. To obtain data, the following standardized questionnaires were used: Questionnaire on Clinical Problems (QCP), the PedsQL™ Family Impact Module, and the QL-Disability Questionnaire. Additionally, a retrospective analysis of clinical examination, genetic consult, medical history, and genotype of each individual was performed. Results: All of the examined children exhibited a mutation in the TCF4 gene and typical features of PTHS. The most prevalent clinical symptoms in the study group included typical PTHS appearance, intellectual disability (n = 5; as the rest of the patients were too young to be assessed), abnormal speech development (n = 8), reduced pain response (n = 7), constipation (n = 7), drooling (n = 7), cold extremities (n = 7), and disturbances in sensory integration processes (n = 7). The QL-Disability Questionnaire revealed a total QoL score of 67.7/100 for children with PTHS, while the QoL for their families in the PedsQL Family Impact Module was 53.82/100. The highest-rated domain was cognitive functioning (Median (Me) = 67.50; Standard Deviation (SD) = 21.95), while the lowest was daily activities (Me = 25.00; SD = 29.86). Conclusions: The study allowed the collection of data on the phenotype and genotype of children with PTHS living in Poland. Overall, our study showed that the QoL of children with PTHS is impaired.

BEEC psychosocial screening at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital

Bladder Exstrophy and Epispadias Complex (BEEC) is associated with psychosocial difficulties. Screening questionnaires, alongside consultation with a clinical psychologist, can help identify children/young people for further assessment and track trends over time to improve service delivery. To screen paediatric BEEC patients for a range of general psychosocial difficulties in a multi-disciplinary out-patient clinic setting and compare these results with our previous study and against published norms. The current service evaluation collected data at outpatient BEEC clinic appointments between 2016 and 2022 (2016-2022 sample). Children aged 4-5, 10-11 and 14-15 years and their parents/proxy were asked to complete two standardised psychosocial questionnaires: Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core and Family Impact Module) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQ). 79 children (CYP) and 93 parent/proxy (P/P) responses were recorded. The sample included paired CYP and P/P responses for the PedsQL (n=67) and SDQ (n=35). The mean age for CYP was 9.9 years (SD 3.99, range 2-17), 69.8% (n=120) of responses for male children. The percentage of total CYP scores falling within the 'At Risk' category on the PedsQL increased in the 2016-2022 sample compared to our 2015 sample, indicating the prevalence of greater difficulties. Differences between P/P and CYP responses on both the PedsQL and SDQ favoured CYP. Age, gender, and diagnosis appeared to influence certain questionnaire responses, depending on respondent (CYP or P/P). A significant difference between P/P and CYP in the emotional domain of the PedsQL for those aged 13-18 was observed (p=0.020), with P/P reporting greater difficulties, but this was not seen in the younger age ranges. Physical Health on the PedsQL were significantly lower for children with a cloacal exstrophy diagnosis, in comparison to bladder exstrophy and epispadias. P/P SDQ scores for boys were significantly higher in several domains. The results demonstrate the need for psychosocial screening, providing benchmarking for psychosocial difficulties within this patient group. Results indicate that patients accessing our clinic are reporting a higher level of challenge across psychosocial domains in recent years reflected by the percentage within the 'At Risk' category for psychosocial difficulty. Linked questionnaire data with condition specific information and surgical history would improve service evaluations. CYP reaching clinical thresholds are offered further psychological assessment within the service.

The Impact of Family Functioning Factors on Smartphone Addiction and Phubbing among Muslim Adolescents in Thailand.

While there is research on protective factors against smartphone addiction (SA) and phubbing, which impact adolescents' physical, psychological, interpersonal, and academic well-being, focused studies on these issues among Thai Muslim students in Southern Thailand remain scarce. To bridge this gap, this research aimed to explore the influence of five family functioning factors-discipline, communication and problem-solving (CPS), relationship, emotional status, and family support-guided by family systems theory and the McMaster Model, on SA and phubbing. Data from 825 Thai Muslim adolescent secondary school students (Female N = 459 (55.7%), Mage = 15.11 ± 1.78) across three southern Thai provinces were analyzed utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM). Significant connections were identified between family functioning factors, particularly emotional status and discipline, and SA, and their impact on phubbing behavior. SA was found to mediate the relationship between these two family factors and phubbing. Interestingly, a higher quality of family relationships was found to be associated with an increased risk of SA, while the other two family functions-CPS and family support-demonstrated no significant association with these digital behaviors. Despite its limitations, including a cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reports, the study underscores the importance of specific family functions in preventing and addressing adolescent SA and phubbing.

A prospective assessment of readiness to implement an early detection of cerebral palsy pathway in a neonatal intensive care setting using the PARIHS framework

BackgroundEarly detection of cerebral palsy (CP) is possible through targeted use of assessment tools. Changes in practice are needed to facilitate this shift towards earlier diagnosis of CP in New Zealand. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate readiness to implement an early detection of CP pathway within a level 3 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) setting prior to any implementation taking place. The PARIHS (Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services) framework was engaged to assess readiness by highlighting determinants that influence implementation outcomes as either barriers or enablers.MethodsA mixed methods approach was used. Firstly, an online staff survey assessed PARIHS sub-elements using Likert scores and free text with the intent to develop a baseline understanding of staff views. Secondly, focus groups were conducted to gain deeper understanding of barriers and enablers to implementation. Participants included health professionals involved in the first 6 months of life. Data were analysed to outline the barriers and enablers of implementation under the Evidence and Context constructs of the PARIHS framework.ResultsTwenty-seven participants completed the survey, and 20 participants participated in eight focus groups and two individual interviews. Quantitative (survey) findings found 65% agreement around the usefulness of research evidence on early CP detection; however, ≤ 45% felt current resources (i.e. human, financial and IT) were sufficient for implementation. Qualitative findings (survey and focus groups) highlighted key staff concerns around resources, family impact (creating unnecessary stress), and equity (barriers to participation). Staff wanted information regarding how international evidence translates to the local context and availability of timely follow-up services. Sub-elements within the Evidence and Context constructs were rated as either mixed or low (except for Evidence - Research, rated as high), overall indicating that Auckland NICU is at the early stages of readiness to implement the early CP detection pathway.ConclusionThis work may resonate with other neonatal services preparing to implement CP early detection pathways. Resourcing has a major role in facilitating implementation of pathways and uncertainty about resources is a barrier to implementation. Ongoing focus on building consensus and funding is required to ensure optimal uptake.