Parental Coping Styles Research Articles

Exploring relationships between parental stress, coping, and psychological outcomes for parents of infants with CHD.

This study aimed to explore relationships between parental stress, coping, and outcomes for parents of infants with CHD, via observational approach reflecting domains of the Parental Stress and Resilience in CHD (PSRCHD) model. Fifty-five parents of 45 infants with CHD completed questionnaires with measures of parental stress, Problem-Focused Coping (PFC), Emotion-Focused Coping (EFC), Avoidant Coping (AC), mental health (symptoms of anxiety and symptoms of depression), post-traumatic growth (PTG) and quality of life (QoL). Demographic and infant clinical data were obtained. Parental stress showed significant small to medium positive correlations with MH and PTG, but no significant correlations with QoL. EFC and AC showed significant small to medium positive correlations with MH, and medium negative correlations with parental QoL. EFC and PFC had significant small to medium correlations with PTG. PFC and AC had significant small to medium correlations with infant QoL. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that parental symptoms of anxiety, PTG, parental QoL, infant QoL were significantly predicted by models comprising of parental stress, coping styles, and clinical controls (adjusted R2 = 13.0-47.9%, p range < 0.001-.048), with results for parental symptoms of depression falling marginally above significance (adjusted R2 = 12.3%, p = .056). Parental stress, coping styles, and length of hospital stay are related to psychological outcomes in parents of infants with CHD. Future research may use the PSRCHD framework to assess mechanisms underlying CHD parents' stress and coping experiences and investigate longitudinal relationships between parental factors and parent and child outcomes.

Association between parental factors and child's behaviors during moderate sedation in pediatric dental care.

Managing young children with negative behaviors can be challenging in dental settings. Moderate sedation (MS) is often used as a treatment option for such children. However, children's behavior during MS may vary depending on several variables. These variables include parental factors, such as parental anxiety, coping strategies, and pain catastrophizing. However, this area, particularly in Saudi Arabia, remains underexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the association among parental anxiety, coping style, pain catastrophizing, and children's behavior during MS among Saudi children. Based on sample size calculation, this cross-sectional observational study included 85 children aged 3-5 years undergoing dental treatment under MS at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Parental anxiety, coping styles, and pain catastrophizing were assessed using the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale, Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Scale, and Pain Catastrophizing Scale. Child behavior was evaluated using the Houpt scale during sedation visits, which was video-recorded and independently analyzed by a single evaluator. Data were analyzed using Pearson's chi-squared test, Mann-Whitney U test, and stepwise multivariate logistic regression analyses. The results showed no significant association among parental dental anxiety, pain catastrophizing, and child behaviors during MS. Specific parental coping strategies, such as acceptance, were positively associated with positive sedation outcomes (P = 0.03), while active coping strategies were linked to less favorable outcomes (P = 0.03). Female children had higher sedation failure rates (P = 0.02), and the number of dental treatments was positively associated with success rates (P = 0.03). Parental anxiety and pain catastrophizing did not significantly affect the success of sedation. However, acceptance as a coping strategy was significantly associated with sedation success in pediatric dental care under MS, whereas active coping strategies were associated with less favorable outcomes.

