Parental Figures Research Articles

Family member experience with restricted family presence in Canadian PICUs: an interpretive descriptive study

PurposeWe performed this study to explore family member experiences with restrictions to family presence during their child’s PICU admission, leveraging the unique context of the COVID-19 pandemic to aid in future ethical and informed decision-making.MethodsQualitative interpretive descriptive study with family members of Canadian PICU patients admitted from March 2020 to April 2021 who experienced restricted family presence (RFP) policies. Respondents were purposively sampled for demographic-based maximum variation.We generated themes through inductive thematic analysis of open-ended interviews.ResultsFourteen parental figures from five regions across Canada participated. We identified four themes associated with the lived experience and impact of the restrictions on family members of critically ill children: (1) challenges to fulfilling the parent role, (2) isolation from primary supports during a time of crisis, (3) navigating increased logistical difficulties, and (4) seeking compassionate approaches within the healthcare system.Conclusion: RFP policies created a range of barriers for family members of critically ill children. Healthcare organizations and teams may play a role in removing barriers through consistent and empathetic application of rules with consideration for the duality of the parent role in PICUs, providing important post-pandemic policy and practice implications.What is known:• Parental presence with critically ill children may improve health outcomes for patients and their families.• Restrictions to family presence in PICUs continue to occur internationally and, during COVID-19, resulted in parental isolation, anxiety, and increased stress. What is new:• By isolating family members and removing supports, COVID-19-related restrictions in Canadian PICUs challenged family members’ ability to fulfil their parent roles while meeting their own needs. • Families need empathetic, advocacy-based approaches from clinicians and healthcare systems to maintain trust and therapeutic relationships in a family-centered organization.

Adolescent sense of personal agency: Exploring gendered perspectives on parental and peers attachments

Sense of personal agency (SPA) is crucial for adolescents’ psychosocial adjustment and well-being. The relationships with parents and peers, as well as the adolescent’s sex, have been suggested as important correlates of adolescents’ SPA. Nevertheless, no prior study has adopted a gender perspective to analyze how the intertwining of relationships between parents and peers relates to adolescent’s sense of agency. The current study investigates whether attachment to peers mediates the links between attachment to parents and SPA and whether these links are equal for boys and girls. The sample includes 1119 Portuguese adolescents (56.2% girls; 43.8% boys) aged 14 to 19. Structural equation modeling results suggest that attachment to peers is more strongly associated with boys’ SPA than girls. Results also indicate that regardless of adolescent sex, the quality of the emotional bond with the mother, but not the father, is positively associated with adolescents’ SPA. Furthermore, the results suggest that attachment to peers mediates the links between attachment to parents and adolescents’ SPA. Quality relationships with the adolescent’s different-sex parental figures (mother-son, father-daughter) are associated with higher-quality peer relationships, which are associated with a stronger SPA. On the contrary, inhibition relationships with the adolescent’s same-sex parental figure (mother-daughter, father-son) are associated with lower quality in adolescent’s peer relationships, which is associated with a lower SPA. These findings underline the importance of considering a gender perspective to understand better the role of family and peer contexts in the adolescent SPA.

The emotional power of educational branding: exploring parental decision-making in South Australia’s preschool choices

ABSTRACT While some research has focused on the implications of choice discourses in childcare settings, insufficient attention has been paid to how parental figures of preschoolers are activated and summoned through contradictory discourses that position them as both rational and emotional. Through a qualitative analysis of twenty parent questionnaires, this paper captures the dynamics of inclusion/exclusion flowing from these processes, and the transformation of the preschool sector in South Australia. Using an affective-discursive analytical approach, the research highlights how language, discourse and imagery are powerful tools that engage peoples’ feelings and emotions within a broader classed, raced, and gendered social environment. Its contribution to knowledge, therefore, rests in its effort to broaden our understandings of the meanings and practices of parents choosing a pre-school for their child, by adding affect theory to what otherwise might be ‘only’ a discursive analysis of the wider macro-economic and political trends linked to neoliberalism.

