Maintaining Family Relationships Research Articles

The Impact of Technology on Family Communication

This study aims to explore the impact of technology on family communication patterns using the Family Communication Patterns Theory approach. Technology, especially digital devices such as mobile phones and social media, has changed the way families communicate, both positively and negatively. This study uses a qualitative method with a case study approach in five families in an urban area to understand how technology affects interpersonal relationships between family members. The results show that families with a high conversation orientation tend to use technology to strengthen emotional connectedness, while families with a high conformity orientation are more cautious in using technology, because they are worried about its impact on traditional values and parental control. Technology is also found to play a role in resolving family conflicts, but in some cases, it causes technoference or disruption in face-to-face communication. In conclusion, technology provides opportunities and challenges in maintaining family relationships, and its use needs to be regulated wisely to avoid negative impacts. This study suggests that families should be more aware of the limitations of technology use and prioritize direct interaction to maintain the quality of interpersonal communication.

The Influence of Promotion on the Public's Interest in Becoming Customers at KSPPS BMT NU Branch Karang Penang

Analyzing the influence of promotions on people's interest in becoming customers at KSPPS BMT NU Karang Penang Branch. The research was conducted using a qualitative approach, with a case study type of research. Data collection techniques were carried out using observation, interviews and documentation methods. Meanwhile, checking the validity of the data uses technical triangulation. The research results show that the strategy developed is: First, providing various types of products in a complex manner. Second, build relationships by holding regular meetings in priority areas that have great prospects in carrying out marketing. Third, strengthen relationships and collaborate with certain agencies or institutions on certain activities to maintain relationships with customers. Fourth, provide pick-up and drop-off services to make it easier for customers to carry out transactions. Fifth, attend several educational institution activities to maintain family relationships and maintain emotional ties with customers. The implications are, it is able to attract the interest of potential customers to carry out transactions and increase the loyalty of existing customers towards BMT NU because of the formation of trust and a sense of comfort with the relationships built. So that prospective customers built by BMT NU provide good fed back.

Pola Komunikasi Jarak Jauh antara Anak dan Orang Tua dalam Menjaga Hubungan Keluarga: Studi pada Mahasiswa FISIP UNSIKA Angkatan 2019 yang Berasal dari Luar Karawang

Communication patterns in the family are the key to maintaining good relationships between parents and children. Lack of communication intensity during long distance relationships makes communication less effective. Therefore, researchers want to research how long-distance communication patterns between children and parents maintain family relationships. This research aims to find out how long-distance communication patterns between children and parents maintain family relationships (Study of 2019 FISIP UNSIKA Students from Outside Karawang). The research method used in this research is descriptive qualitative. The results of this research can be concluded that the communication patterns used by the six informants between children and parents when having long distance relationships are liberating, authoritarian and democratic communication patterns. Researchers also link the interaction approach theory, which in this theory has 4 assumptions used in maintaining long distance relationships. When communicating long distance, these six informants apply primary and secondary communication patterns. This can be seen from the results of research with the six informants that they communicate using verbal symbols, namely in the form of language, to express words, and chat via telephone and using the WhatsApp chat feature and media. video calls. The obstacles experienced in the process of communicating long distances include time, physical and economic barriers

“Estar Tranquilo”: Using a Life-course Approach to Explore Perceptions of Well-being among Older Adults in Curicó, Chile

This study assesses perceptions of well-being between two groups of older adults in Curicó, Chile. One group (n=12) were residents of a long-term care center (known as ELEAM), while another group (n=13) were members of two clubs for older adults – Estrellitas del Vaticano (Vatican’s Little Stars) and Club Campo Lindo (Beautiful Countryside) – who lived in their own homes. Data collection consisted of life-story narratives to explore differences in how older adults in different living situations – long-term residential care vs. independent living – define and perceive what it means to be well in older age. Both groups were paired according to the variables of age, educational level, socioeconomic status, and physical status. In this article, I explore how both groups expressed their desire to estar tranquilo or “be peaceful” in their older age; however, each group achieved this state in different ways. ELEAM residents focused on fostering good relationships with fellow residents and maintaining their autonomy. In contrast, club members focused on practicing their religion, maintaining family relationships, and engaging in activities. Although participants shared similar backgrounds and lived through the same historical events (i.e., military dictatorship), their current situations impacted their perceptions of well-being. For individuals to achieve their desired level of well-bing or to estar tranquilo required that they adapt to different living arrangements: club members had to adapt to living without their children, and ELEAM residents to living in an institution.