Influence of parental attitudes and coping styles on mental health during online teaching in the COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the online delivery model became the primary mode of education. With multiple pressures on society and families, mental health issues for parents have become particularly pronounced. Most of the current research has focused on the psychological state of education practitioners and children, with little attention to parents’ mental health issues. Therefore, this study explored the attitudes and coping styles of parents who experienced the process of their children being taught online over a long period and the factors influencing their mental health. This cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2021 and January 2022, using an anonymous online questionnaire to survey 1500 parents with children aged 6–13 years. The Chinese versions of the Patient Health Questionnaire Depression Scale (PHQ-9), the Parenting Stress Scale (PSS), the General Mental Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and the Brief Coping Style Scale (SCSQ), and a related factors questionnaire were used to survey the subjects. The normal distribution of the data was examined using the Shapiro–Wilk method. A multivariate regression analysis was conducted to identify factors significantly associated with parental mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Only 30.24% of parents agreed with online classes during the pandemic, and 52.28% used positive coping methods during stressful situations. Multivariate regression models identified significant factors associated with parental mental health: parent’s gender, child’s grade level, perceived stress about online classes, whether the child has ADHD, positive or negative coping styles, and subjective attitudes of support for online classes or not. The results of the study suggest that as online classes become more socially acceptable, it is necessary to be concerned about the risk of mental illness for parents and develop policies and interventions, especially for parents who adopt negative coping styles and endorse online classes. The focus should be on the stress of online classes on parents, improving the acceptance of online classes and psychological well-being, regulating the way parents deal with their children, and targeting subgroups of children with ADHD symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coping Styles among Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Introduction: Autism falls under the most common category of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD). It is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disability characterized by persistent and pervasive impairments that include challenges with social understanding and communication, difficulty adapting to new situations, and exhibiting repetitive behaviors or interests. Caring for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can be an arduous task for caregivers all around the globe. To tide through the various phases of development, certain coping mechanisms are applied by the parents of children with ASD. An impact on the level of parental distress can be evaluated being based on parental coping styles concerning developmental disabilities. Objective: To assess the coping among the parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and to measure the association of coping styles with selected background variables. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey was carried out among 174 parents of children with ASD in selected autism care centers in Kathmandu, Nepal. The data was collected using a questionnaire developed by taking the reference from the Brief COPE questionnaire to evaluate the coping styles used by parents. Descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (independent sample t-test) were used to analyze data in SPSS vs20. Results: The findings of the study revealed, the majority of the respondents were below 35 years of age (70.1%), female (55.2%), belonged to the Brahmin/Chhetri (63.2%) ethnic group, had a single child (62.1%), belonged to nuclear family (52.9%), were homemakers (34.5%), able to spend sufficiently economically (66.7%) and having a graduate or higher education (71.3%). Similarly, the majority of autistic children were aged between 1 to 5 years (93.1%), and were males (71.3%). In terms of birth order, the majority of children with autism were firstborns (72.4%), did not have any other illnesses (96.6%), and were diagnosed at the age of less than 3 years (62.1%). Overall, the majority of the parents used a problem-focused coping style with a mean of 3.2±0.3, followed by avoidant coping style (2.7±0.4) and emotion-focused coping style (2.5±0.5). Likewise, there was there was a significant association of avoidant coping style with the age of respondents and the number of children they have, emotion-focused coping with ethnicity, and occupation of respondents. Again, the sex of respondents, level of education of spouse, and level of autism of children of respondents were found to have a significant association with both avoidant and emotion-focused coping styles. Overall, the level of education of respondents was associated with overall coping strategies. Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study, the study concludes that the majority of the respondents used problem problem-focused coping style, followed by avoidant and emotion-focused coping styles. Significant associations were found between various coping styles and demographic attributes such as age, gender, ethnicity, occupation, level of education of respondents as well as their spouse, and the level of ASD of their children. Understanding the coping styles is central to supporting the parents’ coping efforts. Providing parents with effective techniques to manage their emotions can greatly influence how they view their situation, the intensity of the symptoms of their children, and the psychological distress associated with it.

Coping Styles of Parents of Children with Hearing Impairment – A Secondary Publication

In the last decade, several investigations have been carried out detailing how hearing problems in infants have an impact on their integral development. However, little has been studied about how parents are affected and what actions they take to counteract such situation. Therefore, the present study aims to analyze the coping styles of parents who have children with hearing impairment. A descriptive methodology with a cross-sectional quantitative approach was used to collect data from 20 parents attending a specialized educational center in Mexico City. The first instrument collected sociodemographic information and the second was the Coping Strategies Scale-Modified (EEC-M), which consists of 98 items of the frequentist type distributed in 14 dimensions. The second instrument was validated and adapted to obtain reliable data. The reliability of the instrument was α = 0.842. The results of the first instrument showed that only 30% received support from a family member and 65% did not. The second instrument showed that the “Never” option was the most selected, with the “Aggressive reaction” dimension obtaining the highest value. According to the data obtained, it is concluded that the plurality of strategies applied exists because of the different characteristics of the children and the different coping capacities of the parents.

