Families Program Research Articles

Personality traits of women with hereditary risk for breast/ovarian cancer versus obstetric history and cancer preventive behaviors

The aim of the study is to analyze the relationship between personality traits of women with hereditary predisposition to breast/ovarian cancer and their obstetric history and cancer-preventive behaviors. A total of 357 women, participants of ‘The National Program for Families With Genetic/Familial High Risk for Cancer’, were included in the study. The Neo Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and a standardized original questionnaire designed for the purpose of the study were used. Breast ultrasound examination at a younger age was associated with Extraversion. Openness to Experience was linked with lower number of children, more frequent use of hormonal contraceptives, and younger age at first breast ultrasound examination. Women with higher Agreeableness scores were less likely to use contraceptives and underwent their first breast ultrasound later in life. Conscientiousness was associated with more frequent use of hormonal contraceptives and younger age at first breast ultrasound examination. Women at increased risk for developing breast/ovarian cancer who used hormonal contraceptives underwent breast ultrasound examinations earlier in life, while those who had breastfed their children chose to have their first mammogram earlier in life. Personality traits affect health-related behaviors and should be taken into account when designing theoretical models as well as interventions regarding health habits.

Program Pemberdayaan Keluarga Dhuafa “Pengembangan Usaha Nasi Uduk Ibu Sedah” Warga Meruyung Depok

The empowerment program for the underprivileged family of “Ibu Sedah” in Meruyung, Depok, aims to enhance economic independence through an educational approach based on Muhammadiyah values. This program was implemented by students and lectures from the Communication Studies Program at Universitas Muhammadiyah Jakarta as part of the Al-Islam Kemuhammadiyahan course. The study adopted the Participatory Action Research (PAR) method to ensure active involvement of the beneficiares. The main subject of this program is Ibu Sedah, a 61st year old single mother who relies on an uncertain income from her nasi uduk business. Throgh surveys, interviews, and selection, the implementation team identified her primary needs. Activies in this program included fundraising, provision of business capital, as well as training in business management and educational motivation for her child. As a result, Ibu Sedah’s bussiness capacity improved and became more sustainable, while her child received educational support. This program highlights the importance of synergy between education, emprowerment, and community service in addressing poverty. The study serves as a reference for continuing similar programs with broader scope and sustainable approaches.

Navigating Hope and Complexity: Turkish Parents' Experiences with Savior Siblings.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing represents a significant advancement in treating inherited hematological disorders, particularly thalassemia major. This technology enables the birth of healthy children who can serve as compatible stem cell donors for their affected siblings. Turkey is a world leader in both PGD+HLA typing technology and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from savior siblings born through PGD+HLA typing. This study investigated the experiences of Turkish parents who underwent successful savior sibling procedures using preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing and then successful hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, from this savior sibling, for the treatment of their thalassemia major child. The research aimed to understand the medical, psychological, and socio-cultural dimensions of this complex process within the Turkish healthcare context. A qualitative study using descriptive phenomenological approach was conducted. In-depth interviews were performed with 16 parents, who successfully completed PGD+HLA matching and subsequent successful stem cell transplantation process from this savior sibling to their thalassemia child. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step method and MAXQDA 20.0 software. Analysis revealed six main themes: Disease Stage, Treatment, Recovery Process, Social Family, Support Systems, and Recommendations. Parents reported significant emotional challenges but demonstrated unexpected resilience. Religious and cultural factors played nuanced roles, with most parents viewing the process as compatible with their beliefs. Economic burden, prolonged hospitalizations, and geographical access to treatment centers emerged as key challenges. Extended family support and healthcare professional guidance were identified as crucial support mechanisms. The study highlights the complex interplay between advanced medical technologies and traditional values in Turkish society. Findings emphasize the need for comprehensive, culturally sensitive support systems and long-term follow-up for families. Results suggest implementing multidisciplinary care teams and developing specialized support programs for families undergoing savior sibling procedures.

Designing supports for family and friends: outcomes from an Australian lived experience of suicide workshop.