Chinese children’s perspectives of long-distance familyhood via WeChat

ABSTRACT There is growing public concern in China about the large number of children whose parents have left them behind because of massive rural-to-urban labor migration over the past few decades. It is estimated that there were 61 million left-behind children in China in 2018. Because of the prevalence of instant communication applications, such as WeChat, left-behind children in China can maintain family relationships with their migrant parents through social media. This study examines how left-behind children use WeChat to sustain long-distance family relationships. Conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, the research involved online interviews with ten children and ten online workshops with thirty-one child participants. The data collected from the workshops and interviews suggest that a gap still exists between children’s communication needs and the technological affordances of social media. Mediated communications via WeChat are not always child-friendly and can have implications for the success or failure of parent-child communication in Chinese separated families. Despite these challenges, children demonstrate creativity in navigating the uncertainties of long-distance communication and relationships. However, this process is strewn with difficulties that the adult family members in the participant families have overlooked.

Unveiling Social Belonging: Exploring the Narratives of Immigrant Muslim Older Women

Background and Objectives. Older adults who lack a secure sense of social belonging may report loneliness, isolation, and ostracization in their communities. Little attention has been paid to the perceptions of social belonging among immigrant Muslim older (IMO) women. This study aimed to address this gap by exploring IMO women’s experiences of social belonging. Research Design and Methods. This qualitative descriptive study used photo elicitation and narrative interviewing to draw on the experiences of 14 IMO women living in Edmonton, Canada. An integrative framework of social belonging was used to guide theoretical conceptualizations of what comprises belonging, and a thematic analysis approach was used to highlight factors and influences that shape how participants have constructed their experiences of belonging. Results. The findings suggest that a sense of belonging is influenced by feelings of loneliness and loss, opportunities for community engagement, and social competencies related to maintaining family relationships. Additionally, the findings indicate the importance of IMO women’s perceptions and reflections on aging as these shape their sense of belonging. These findings not only provide insight into the intricate and shifting nature of belonging but also emphasize the need for structural support to benefit both IMO women and the communities they reside in. Discussion and Implications. Cultivating belonging is a collective responsibility involving older women, their social networks, and society at large, including government and public services. A sense of belonging is crucial to counter ageism and promote positive self‐perceptions of aging, particularly within ethnocultural communities.

The Principle of Equality of Rights of Spouses and Grounds for Derogation when Dividing Property of Spouses

Introduction. In the Family Code of the Russian Federation, the legislator enshrines the principle of equal rights of spouses and establishes a regime of joint property of spouses. The circumstances that arise in family life are multifaceted, and it is not always possible to maintain family relationships. As a result, the division of the spouses’ property occurs in court with the requirement of the party to deviate from the principles of equality of shares. The author has made an attempt to identify the legal nature and criteria of “deviation from the principles of equality of shares”, the basis for the possible recognition of property as the property of everyone in the event of separation of spouses. Methods. The study used analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, argumentation, generalization, historical and comparative legal analysis. Results. An analysis was carried out and the legal nature of the deviation from the principles of equality of shares was determined, criteria were proposed that allow spouses and former spouses to apply the rule “on deviation from equality of shares” in court, to protect their property rights during the division of property and the termination of family life. Discussion and Сonclusion. Proposals have been made for the development of Russian legal regulation, allowing for the exercise of property rights of spouses when dividing property on the basis of the principle of equality.

Relocated Employees’ Experience with the Costs and Benefits of Video Technology for Maintaining Relationships

Relocation as a result of a job opportunity or as part of a current job has increased in recent years in the United States. The frequency with which employees are relocating makes exploring employees’ perception of the costs and benefits of technology for maintaining family relationships useful. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how employees who have relocated for employment opportunities perceive the costs and benefits of video technology as an option for maintaining family relationships, for employees working in a company located in the United States. The sample consisted of 25 employees at a healthcare facility in the state of Florida who had relocated for employment opportunities and had used video technology to maintain relationships with family members in another location. Data collected from semi-structured interviews, open-ended questionnaires, and a focus group were analyzed through thematic analysis. Findings provided evidence that relocated employees perceived video technology to be an important tool to help maintain work–life balance when they were away from their family. The employees’ perception of the benefits of video technology in maintaining family relationships included closeness despite distance and tangibility of the person. These findings have implications for employees who have relocated, employees considering relocation, and families of employees, as well as organization leaders and human resource departments.