Psychiatric comorbidity and familial factors in childhood epilepsy: Parental psychopathology, coping strategies, and family functioning

ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine the psychiatric diagnoses, parenting attitudes, family functioning among children and adolescents with epilepsy, coping styles of their mothers, and psychiatric symptoms of their mothers and fathers. MethodsForty children and adolescents between the ages of 8 and 18 with epilepsy and 40 healthy controls were included in the study. The clinical interview and other measurements were used to assess psychiatric disorders and familial factors. ResultsAt least one psychiatric disorder was diagnosed in 65% of children and adolescents with epilepsy. It was determined that the mothers and fathers in the epilepsy group had higher anxiety and depression scores than the control group, and the fathers' hostility scores were also higher. The Family Assessment Device (FAD) (problem-solving and affective responsiveness), Coping Strategies Scale (COPE) (mental disengagement and substance use), and Parent Attitude Scale (PAS) (strictness/supervision) subtest scores of the epilepsy group were higher than the control group. ConclusionPsychiatric comorbidities, especially depression, anxiety disorders, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, are more common in children and adolescents with epilepsy. The mental health of parents, parent–child relationships, family functioning, and parental coping styles were adversely affected in families with children with epilepsy. It is essential to evaluate psychiatric comorbidity and family factors in children with epilepsy and to create a treatment plan for problem areas.

Psychological Journey and Coping Styles of Parents of Infants With Biliary Atresia: A Single-Center Qualitative Study.

Biliary atresia is a rare and serious neonatal disease that affects the quality of life of both infants and parents. There is currently limited literature on the experiences of parents with infants diagnosed with biliary atresia. To explore the psychological journey and coping styles of parents of infants with biliary atresia in a single center in Shanghai, China. A qualitative study design was used. Face-to-face and semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 parents of infants with biliary atresia. Colaizzi's method of data analysis was utilized, using NVivo 11.0 software. The psychological journey and coping styles of parents could be divided into 4 stages. Different themes were extracted at different stages: before diagnosis, parents experienced complex emotions and actively sought treatment; at the diagnosis stage, negative emotions dominated and parents convinced themselves to accept reality; in the postoperative stage, positive emotions, accepting reality, active response, and the need to learn to take care of their infant gradually appeared; and at the discharge stage, parents accepted the coexistence of positive and negative emotions and the variety of needs that emerged. The findings of the study may help healthcare professionals identify and focus on the psychological needs of parents of infants with biliary atresia, leading them to implement effective coping strategies to increase the caregiving ability of parents. Future research should explore the effects of supportive interventions for parents of infants with serious chronic illnesses.

Factors associated with parental burden among parents of children with food allergies in China: a cross-sectional study

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the factors associated with parental burden among parents of children with food allergies (FA) in China.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingThe participants were recruited through the internet and one...

The Relationship of Parental Rearing Styles and Coping Styles of Middle School Students

The Relationship of Parental Rearing Styles and Coping Styles of Middle School Students

Mediation Role of Parental Nutrition Style in Relation with Parental Coping Strategies and Pediatric Obesity in Shiraz, 2019

Objective: In obese children, there is a greater likelihood that they will become obese adults, and they will have negative physical and psychological outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the mediating role of parental nutritional style in the relationship between parental coping styles and childhood obesity. Materials and Methods: The present study was descriptive and correlational. The statistical population of the study consisted of all obese children and their parents in 2019 in Shiraz. 160 children and their parents were selected and studied by multi-stage cluster sampling from the statistical population. Coping inventory for a stressful situation – short form (CISS) and parental feeding styles questionnaire (PFSQ), and body mass index (BMI) were used to collect data. After collecting and extracting data, participants' scores were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and structural equations (path analysis) by means of SPSS 20 and AMOS 20 statistical software. Results: The results showed that the relationship between problem-oriented and emotion-oriented coping style with BMI was significant and negative (P= 0.01); furthermore, relationship between distraction style and social engagement style with BMI was significant and positive (P= 0.01). Moreover, there was a significant and positive the relationship between the subscale of emotional nutrition, instrumental nutrition, arousal, and encouragement to eat with BMI (P= 0.05). Conclusion: According to the findings, parents who urge their children to follow a healthy eating pattern have an essential moderating role in the interplay between coping techniques and childhood obesity.