This study addresses the pivotal role of family and friends in supporting individuals experiencing suicidal distress. The research draws insights from a workshop at an Australian Lived Experience of Suicide Summit (2023) to explore how information and peer support should be presented and used in support programs and resources for family and friends supporting someone experiencing suicidal distress. The study engaged 52 delegates in an interactive workshop, comprising individuals with a lived experience of suicidal distress (30%), those bereaved by suicide (27%), family members or friends supporting someone with a lived experience of suicide (20%), sector representatives (16%) and others (7%). The workshop involved discussions on language, images, multimedia resources, key messages for programs and the integration of peer support. Content analysis categorized responses, and themes were ranked by popularity. Consensus emerged on preferred language referring to family and friends and those receiving support. Participants highlighted the importance of diversity in language, multimedia and images used in programs. This work helps to provide an understanding of family and friends' preferences for language, media, imagery and messaging when considering developing programs for family and friends supporting someone in suicidal distress. Peer support was also acknowledged as valuable for family and friends, but further understanding of the format and implementation of peer support is needed. Adapting program content based on end-users' advice is crucial for safety and engagement.

Predictors of father involvement patterns among Latino fathers with low income.

Father involvement in parenting can promote children's positive development. Despite the growing literature on father involvement, little is known about the heterogeneity in father involvement among Latino fathers. The present study sought to examine father involvement patterns and their predictors among Latino fathers who were predominantly unmarried and had a low income. A latent profile analysis was conducted on a sample of 830 Latino fathers of toddlers in the Building Strong Families program. Three father involvement profiles were identified: high involvement (61.81%); high accessibility and financial support, but less engagement (26.63%); and nonresident, but engaged (11.57%). Fathers' older age, lower parental aggravation, and higher coparenting relationship quality predicted membership in the high involvement profile. Overall, study results indicate that many Latino fathers are highly involved in parenting, highlighting the resilience and fathering commitment among Latino fathers with low income. Our findings suggest the need for additional support for younger fathers and fathers experiencing parental aggravation and point to coparenting relationships as an important source of support for father involvement among Latino fathers with low income. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Parent training programs for immigrant families in Europe: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials

Parent training programs for immigrant families in Europe: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials

Clinical, epidemiological, and care profile of hospitalized patients with retinoblastoma in Brazil.

To describe the epidemiological and clinical profile of hospitalized patients with retinoblastoma in Brazil. Using data from the Hospital Cancer Registry of the Instituto Nacional de Câncer, patients with the morphological codes of retinoblastoma who were diagnosed between 2000 to 2018, aged 0-19 years, and followed up in registered hospitals (analytical cases) were selected. The relative and absolute frequencies of demographic, clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic, and outcome variables were described. Hospital performance indicators were calculated and compared between hospitals qualified and not qualified to treat pediatric oncology cases and between hospitals with different case volumes (<20, 20-75, >75 cases). Of the 2,269 identified analytical cases from 86 institutions, 48% were from the Southeast, 54% were male, and 66% were aged <4 years. The proportion of missing data (NA) was too high for several variables. Approximately 84% of the patients were from the public health system, 40% had a positive family history, and 88% had unilateral involvement. The first treatment included surgery in 58.3% of the patients (NA=2), Approximately 36.6% of these patients achieved complete remission, 10.8% achieved partial remission, and 12.7% died (NA=59%). Hospital performance indicators were within the target in >90% of the patients. The median time between the first appointment and diagnosis (6 days, interquartile range [IQR] 1-14) was significantly lower and the median time to death was longer (343 days, IQR, 212-539) in high-volume hospitals (>75 cases) than in medium- and low-volume hospitals. Despite the high proportion of missing data, we found that the delay in diagnosis is due to prehospital factors. Additionally, there is a need for educational programs for healthcare professionals and families that emphasize early identification and referral to specialized centers. Future studies should focus on the impact of Hospital Cancer Registry data completeness on outcomes, causes of delay in diagnosis, regional inequalities, and barriers to accessing specialized services.

Programme Recipient and Facilitator Experiences of Positive Family Connections for Families of Children With Intellectual Disabilities and/or Who Are Autistic.

Family members of children with developmental disabilities on average report poorer family functioning and mental health. Positive Family Connections is a co-produced, positively-oriented, family-systems support programme for families of children with developmental disabilities aged 8-13. We investigated experiences of Positive Family Connections, and the processes involved in change. We conducted semi-structured interviews with eight family carers who took part in Positive Family Connections and nine facilitators. Data were analysed using framework analysis. Programme recipients' and facilitators generally reported positive experiences of Positive Family Connections and described beneficial effects on wellbeing and family relationships. We developed a model showing how the lived experience of facilitators and positive approach led to reductions in isolation and perceived changes in mindset that were described as improving family carers' wellbeing and family relationships. Positive Family Connections appears to be an acceptable programme which programme recipients and facilitators perceive to be beneficial.