Restoration from out-of-home care for Aboriginal children: Evidence from the pathways of care longitudinal study and experiences of parents and children

BackgroundRestoration of Aboriginal children (also called reunification) is an under-researched area despite being the preferred permanency outcome for children. ObjectiveTo investigate the rate of restoration for Aboriginal children, the factors that influence restoration, and to explore the experiences of parents whose Aboriginal children have been restored, and their children. Participants and settingAnalyses were conducted using data from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice Pathways of Care Longitudinal Study (POCLS). MethodsThe quantitative sample includes all Aboriginal children in NSW who were on final Children’s Court care and protection orders by 30 April 2013. Qualitative data were extracted from the POCLS survey instruments. ResultsOf the 1018 Aboriginal children in the study, 15.2% were restored. Around 40 % of children entered care following just one (or no) substantiated Risk of Significant Harm reports. Children entering care under the age of 2 years were the least likely to be restored. Parents expressed dissatisfaction with child protection agencies and family support services both at the time their child was removed and in the restoration period. Parents and children expressed the importance of being supported to maintain family relationships while children are in care. ConclusionsDespite policy priorities to the contrary, few Aboriginal children are considered for restoration. More support is needed for Aboriginal parents interfacing with all stages of the care system and following restoration. Additional research is needed to understand the factors underlying decisions to remove Aboriginal children from their families and whether restoration to their family is considered or achieved.

WhatsApp iconology: narratives on in-app photographic practices in (transnational) family communication

ABSTRACT Sharing photographs and photo-chatting are common practices in doing family at a distance. This study looks at the processes of the production and circulation of photographs within the family network, analysing participants’ narratives about their image-based communication in WhatsApp. The data was collected as an ethnographic enquiry into the digitally mediated (transnational) family communication of five Polish women and their children living in Finland. It consists of five auto-driven visual elicitation interviews with an interactive collage, three elicitation interviews, with the participant’s smartphone used for fast reference to their in-app chats, and one semi-structured interview. The in-app photographs are explored as ‘imagetext’, that is, visual and verbal representations that create the WhatsApp ‘iconology’ of family visual communication. In participants’ narratives, photographs are regarded as an obligation (always to be sent to somebody), evidence (of being somewhere or achieving something), or a form of visual co-presence with living-apart relatives. Photo-chatting entertains (images of pets), provides expertise (snaps of medication), or is used to show off (photos taken at competitions). Photo-chatting helps to maintain family relationships by showing affection, comforting, and caring over a distance.

The problem of emotional dependence of modern women on chatting with foreign partners in relationships

The article analyzes the modern problem, which has become especially widespread in virtual communication online, namely in the period of self -isolation measures. The list of the main causes of such exacerbation is given. A thorough inspection of the main sources of communication was carried out. Namely - dating applications. The diagnostic stage was carried out in detail. The specificity of this type of dependence is determined. The basic properties of personality are provided, which is prone to the emotional dependence of this nature. Preventive measures to work with such clients are offered. The basic properties of each dependence period and their systematization are proposed. It is written what exactly is the consulting of such women, its basic principles. The basic rules and positions of the formation of anti-dependent behavior, first of all, from the standpoint of a woman's psychological safety, special attention were given to the stages of exit from dependence, control and verification, clarification of the problem, performing further tasks of prevention in order to secure the result that was achieved in the process of psychological assistance. Attempts have been made to increase interest in experimentation in the development of women's emotional dependence on a certain type of communication, which in recent years in the scientific space has become increasingly relevant. The attempt is actively to create a preventive system of directly counseling aimed at improving the quality of counseling and assistance to women, especially in family relationships, first and foremost. Work was carried out on the systematization of theoretical knowledge and practical experimental achievements, which were gradually systematized in the aggregate and found practical application, which led to improvement and new level of family and cross-cultural counseling. Further research has been proven, which will help the psychologian-consultant to work for prejudices and help maintain family relationships in pairs even in the most difficult cases. The need to analyze the achievements and developments from different scientific points of view was revealed, and to display a clear list of actions to consider the processes and stages of conducting directly counseling. In this case, there will be an improvement in the quality of consulting women in a state of emotional dependence, as well as an increase in the level of counseling in cases of dependencies as a whole.