Marital communication and coping with stress among parents of children with ASD during the SARS CoV 2 pandemic

The article presents the correlation between marital communication and the coping styles of parents of a child with ASD during the SARS CoV-2 pandemic. The study involved 46 married mothers and 34 married fathers raising children with autism spectrum disorders. The following tools were used: The Marital Communication Questionnaire (KKM) by M. Plopa and M. Kazmierczak and the Polish version of the CISS Coping Questionnaire by Endler and Park. The results of the research showed that respondents more often prefer constructive coping with stress using the task focused style (SSZ) if a spouse assesses both themselves and their spouse as more supportive and engaged in communication and less depreciation. The respondents more often prefer non-constructive coping with stress using and the emotion-focused style (SSE) or the avoidance-focused style (SSU), if the spouse assesses both themselves and their spouse as depressed. The greater the difference between their own assessment and the assessment of their spouse in supportive communication, the more often the respondents prefer the style focused on emotions (SSE) and the style focused on avoidance (SSU). Moreover, the greater the difference between self-assessment and that of the spouse in depreciation communication, the less often the task-focused style (SSZ) was preferred. The results are statistically significant.

Parenting Stress in Parents of Children with Learning Disabilities: Effects of Cognitions and Coping Styles

AbstractThis study investigated the relationship between parental cognitions, coping styles, and stress in parents of children with learning disabilities. More specifically, parental beliefs about self‐efficacy and satisfaction in the parenting role were examined in relation to parenting stress. Furthermore, the relationship between parenting stress and problem‐focused and emotion‐focused coping styles was evaluated. Participants, who were 147 parents of 5‐ to 12‐year‐old children who had been diagnosed with a learning disability, completed three self‐report measures. A hierarchical multiple regression model was used to examine the effects of the predictor variables on parenting stress. Results revealed that parents’ perceptions of the severity of their child's learning disability, as well as their use of emotion‐focused coping strategies, were significant predictors of parenting stress levels. Participants’ beliefs regarding their self‐efficacy in the parenting role and their satisfaction with the parenting role were not significant predictors of parenting stress. Additionally, parental use of problem‐focused coping strategies was not a significant predictor of parenting stress. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed.

Parental Coping Styles and Its Relationship with the Strengthening Behavior Among Intermediate School Students