Study protocol for the Healthy Family Program on population blood pressure: a multicenter, parallel group, cluster randomized, controlled trial in rural China.

We aim to determine the effectiveness of a community-based, health instructor led, multifaceted family intervention, as compared with usual care, on blood pressure (BP) management among Chinese rural residents, with or without hypertension. The Healthy Family Program is a cluster randomized controlled trial being undertaken in 80 villages (each with approximately 100 residents) with a target to enroll a total of 8000 older adults (aged 40-80 years). Villages were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either an intervention group to receive multifaceted strategies or a control group to continue with usual standard of care. The main components of the multifaceted intervention strategies include: 1) Establishing a BP management team led by family health instructors, with team members including family leaders and village doctors, and 2) Implementing an intervention that focused on six areas: education for a healthy lifestyle, free provision of sodium substitute, weight management, physical exercise, BP monitoring, and appropriate antihypertensive treatment for individuals with hypertension. The primary outcome is change in systolic BP from baseline to 6 months in all participants, reported as the absolute difference between intervention and control groups. After the 6-month intervention, support from the study coordination center and the distribution of low-sodium salt will be withdrawn, and all participants will be followed up until 12 months. As of December 31, 2024, 24 villages in the intervention group have completed the 6-month intervention. The Healthy Family Program will provide critically important data on the effectiveness of a novel BP management strategy in rural China. The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06427096).

Development and Effects of Empowerment Education Program for Korean-American Families with Disabilities

Development and Effects of Empowerment Education Program for Korean-American Families with Disabilities

Policy analysis of nutrition education programs in Indonesia: A literature study on the nutrition-conscious family program (Kadarzi)

Nutrition education is a crucial strategy to address the Triple Burden of Malnutrition in Indonesia, which encompasses undernutrition, overnutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies. This study aims to analyze the policies and implementation of the Nutrition-Conscious Family Program (Keluarga Sadar Gizi or Kadarzi) in Indonesia, focusing on identifying challenges and proposing improvements. Using a literature review methodology, this research evaluates the program's strengths, weaknesses, and effectiveness in promoting balanced nutrition behavior. Key findings indicate that while Kadarzi is effective in raising awareness about balanced nutrition, its implementation is hindered by inadequate health workers, limited funding, and insufficient cross-sectoral coordination. Furthermore, many activities remain undocumented, and uneven resource distribution affects the program's reach. Strategies for improvement include enhancing nutrition education, leveraging cross-sector partnerships, and increasing training for health cadres. The study concludes that tailored nutrition education programs, based on research and community needs, are essential for achieving better nutritional outcomes in Indonesia. Strengthening the Kadarzi program can significantly contribute to addressing persistent nutritional challenges and improving public health.

Exploring sensitivity and initiative in a mother-baby dyad with Video Intervention Therapy (VIT): a case study in a high-risk population

AbstractThis preliminary report is a single case study aiming to evaluate the feasibility of Video Intervention Therapy (VIT) in difficult scenarios involving high-risk mother-infant dyads in a housing program for homeless families. The study conducted in Clermont-Ferrand, France, used the Coding Interactive Behavior (CIB) system. Ruth Feldman's framework and Stuart et al.'s 4-EFA model was applied. Three VIT sessions showcased personalized interventions, aided by the CIB's role in observing and detailing changes. The results showed in this case that maternal insensitivity, characterized by high scores in intrusiveness, interference and directiveness, goes parallel to infant’s affective disconnection and social withdrawal. The VIT and CIB mutually reinforce the team's analysis and intervention perspectives pointing towards the feasibility of the video-intervention. The findings are discussed in relation to the design of future research and the need to include video intervention (VIT) work within the service's team of direct care professionals.