Emerging Technology via Family Communication

Family communication is at the heart of the family and its functioning. It is a two-way process in which family members create, share, and regulate meaning. Advances and dissemination of information and communication technologies (ICTs) are constantly changing the way families communicate. However, little is known about the use of different family communication styles and their impact on family well-being. Family communication through verbal and non-verbal interactions play a central role in maintaining family relationships and improving family well-being. It provides family members (who are related through biological, marital, cohabitation and/or emotional relationships) the basis for sharing meaning, connecting, flexibly changing family rules, finding fulfilment and expressing themselves, and sharing attitudes, values and beliefs. Family communication includes the content (verbal and non-verbal), frequency, and nature of family interactions that define the family and build family relationships. The main goal of this study is to look at the link between communication technology and family relationships, to understand whether family interactions are affected when the usage of communication technology increases.

Journey From Acute In-Patient to Community-Based Mental Health Rehabilitation: Outcome of Ayu-Psychiatry Care Initiative

AimsIn developing countries specially in sub-urban or rural areas, most patients with psychiatric crisis phase don't access intensive care. In India, AYUSH system of medical care is widely used, including crisis resolution and community treatment. However, evidence to support their effectiveness has remained very low. Present study is designed as community based participatory research, where Ayurveda management from acute in-patient care to a community-focused treatment and rehabilitation was studied.MethodsIn this evaluation study, we trace the journey of Ayu-Psychiatry Care project, set up as community based mental health rehabilitation program in rural and sub-urban areas of Rajasthan, India, from acute in-patient care to a community-focused treatment and rehabilitation.ResultsWhile receiving Ayu-Care and promoting early treatment and rehabilitation, community-based treatment demonstrated considerable improvement in maintaining family relationships and employment. Increased treatment adherence, improved self-efficacy, and reduced stigma were all made possible because to this community-based strategy.ConclusionThe connection between UK and Indian organisations is also explored during the journey. The findings of the study and the principles of long-term international cooperation are laid out by the authors.

Family Relationships Under Work From Home: Exploring the Role of Adaptive Processes.

Work-from-home (WFH) influences both work and life, and further impacts family relationships. The current study explored the impacts of WFH on family relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic and identified effective adaptive processes for maintaining family relationships under WFH. Using the Vulnerability-Stress-Adaptation (VSA) model, the study examined the roles of adaptive processes (spending time with family members and balancing work and life) and demographic differences (gender, age, marital status, and education level) in the relation between WFH and family relationships. Path analysis results based on an online survey (N = 150) suggested that, overall, WFH improved family relationships through proper adaptive processes. WFH had a positive relation to time spent with family members, and this relation was especially salient for workers with lower education levels. While there was no statistically significant overall relation between WFH and work-life balance, older workers tended to engage in increased work-life balance during WFH. Both adaptive processes were positively related to family relationship quality. The findings advance the understanding of family relationships and WFH and provide practical recommendations to enhance family relationships under WFH.

The Carceral Automaton: Digital Prisons and Technologies of Detention

Prisons are on the cusp of a technological transformation as twenty-first-century digital connectivity in ‘free’ society permeates prison design and offender management. This article will begin with an overview of the digital technologies in ‘smart’ prisons. Two limbs are emerging: technologies that are embedded into the infrastructure of prisons to benefit authorities through heightened security, and technologies that may benefit prisoners by providing them with positive opportunities to access justice, maintain family relationships and engage in programs aimed at optimising their post-release circumstances and rehabilitation. However, recent case law paints a picture of prison life devoid of human contact during the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing isolation and heightened anxiety. Through the lens of emergent conceptions of digital criminology, this article will analyse Australian case law to examine whether the automated, smart or digital prison offers a utopian vision of safe detention and rehabilitation or a dehumanised and punitive dystopia.

Young children’s contact with their parents in jail and child behavior problems

Contact between incarcerated parents and their children can help maintain family relationships. However, links between parent–child contact and child behavior problems are understudied in young children, especially the contexts in which visits and other forms of contact occur. Data were collected from 157 parents incarcerated in one of two jails regarding contact with their young children (age 2–6), as well as children’s behavior problems. Findings indicated that jail site moderated the association between visit frequency and child behavior problems. At the jail that offered both on-site video and Plexiglas visits, with no security procedures for the on-site video visits, more frequent parent–child visits were associated with fewer child externalizing problems; however, in the jail that offered primarily Plexiglas visits, more frequent visits were associated with more child externalizing problems. Additionally, more phone calls related to more child externalizing behavior problems. This research has implications for policies and practices regarding contact between incarcerated parents and their young children.