يهدف البحث الى معرفة العلاقة الارتباطية بين أساليب المعاملة الوالديّة والسلوك الاستقوائيّ عند طلبة المرحلة المتوسطة.&#x0D; ولتحقيق هذا الهدف اعتمدت الباحثة مقياس أساليب المعاملة الوالديّة المعد سنة (2008) من لدُن البازي والمكون من أربعة أساليب (الديمقراطي، التسلطي، الحماية الزائدة، الإهمال)، وللمقياس صورتان متماثلتان الأولى للأب والثانية للأم، ويتألف من (25) فقرة موزعة على الأساليب الأربعة وبأربعة بدائل للإجابة مصاغة بأسلوب المواقف اللفظية، ومقياس السلوك الاستقوائيّ المعد سنة (2012) من لدُن حميد والمكون من ثلاثة مجالات (الجسمي، اللفظي، النفسي)، يتألف المقياس من (44) فقرة موزعة على مجالات المقياس الثلاثة وعلى النحو الآتي (14، 14، 16)، وبتدرج بدائل ثلاثية (ينطبق علي بدرجة كبيرة، ينطبق علي الى حد ما، لا ينطبق علي ابداً). وقد تحققت الباحثة من الصدق والثبات للمقياسين.&#x0D; جرى تطبيق المقياسين على عينة البحث البالغ عددها (200) طالب وطالبة من طلاب الصف الثالث متوسط التابعين الى المديرية العامة لتربية بغداد الكرخ/3 للعام الدراسي 2020-2021، وجرى اختيارهم بشكلٍ عشوائيّ من مجتمع البحث. وبعد جمع البيانات وتحليلها احصائياً توصلت الباحثة إلى النتائج الآتية:&#x0D; ان الأسلوب الديمقراطي هو الأسلوب السائد، يليه الأسلوب التسلطي، ثم أسلوب الإهمال، ثم أسلوب الحماية الزائدة، وأن عينة البحث الحالي المتمثلة بطلبة الصف الثالث متوسط لا يمارسون السلوك الاستقوائي على زملائهم، كما أظهرت النتائج ضعف العلاقة الارتباطية بين أساليب المعاملة الوالديّة (الديمقراطي، التسلطي، الحماية الزائدة، الإهمال) والسلوك الاستقوائي، وعدم وجود فرق دال احصائياً في العلاقة بين المفهومين.&#x0D; وفي ضوء نتائج البحث الحالي وضعت الباحثة مجموعة من التوصيات والمقترحات.

Social-Emotional Development and Associated Risk Factors in Chinese Toddlers with Cerebral Palsy.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to analyze the social-emotional behaviors of Chinese toddlers with cerebral palsy and to identify the risk factors associated with these behaviors.MethodsA total of 300 Chinese toddlers and their parents were recruited in this study. A Chinese version of the Infant-Toddler Social-Emotional Assessment was used to assess the children and basic information and clinical data were collected using an author-designed questionnaire. The patients were also assessed using a coping style questionnaire and the hospital anxiety and depression scale. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors.ResultsThe scores of the externalizing and competence domains for Chinese toddlers with cerebral palsy at different ages were lower compared to healthy children of the same age and gender (p<0.05). For the boys with cerebral palsy aged between 12–17 and 18–23 months, the scores of the internalizing and dysregulation domains were significantly lower compared to the national normal (p<0.01). The effect of perinatal factors on the externalizing and competence domains was more significant compared to other domains, whilst the coping style of the parents significantly affected the dysregulation domain (p=0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that the parental emotional state, education level, coping style and perinatal factors were closely associated with the social-emotional problems of children with cerebral palsy.ConclusionChildren with cerebral palsy are more likely to have behavioral, emotional, and psychiatric issues that are mostly ignored. These children may benefit from early screening and intervention for risk factors to improve rehabilitation and long-term prognosis.

أسالیب المعاملة الوالدیة المنبئة بأسالیب مواجهة الضغوط النفسیة لدى عینة من المراهقین المتنمرین والضحایا