Evoking the Past: The Ning Mao Sarcophagus and Images of the Deceased in Early Medieval China

This paper examines the multifarious functions of images of the deceased (muzhu xiang 墓主像) during the late Northern Wei period (494–534). It focuses on a series of human figures engraved on the Ning Mao sarcophagus, a house-shaped stone coffin constructed ca. 527 and discovered near Luoyang in 1931. By comparing these images with those found on other contemporary sarcophagi from Luoyang, this paper posits that they exemplify two principal approaches to representing the deceased in the Northern Wei dynasty. The first approach alludes to the presence of Ning Mao and his wife through parental figures in didactic narrative scenes, which subsequently serve as stand-in images for the deceased couple. The second approach is embodied in the three gentlemanly figures on the back wall of the sarcophagus; these idealized images encapsulate the political, spiritual, and cultural pursuits of native Chinese elites. Both the stand-in and idealized images of the deceased on the Ning Mao sarcophagus are employed to connect the past with the present, an aspect intrinsically tied to the performance of filial piety in early medieval China.

108.37 A parent figure for a family of triangle number identities

108.37 A parent figure for a family of triangle number identities

CYBER-CRIMES AGAINST ELDERLY PEOPLE IN INDIA – SEARCH FOR DEFENCE MECHANISM TO COUNTER

The crimes against elderly people in India is experiencing significant growth. Contemporary offenders specifically focus on elderly individuals as victims of various criminal acts, including cyber-crimes. These concerns are likely to have had a detrimental impact on the quality of life and overall well-being of elderly people. Since 2014, the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) in India has incorporated a distinct category to account for offences perpetrated against the elderly population. The prevailing cultural norms perpetrate acts of violence and harm against the elderly and parental figures, as evidenced by the content of this recent publication. The occurrence of crime against the elderly prior to 2014 should not be inferred as nonexistent based solely on the 2014 item. Conversely, the data reveals a significant surge in the number of reported cases among elderly individuals. Initially, the study discusses various laws and policies which are meant for elderly people. Keeping those laws and policies in the background, the study will analyze the surge in cyber-crimes against elderly people. Lastly, the study will seek to reduce the gap between the existing social measures and the commission of crimes against elderly by posing certain recommendations to enhance the safety of them.

Unveiling the silent struggle: navigating the labyrinth of mental health for parents of children with life-threatening illnesses in Pakistan.

Dear Editor, We write this letter to highlight the scarcely recognised complexity associated with the unrecognised mental health needs of parents of children diagnosed with life-threatening or life-limiting illnesses. It has been widely established that parents of children with disabilities are at an increased risk of developing variants of mental diseases when compared to parents of children without such disabilities. Parents tend to alter their lives socially to acclimatize themselves as caregivers for their children, therefore adopting a role that becomes far more labyrinthine as both parent and caregiver. (1) Mental health in general, is a subject that is insufficiently addressed in societal and scholarly contexts, specifically in Pakistan, particularly among parents. Within the scope of parents acting as sole caregivers, stress is a prominent determinant contributing to their mental health. Stress can attenuate parents’ and children’s abilities to navigate these circumstances and diminish their capacity for problem-solving and coping. (2) There are a myriad of factors that contribute to the reported prevalence of mental health-related disorders among parents of children with disabilities. Mental health remains a stigmatised entity. Such disregard impedes the delivery of healthcare towards patients suffering from mental health illnesses. There is a noteworthy hindrance in individuals facing such factors when amalgamatinge into society. When considering parental figures of diseased children, this facet serves to isolate further and reinforce such mental health illnesses. The lack of quantifiable data on anti-stigma interventions in Low and Middle-Income Countries, including Pakistan, underscores the urgent need for research. (3) Parents of children admitted to the ICU have a near-pervasive struggle with mental health and an innate inability to disclose their requirements for support. Factors barricading such disclosure should be identified and broken down through interventions, facilitating access to vital mental health support. (4) Caregivers must establish coping strategies, and remain a steady pillar of support and comfort to their child. The Keeping Hope Alive Toolkit intervention was established, which worked on fostering emotional experiences, living in the moment, remembering self and supporting social preferences, this intervention provided a template for emotional support. (5) We hope this letter can underscore how important supporting parental disclosure of unmet mental health needs is – a rampant and insufficiently reported plight in Pakistan. The ability to recognise these emotions and rectify them is not highlighted in this region but is imperative to implement, to improve the provision of healthcare to diseased children and their parents alike.