Designing a Supportive Program based on the Real Needs of Mothers with Children Undergoing Hemodialysis: A Qualitative Study.

Background:Mothers with children undergoing hemodialysis play the role of primary caregivers for their child and fully sacrifice themselves for care, leading to social isolation, suffering, stress, and negative effects on their health. Therefore, this study was conducted to design a supportive program based on the real needs of mothers with children undergoing hemodialysis.Materials and Methods:This qualitative study was conducted in the Hemodialysis Division of Doctor Sheikh Pediatric Hospital in Mashhad City, Iran, from September 2016 to February 2019. The research included phenomenological study, meta-synthesis of qualitative studies, focused group, and nominal group. Participants were selected based on purposive sampling. Eleven mothers with children undergoing hemodialysis and seven key people related to these mothers participated in the study. MaxQDA software was used to facilitate data management.Results:The six main areas including information needs, how to deal with the child, maintaining the mother's physical and functional health, maintaining family relationships, income earning and maintaining financial resources, and emotional-psychological support were extracted. Based on the needs of mothers, 28 support strategies were presented; then, 19 ideas were presented to screen the needs, and finally, the best idea was selected for each need.Conclusions:According to the findings of this study, mothers with children undergoing hemodialysis need support in various physical, psychosocial, informational, economic, and functional dimensions. The supportive program designed provides a systematic framework for screening the needs of these mothers and providing multifaceted support measures with the participation of a multidisciplinary care team.

Unsettled settlement? Translocal social anchoring and patterns of (im)mobility among Polish families in rural Norway

Whilst the transnational family life of post-accession intra-European migrants has been extensively explored, past studies have rarely addressed its local dimension. The relatively recent international migration patterns to rural areas in Europe provide opportunities to explore this particular aspect. Drawing on ethnographic data from Polish migrant families and young couples in rural Norway, we investigate the relationship between the settlement of the migrants in a specific rural locality and the dynamic of their cross-border and cross-local patterns of mobility. Using notions of translocalism and social anchoring, the article offers insights into how migrants' lives as couples and families become gradually reoriented as they settle in the rural host context and how the conditions for maintaining family relationships in Poland change at the same time. We illustrate how migrants' search for stability in their lives in the host location is associated with the question of family reunion, their position on the local labour market, purchase of houses and development of place attachment. At the same time, the settlement process breeds ambivalence as it requires migrants to adjust to the new life setting and continually navigate and negotiate the family life across home and host context. The ability of migrants to organise their translocal life satisfactorily depends on and reflects their overall level of integration locally and nationally.

Breaking the silence about illness and death: Potential effects of a pilot study of the family talk intervention when a parent with dependent children receives specialized palliative home care

The entire family is affected when a parent is severely ill. Parents often need and appreciate professional support when talking to children about illness and death. The family talk intervention (FTI) is family-centered and intends to promote communication about the illness and its consequences, support parenting to enhance family coping and help family members share experiences with each other to create a shared family history. This study aimed to explore potential effects of FTI in specialized palliative home care, as reported by parents. This pre-post test intervention pilot was conducted in specialized palliative home care. A convergent mixed-method design was used to analyze interview and questionnaire data. Twenty families with dependent children were recruited from two specialized palliative home care units in Stockholm, Sweden. Parents reported that family communication improved after participation in FTI as family members learned communication strategies that facilitated open sharing of thoughts and feelings. Increased open communication helped family members gain a better understanding of each other's perspectives. Parents reported that relationships with their partner and children had improved as they now shared several strategies for maintaining family relationships. Parents were also less worried following participation in FTI. The ill parents stated that they gained a sense of security and were less worried about the future. This study adds to the evidence that FTI may be a useful intervention for families with dependent children and an ill parent in a palliative care setting. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03119545.

Grandmothers raising grandchildren: managing, balancing and maintaining family relationships

ABSTRACT Most grandparents raising grandchildren are embedded in a network of family members who either help them carry out the caregiving task or complicate that role. This study examined how grandmothers described family relationships, that is, with the grandchild’s parents, grandmother’s spouses/partners, and other relatives. Data were drawn from 457 weekly journal entries submitted by 129 grandmother caregivers. Using thematic analysis, a three-person team coded using NVIVO 12. Grandmothers described three overarching relationship themes: managing conflicted relationships with the grandchild’s parents, balancing relationships with their spouse/partner, and maintaining relationships with other relatives. Implications for practice are provided.