Feasibility and preliminary effects of the mindful healthy family project among rural families

ABSTRACT Background/purpose: Rural adults and children are at higher risk for overweight and obesity. However, there are relatively few lifestyle modification programs available for these high-risk families, mainly because of the difficulty in reaching them. This mindfulness-based motivational interviewing (MM-based-MI) pilot aimed to improve parents’ healthy eating index (HEI), collective family efficacy, family satisfaction, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms as well as parent–child dyads’ eating patterns, physical activity (PA), and body mass index (BMI). Methods: This randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted in the Midwestern US to examine the feasibility (enrollment, attendance, and attrition), acceptability, and preliminary effects of an MM-based-MI intervention that contained nine sessions of health coaching (1-on-1), while the active-control included nine emailed health handouts sent over an 18-week period. Results: A total of 46 parents (29 intervention, 17 control; Mage = 38.5 years, 85% female) participated. The enrollment rate, intervention attendance rate, and attrition rate were 12.6%, 79.8%, and 23.9% respectively. Although not statistically significant, compared to the control, the MM-based-MI intervention showed positive effects on improving parents’ HEI in terms of increasing total HEI score (Cohen’s d = 0.43), vegetable intake (d = 0.41), greens/beans (d = 0.59), protein food (d = 0.82), and self-efficacy in exercise (d = 0.21), as well as decreasing total calories (Kcal, d = −0.58), added sugar (d = −0.50), and depressive symptoms (d = −0.42), while controlling for marital status. Controlling for age, sex, and marital status, intervention children had greater improvement in increasing fiber (d = 0.75) and protein (d = 0.72) intake compared to the active-control group. Moreover, parents in both groups reported improvement (small to large effects) in ↑mindful eating, ↑collective family efficacy, ↑family satisfaction, and ↓perceived stress over time. Conclusions: Despite some limitations (small sample size, virtual at home measurement), our results support the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of this Mindful Healthy Family program on potentially mitigating some obesogenic behaviors among rural parent–child dyads. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05324969.

The Support Needs of Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Qualitative Study Based on the Nurturing Care Framework.

To explore the support needs of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in China under the guidance of the nurturing care framework (NCF). A descriptive qualitative study design was used. Fourteen parents of 2-6-year-old children with autism were recruited for face-to-face individual interviews in Chongqing between July and November 2023. NVivo 12.0 software was used to manage the data, and a directed content analysis was performed to extract themes. Five nurturing care needs of parents of children with autism were extracted, including acquisition of health- and disorder-related knowledge and information, maintenance of psychological and physical wellbeing, desire for individualised caregiver skills training, creation of multi-agent social support network, and accessibility of high-quality and coordinated services. Parents of children with autism have multidimensional unmet nurturing care needs. It is crucial to address these needs and develop targeted family support programs with consideration of the extracted need components. This study implies that health education, parental empowerment and psychological support should be prioritised in future family support programs. The findings also emphasise the importance of establishing a cross-departmental coordination mechanism and building a multi-agent social support network for families of children with autism. This study expands our understanding on the support needs of families of children with autism and enriches the theoretical connotation of nurturing care framework, and the results may inform the development of tailored support programs for families of children with autism in China. The results are reported in accordance with the reporting guidelines of the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies (COREQ). No patient and public contribution.

Perceptions of a faculty-trainee group mentorship program, the mentorship families program, in a residency training program: results from a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundIn residency programs, the availability of faculty mentors for traditional dyadic mentorship relationships may be limited. Few frameworks exist for mentorship programs with a combined faculty and peer mentorship approach. The authors developed the Mentorship Families Program (MFP), a faculty-resident group mentorship program within a psychiatry residency program to meet the need for mentorship for a large cohort of residents. A cross-sectional survey was used to evaluate the impact of the MFP after its first implementation year.MethodsEleven mentorship families were created with 11 faculty members and 45 residents; each mentorship family consisted of one faculty member and 4–5 residents. A cross-sectional survey characterized the one-year perceived impact (2021–2022) of the MFP on resident and faculty mentoring experiences, with questions about the content, frequency, and quality of the MFP meetings and the strengths and areas of improvement for the MFP. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize quantitative feedback; directed content analysis was performed on open-ended feedback.ResultsTwenty-seven residents (60%) and 8 faculty members (73%) responded to the survey. 70% of mentorship families met at least once. The MFP helped foster resident-faculty connections and provided an environment to gain career advice. However, residents and faculty reported challenges with scheduling meetings and a lack of meeting structure as barriers to effective engagement with the MFP. Most residents recommended that other training programs implement a program like the MFP as it offered multidimensional opportunities for connections between residents and faculty.ConclusionsA faculty-resident group mentorship program like the MFP can be implemented in residency training programs when traditional one-to-one faculty mentorship is often limited.