The experiences of adult children caring for a parent with Korsakoff’s syndrome

Background: Korsakoff’s syndrome (KS) is a debilitating psychoneurological disorder that can occur in adults with alcohol use disorder (AUD). People with KS experience a sudden onset of symptoms including confabulation, anterograde and retrograde amnesias, apathy, issues with vision and gait, and lack of insight. Frequently an adult child of the parent with alcohol-induced KS becomes the caregiver, regardless of the status or quality of the relationship with their parent. While there is a rich literature base in the areas of adult children of parents with AUD and caregiving, there are no studies that have explored the experiences of adult children caring for a parent with alcohol-induced KS. This study aimed to explore the experiences of adult children who provide care for a parent or parental figure suffering from alcohol-induced Korsakoff syndrome (KS). Method: This study used a generic qualitative approach with thematic analysis using both in person and web-based video interview methods and field notes to address this gap in the literature. Eight individuals participated in the study, men (n=2) and women (n=6), with participants ranging in age from 31 to 43 years (average age 37 years). Results: Five themes emerged: addiction and the adult child, experiencing caregiver burden, experiencing a variety of emotions, professional healthcare experiences, and observations of symptoms. These themes emerged over seven anchor events in their caregiving experiences: interactions with their parent pre-diagnosis, parent’s medical emergency, hospitalization, diagnosis, housing, legal, and financial. Conclusion: The results provide a foundation for future research in the areas of KS, caregiving, and adult children of parents with AUD. They also provide a basis to inform the development of interventions with this population and demonstrate a need for more awareness of KS among healthcare professionals.

Tudo começa no hospital: narrativas maternas sobre a hospitalização do bebê cronicamente adoecido

This study investigated mothers’ narratives about their chronically ill babies' hospitalization at a public maternity hospital in São Paulo, during 2022, based on thematic analysis of four semi-structured interviews. The main qualitative data from interviews were analyzed concerning its psychoanalytic contribution, organized by three central themes. Interviewed mothers seemed to have found possible ways to perform the maternal function and bond with their babies. Their experiences were affected by ambivalent feelings and psychic suffering that demands mental health care. The aim was to come closer to this reality, remarking original motherhood experiences and the importance of developing caregiving practices worried about the needs of parental figures and their babies in the context of hospitalization and illness.

After-school Clubs: Fostering Protective Factors

Background: Affiliation to gangs becomes analogous to the need for belongingness; a leader or member of the gang can substitute a primary caregiver, or act as a parent figure or a role model. Children and youth associated with gangs lean toward antisocial activities compared to their nongang counterparts. After-school clubs (ASCs) probably demote gang membership providing support in various aspects of self-growth and thereby compassing the need for affiliation. Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between risky behavior and gang membership in children and compare the gender differences for the same. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional, observational study was conducted using purposive sampling approaching the children enrolled in an ASC run for children who had dropped out of the school. The participants were 97 children (male and female) attending the ASC between the age range of 6–18 years. They were assessed on sociodemographic and academic profiles; Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS); and Gang Membership Inventory (GMI). Results: It was observed that the SAEBRS score range of female participants implied “not at risk,” while male participants scored “at risk” scores on social and emotional domains. On GMI, only male participants’ scores showed gang affiliation. The model explained that 76% of the variance in GMI was contributed by the SAEBRS. Conclusion: ASC contributed valuably in integrating a vulnerable population into the productive national mainstream. Affinity with ASC can enhance the protective factors and minimize the risk of gang membership. Studies in the future can explore parental factors and resilience of this population along with socioeconomic factors to delve into risky as well as protective behaviors.