مستخلص البحث باللغة العربية هدفت الدراسة إلى معرفة العلاقة بين أساليب المعاملة الوالدية کما يدرکها المراهقون، وسلوک التنمر وسلوک ضحايا التنمر وأساليب مواجهة الضغوط النفسية لدى المراهقين. ومدى قدرة أساليب المعاملة الوالدية على التنبؤ بأساليب مواجهة الضغوط النفسية لدى المتنمرين والضحايا. ولمعرفة الفروق بين المتنمرين وضحايا التنمر والطلاب الضحايا- المتنمرين والمحايدين في أساليب المعاملة الوالدية وأساليب مواجهة الضغوط النفسية لدى المراهقين. وقد تکونت عينة الدراسة من 1162 طالب ((127) طالب متنمر- (177) طالب ضحية للتنمر- (38) من الطلاب الضحايا-المتنمرين - (820) عينة المحايدة) تم اختيارهم بطريقة عشوائية من ست مدارس بمحافظة أسيوط (الإعدادية والثانوية)، بمتوسط عمر (15.45) وانحراف معياري (1.011). وتم تطبيق ثلاثة مقاييس: مقياس التنمر/ الضحية، ومقياس أساليب المعاملة الوالدية، ومقياس أساليب مواجهة الضعوط النفسية. وأسفرت النتائج عن وجود علاقة بين أساليب المعاملة الوالدية وبين سلوک التنمر وسلوک ضحايا التنمر، وبين بعض أساليب مواجهة الضعوط النفسية لدى عينة من الطلاب المتنمرين وطلاب ضحايا التنمر. کما أسهمت أساليب المعاملة الوالدية في التنبؤ بسلوک التنمر وبسلوک ضحايا التنمر وبعض أساليب مواجهة الضغوط النفسية لدى الطلاب المتنمرين وطلاب ضحايا التنمر. کما توصلت النتائج أيضا إلى وجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائيا بين الطلاب المتنمرين وطلاب ضحايا التنمر والطلاب الضحايا-المتنمرين والمحايدين) في أساليب المعاملة الوالدية وأساليب مواجهة الضغوط النفسية. Abstract The study aimed to find out the relationship between the styles of parenting as adolescents perceive it, the behavior of bullying, the behavior of victims of bullying and the methods of coping styles of psychological stressors in adolescents. And the ability of parental styles to predict the type coping styles of psychological stressors of bullies and victims. And to find the differences between bullies, victims, victims - bullies and neutral students regarding the parental styles and coping styles of psychological stressors among adolescents. The study sample consisted of 1162 students ((127) bullying students - (177) students victims of bullying - (38) students bulling-victims - (820) neutral samples). They were randomly selected from six schools in Asyut Governorate (preparatory and secondary), with an average age of (15.45) and a standard deviation (1.011). Three scales were applied: the bullying / victim scale, the parent styles scale, and coping strategies of psychological stress scale. The results revealed a relationship between the parental styles and the behavior of bullying and the behavior of the victims of bullying, and between some methods of confronting psychological pressures among a sample of students of bullying and students who are victims of bullying. Parental styles also contributed to predicting the behavior of bullying and the behavior of victims of bullying and some methods of facing psychological stress among students who bully and students who are victims of bullying. The results also found that there were statistically significant differences between students who were bullies, students who were victims of bullying, and students who were victims (bullies and neutrals) in the parental styles and methods of coping with psychological stress.

Determination of burnout, life satisfaction, and stress coping styles of parents with disabled children

This study determined problems, fatigue, life satisfaction, family stress, and coping strategies of families who had a disabled child and the relationships between them. This descriptive and cross-sectional study conducted with 191 parents of children with disabilities. As the life satisfaction of childcare providers increased, their emotional exhaustion decreased and sense of personal accomplishment increased (p < 0.05). It is necessary that nurses and health team members should provide regular and continuous education for burnout, life satisfaction, family stress and coping styles to parents of disabled children using interactive education techniques and group interactions.

The impact of parental health mindset on postoperative recovery in children.

Mindset, or one's beliefs about the ability to change one's outcomes, has been studied in the educational domain but not in surgical settings. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of parental health mindset on children's recovery. Participants were part of a larger National Institutes of Health-funded trial that included 1470 children undergoing outpatient tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. We used measures of parental coping style (Monitor Blunter Style Scale; MBSS) and medication attitudes (Medication Attitudes Questionnaire; MAQ) to validate the Health Beliefs Scale (HBS; Criterion validity, Cohen's kappa). HBS categorizes parents as having a growth mindset, or the belief that health can be changed, or a fixed mindset, which reflects the belief that individuals cannot change their health. Next, we identified demographic and personality variables (eg, temperament, anxiety) as predictors for the HBS. Finally, we examined the relationship between the HBS with postoperative outcomes. Findings supported criterion validity of the HBS. Parents with a growth mindset reported seeking out more medical information (MBSS, 7.15±3.32 vs 6.22±3.38, P<.001, CI=-1.387 to -0.471) and reported fewer misconceptions regarding analgesic use (MAQ, 22.11±4.09 vs 21.41±4.25, P=.035, CI=0.046 to 1.229). In assessing outcomes, we found that fixed-mindset parents rated their children's postoperative pain as more severe on days 1 (9.22±3.82 vs 8.37±3.71, P=.007, CI=0.234 to 1.459) and 3 (8.13±4.28 vs 7.27±4.28, P=.007, CI=0.094 to 1.638) and reported that their children received more doses of ibuprofen on postoperative day 1 (2.91±1.24 vs 2.44±1.44, P=.041, CI=0.089 to 0.848). There was no difference in children's self-reported pain scores between groups (P=.585). These findings, coupled with recent mindset intervention studies in the educational space, suggest that parent mindset is an important target for clinical intervention in the context of children's surgical recovery.