Bolstering family therapy: Assimilating EMDR into ABFT in youth residential treatment.

The psychotherapy field has a long history of integration to improve treatment effectiveness. One type, assimilative integration, offers innovative opportunities to family therapy to incorporate the clinical and research contributions of different approaches. This paper contributes to the literature on integration by exploring how Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) can be assimilated into Attachment-Based Family Therapy (ABFT) for youth in residential psychiatric treatment. ABFT seeks to improve attachment security to parental figures by asking adolescents and young adults to discuss attachment ruptures. This process, specially designed for patients with internalizing disorders, can provoke anxiety, particularly for a patient population that commonly has a history of trauma and adverse life experiences. EMDR is a first-line therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder and has the potential to be effective in treating various other mental health conditions. When patient emotional withdrawal or dysregulation due to breaches in trust between child and parent emerges in ABFT, EMDR may help desensitize associated memories and bolster the family therapy process. The authors provide an overview of both models, and a detailed case study as an example. The paper concludes with a discussion on implications, integration efforts, and limitations.

Filicide in Africa: a systematic review

BackgroundFilicide, the act of a parent or parental figure killing their child, has been reported in various African countries. However, there is a lack of comprehensive reviews on the prevalence and associated factors of filicide across the African continent, which is characterized by diverse cultural beliefs and practices. This review aims to examine the prevalence and risk factors of filicide in Africa.MethodsThis review included studies on filicide in Africa, identified through searches in various databases (PubMed, Scopus, Africa Journal Online, and Google Scholar) using relevant keywords. The Mendeley reference manager was used to organize all identified articles and remove duplicate entries. A two-round screening process was conducted by two independent reviewers, with the final set of articles selected through mutual agreement. The quality of the studies was then assessed.ResultsOut of the 107 retrieved articles, only 15 were included in the review. These studies revealed diverse prevalence rates: 3.7% of total homicides, 1.38% of deaths from family violence, and 13.02% for autopsied children. Various potential risk factors for filicide were identified, including unwanted pregnancies, marital conflicts, family disputes and violence, low socio-economic status, mental health issues in perpetrators, and mental, physical, or neurological vulnerabilities in victims. Cultural beliefs were also recognized as contributing factors to filicide.ConclusionFilicide is a complex and multi-dimensional issue influenced by various individual, familial, and societal factors. The review highlighted a high prevalence of filicide in Africa, shaped by these diverse factors.

Attachment and Relationship - To What Extent Does Attachment Styles Influence Romantic Relationships?

Attachment is the emotional bond between a human infant or young nonhuman animal and its parent figure or caregiver. A theory related is to attachment theory by John Bowlby posits that early relationships with caregivers lay the foundation for how individuals perceive and engage in later relationships. This paper examines the extent to which attachment patterns established impact various dimensions of relationships in adulthood. According to attachment theory, there are three specific attachment styles: Anxious, avoidant, disorganized and secure. This paper examines the extent to which attachment styles influence the later romantic relationship. Aiming to introduce the reasons of attachment theory and the four styles and analyzes the influence of the four styles on romantic relationship. The other factors that influence romantic relationships are also introduced in this paper.

PERCEIVED FATHERS ACCEPTANCE-REJECTION AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN ADOLESCENCE: A GENDER-BASED COMPARISON