Well-being in parents of children with cancer: The impact of parental personality, coping, and the child's quality of life.

The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of parental personality, coping, and the child's quality of life on the well-being of parents of children treated for cancer. The study included 99 parents (63 mothers and 36 fathers), 41 parents during child's intensive treatment, 23 parents whose child completed intensive treatment, and 25 parents of children who completed treatment at least five years ago. The results of multivariate study have confirmed the predictive role of parental personality (especially Neuroticism); emotion-focused coping styles, and the child's quality of life (especially physical functioning) on parental well-being. About 60% of the variance in parental well-being can be attributed to the predictors. Assessing parental personality functioning and coping styles can help us identify those parents who are less emotionally stable, more prone to emotionally focused coping styles, and most likely to experience poorer well-being. Improved assessment may contribute to the development of further psychological interventions.

Emotional Wellbeing in Parents of Children on Home Parenteral Nutrition.

Caring for a child on home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is stressful, and its emotional impact not fully appreciated. This study explored the emotional wellbeing and coping styles of parents and children on HPN. Questionnaire data were collected for parents of children (0-18 years) on HPN. Children 8 years and older completed the revised children's anxiety and depression scale. Parents completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Paediatric Inventory for Parents (PIP) and brief COPE. A total of 14 children were included, 20 parents (13 females) and 4 children completed the survey. Parents had mean PIP difficulty and frequency score of 117.9 and 124, respectively, higher compared to parents of children with other chronic illness. PIP scores were significantly higher where children were also enterally tube fed (P < 0.05). Thirty-five per cent parents scored above clinical threshold on anxiety subscale of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and 30% in borderline range. On depression subscale 15% scored above clinical threshold range and 15% in borderline range. Mean anxiety and depression scores in parents of children with short bowel syndrome (11.8, 7.8) were significantly higher than those with neuromuscular disease (5.8, 1.6) P < 0.05. Coping styles differed according to health condition and whether child was enterally fed. There is a significant emotional impact of caring for a child on HPN, assessment and treatment of anxiety, depression, and stress should be a routine part of care. Individual needs of the child and parent need to be taken into account in providing the most appropriate psychological support.

‘Holding on’ and ‘letting go’: a thematic analysis of Australian parent’s styles of coping with their adult child’s methamphetamine use

Background: Although it is well established that parents can be negatively impacted by their child’s methamphetamine use, there is little research on how parents cope. This study aimed to explore the coping styles of Australian parents contacting an online counselling service concerned about their adult child’s methamphetamine use.Method: A thematic analysis of online counselling transcripts was used to examine key coping styles employed by parents (n = 26) who were seeking support in relation to their adult child’s methamphetamine use.Results: Two primary coping styles were identified. Parents were ‘holding on’ by trying to control and change their adult child’s methamphetamine use in order to improve the adult child’s circumstances and their own; or they were ‘letting go’ by releasing control to their adult child in the hope that over time they would reduce their drug consumption or seek help. While ‘holding on’ had benefits in terms of parents feeling as though they had some power to change their adult child’s situation, it also involved considerable ongoing stress and strain. ‘Letting go’ was often a source of grief, but for some parents, it enabled them to focus on self-care and their own wellbeing.Conclusion: This study highlights the potential value of treatment services tailoring the support they provide based on parents coping styles and preferences.