Background of the Study: Parental figures have a crucial role in the event of the youngsters via “rearing and nurturing”; providing them well in time care, become role models for them so that children can learn to survive independently successfully. Parents significantly impact their children’s social development, particularly the interactions they form with those in their immediate social circle. This study aims to see if there is a link between teenagers’ emotional intelligence and their perceptions of their fathers. Psychological studies show that fathers significantly impact a child’s development. Methodology: A correlational study was undertaken at various private schools in Karachi, Pakistan. A total of 600 pupils were contacted, 300 of whom were boys and 300 of whom were girls mean age of 14±1.15. Petrides’ Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire for Adolescents (TEIQue-ASF) and Rohner’s Parental Acceptance and Rejection Questionnaire P.A.R.Q. were utilized to collect data (Father Short Form). Results: Data was handled using descriptive statistics and the t-test in S.P.S.S. The gap in emotional intelligence between boys and girls was discovered to be statistically significant as girls who perceived their fathers as approving (142 + 19.71 ) were found to be higher on the variable of emotional intelligence as compared to the scores of boys who perceived their fathers as approving (139 + 17.61).In the meantime, the difference in emotional intelligence between girls and boys who believe their father rejects them is vanishingly negligible as (132.67 + 16.94) and (139 + 17.61), respectively. Conclusion: According to a study, adolescents who believe their father approves of them have higher emotional intelligence (E.I.) than those who believe otherwise.

An Experiential Approach to Complicated Grief After Sudden Death of Parental Figure

An Experiential Approach to Complicated Grief After Sudden Death of Parental Figure

Familial Loss of a Loved One and Biological Aging

The link between familial loss of a loved one and long-term health decline is complex and not fully understood. To test associations of losing a parent, sibling, child, or partner or spouse with accelerated biological aging. Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, a US population-based longitudinal cohort study, were analyzed. Participants were enrolled from 1994 to 1995 for wave 1, while in grades 7 to 12, and followed up through wave 5 in 2018. The study analyzed participant reports of loss collected at each wave from 1 to 5 over 24 years and used a banked wave 5 blood sample for subsequent DNA methylation testing and epigenetic clock calculation from 2018 to 2024. Data were analyzed from January 2022 to July 2024. Loss of biological parents or parental figures, partners or spouses, siblings, or children at waves 1 to 3 or during childhood, adolescence (aged <18 years), or adulthood at wave 4 to wave 5 (aged 18-43 years). Biological aging assessed from blood DNA methylation using the Horvath, PhenoAge, GrimAge, and DunedinPACE epigenetic clocks at wave 5. Data from 3963 participants were analyzed, with a weighted mean (range) age of 38.36 (36.78-39.78) years at wave 5; 2370 (50.3%) were male, 720 (15.97%) were Black, 400 (8.18%) were Hispanic, and 2642 (72.53%) were White. Nearly 40% of participants experienced loss by wave 5 when they were aged 33 to 43 years, and participants who were Black (379 participants [56.67%]), Hispanic (152 participants [41.38%]), and American Indian (18 participants [56.08%]) experienced a greater proportion of losses compared with White participants (884 participants [34.09%]). Those who experienced 2 or more losses tended to have older biological ages for several of the clocks (PhenoAge β = 0.15; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.28; GrimAge β = 0.27; 95% CI, 0.09 to 0.45; DunedinPACE β = 0.22; 95% CI, 0.10 to 0.34) compared with those with no losses. In contrast, there were no associations with 2 or more losses for the Horvath clock (β = -0.08; 95% CI, -0.23 to 0.06). This study reveals associations between various measures of loss experienced from childhood to adulthood and biological aging in a diverse sample of the US population. These findings underscore the potentially enduring impact of loss on biological aging even before middle age and may contribute to understanding racial and ethnic disparities in health and mortality.

“Nobody Else Could Tell Those Stories”: Exploring Recollections of Grandparental Narratives in Early Adulthood

Existing research on grandparental narratives, or family stories told by grandparents, often centers accounts relayed by youth in adjacent-generation family structures where grandparents serve auxiliary roles; less is known about narratives shared by young adults from more diverse family structures—like grandfamilies (i.e., grandparents as primary parental figures)—which may have distinctive characteristics given differences in grandparent roles. Interviews with young adults (N = 12) with varying life satisfaction and grandparent-grandchild family structure (i.e., adjacent-generation or grandfamily) revealed distinct grandparental narrative characteristics (e.g., content, structure, storyteller) by family structure and identified their function as relationship reinforcement, memorialization, and connection to roots. While contributing new voices to the intergenerational narratives literature, this work suggests grandparental narratives could be used as tools by researchers and practitioners.

Selected for Solitude: A Case Report of Loneliness.

The U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, recently declared loneliness a public health epidemic. For therapists, that is not likely to be a surprise: Loneliness is so common in people who seek therapy that it might be seen as the bread and butter of our work. Despite that, there has not been much serious examination of intrapsychic factors that may contribute to this painful condition. Public discourse has focused instead on cultural and societal causes of loneliness, and on practical steps that might be taken to decrease it. But practical advice is not always sufficient for people with longstanding loneliness. Longstanding loneliness may be fueled by intrapsychic dynamics and become embedded in character. In some cases, patients may relish companionship yet steadfastly avoid it in an attempt to master early childhood experiences of being emotionally neglected and deprived of love. They were starved of love as children and now choose to starve themselves in an unconscious attempt to master early deprivation by identifying with the aggressor. For patients like this, chronic loneliness may signal a certain kind of attachment disorder, for it is the visible sign of early attachment to a distant or rejecting parental figure. Loneliness of that kind can be a stubborn problem and one that poses a considerable therapeutic challenge.

Childhood Neglect and Loneliness: The Unique Roles of Parental Figure and Child Sex.

There is a well-supported link between experiences of childhood neglect and levels of loneliness in adulthood, with emotional neglect from caregivers being predictive of loneliness. However, current research has yet to explore additional, sex-linked factors that influence this relationship. This study investigates the impact of different neglect types on loneliness, with a focus on the parental figure involved and the child's sex. It was hypothesized that men who experienced emotional neglect from their fathers would score higher in loneliness compared to other parent-child combinations. The findings showed no significant differences in father-son relationships within the context of emotional neglect. However, there was a significant difference in father-son relationships in the context of supervision neglect and loneliness outcomes, relative to all other parent combinations. Consistent with existing research, emotional neglect emerged as the strongest predictor of loneliness. Additionally, sex differences were observed, with women experiencing greater levels of loneliness stemming from neglect compared to men. These findings help address the knowledge gap present in childhood neglect research, with the goal of understanding the long-term consequences of adverse childhood experiences.

Unveiling the significant contribution of Child and Youth Care Workers in South African township schools

The deployment of Child and Youth Care Workers (CYCWs) in South African schools is a recent development prompted by the growing barriers to learning faced by learners. This study explored the critical role of CYCWs and their contributions to eight township schools in Botshabelo, South Africa. The aim was to explore and understand the experiences of stakeholders’ regarding the contributions of CYCWs within the Thari programme to township schools in South Africa and how their contributions affected the school environment and aided the well-being of learners. The study followed a qualitative case study design, which integrated the insights from the programme staff, CYCWs (n = 9), principals (n = 5), educators (n = 16), and stakeholder forum members (n = 4) forming part of the Thari programme. Programme documents were also analysed as background and the face-to-face individual and group interviews were thematically analysed.Aligned with the developmental approach to social services, the findings revealed that CYCWs partake in diverse semi-professional activities which significantly contribute to helping learners navigate the challenges they experience in their daily lives. These activities encompass providing psychosocial support, conducting awareness campaigns, organising group sessions, and facilitating educational games. Furthermore, they assume the role of surrogate parental figures and role models for children facing vulnerabilities.The study found that the CYCWs registered in the auxiliary category were not supervised by CYCWs in the professional category. They also had restricted access to full-time social workers for referrals. These challenges underscore the pressing need for increased resources and professional development opportunities for CYCWs so that they can fully attend to their responsibilities in schools.Several recommendations are made, such as increasing resources for the Thari programme, investing in CYCW training, promoting collaboration with other professionals, conducting regular evaluations, engaging parents through workshops, and acknowledging the pivotal role of CYCWs as role models and parental figures. The study offers valuable insights into enhancing the impact and effectiveness of CYCW interventions in township schools, thereby contributing to South African children’s holistic development and well-being.