The Significance of Federal Social Transfers in the US: Evolution of Approaches

The paper focuses on federal transfers, their dynamics, structure and their role for the American households amid financial-economic and geopolitical challenges. It contributes to a debate on different aspects of social transfers – based both on the principles of insurance and welfare. Particularly important for the aged low-income groups, the Social Security Program faces financing problems in the coming years due to payments exceeding payroll taxes. The paper also points out the transformation of approaches to welfare programs for lowincome Americans during the first three years of Trump’s presidency, aimed at expanding individual possibilities to reduce their dependence on government safety-net programs and achieve self-sufficiency. After more than two years of extraordinary budget spending to provide relief to Americans during the pandemic and its consequences, the budget proposals from the Biden administration seem impressive, reflecting a wide range of needs for continuing financing of social programs for needy families, medical assistance, education, etc., with special attention to the economic situation. Although Biden’s proposed budget is expected to reduce the deficit, it still faces fiscal challenges; according to Congressional Budget Office projections, both the budget deficit and the public debt remain huge.

Flexibility and resilience in equity-centered research: lessons learned conducting a randomized controlled trial of a family-based substance use prevention program for American Indian families.

Meaningful and effective community engagement lies at the core of equity-centered research, which is a powerful tool for addressing health disparities in American Indian (AI) communities. It is essential for centering Indigenous wisdom as a source of solutions and disrupting Western-centric perspectives and inequitable and exclusionary research practices. This paper reports on lessons learned implementing an effectiveness trial of the Thiwáhe Glúwaš'akapi program (TG) program (translated as "sacred home in which families are made strong")-a family-based substance use prevention program-in a post-pandemic era with an American Indian reservation community that has confronted extreme challenges. We describe lessons in six areas (community engagement, study design, community workforce, participant engagement, retention, and data collection) that illustrate how conventional Western research practices were adapted in order to conduct authentic, equity-centered research. Key principles gleaned from those lessons are also discussed, including: (a) honoring partnerships and making study decisions collaboratively, (b) considering the implications of decisions for both the scientific value of the study and the community, (c) considering the health and well-being of community staff, (d) being flexible and responsive to changing needs, and (e) approaching work with communities through a strengths-based frame. Insight into the challenges encountered and the solutions developed in alignment with community partners and Indigenous wisdom may strengthen the work of other academic-community partnerships endeavoring to bring culturally relevant, evidence-informed prevention programming to Indigenous communities.

Guaranteeing the rights of children and adolescents in Brazilian foster care institutions

ABSTRACT Rights violations of children and adolescents cause these social actors to be considered vulnerable. When this occurs, they are referred to family or institutional care programs, as a way of guaranteeing the protection of their fundamental rights. This study aimed to explore how professionals working in foster care institutions (in a city of Southern Brazil) understand and guarantee the human rights of institutionalised children and adolescents, considering the contexts of vulnerability, family trajectories, and the implications of institutionalisation. This descriptive and exploratory study with a qualitative approach to the data carried out semi-structured interviews with 12 professionals from three foster care institutions. The data was organised using NVivo software and analysed using the content analysis technique. The results indicate that the foster care institution comes to supply what was violated by a certain family in which the child or adolescent was. However, referring vulnerable children and adolescents to these spaces does not automatically ensure these rights, going through complex and contradictory situations. Although this study indicates some of the State’s downfalls in ensuring the rights of children and adolescents, the reality investigated demonstrates an advantageous perspective for the integral development of these institutionalised and invisible young people.

Abnormalities of IL-12 Family Cytokine Pathways in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Progression.

Background and Objectives: Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) is the most frequent genetic renal disease with a complex physiopathology. More and more studies sustain that inflammation plays a crucial role in ADPKD pathogenesis and progression. We evaluated IL-12 involvement in ADPKD pathophysiology by assessing the serum levels of its monomers and heterodimers. Materials and Methods: A prospective case-control study was developed and included 66 ADPKD subjects and a control group of 40 healthy subjects. The diagnosis of ADPKD was based on familial history clinical and imagistic exams. The study included subjects with eGFR > 60 mL/min/1.73 mp, with no history of hematuria or other renal disorders, with stable blood pressure in the last 6 months. We tested serum levels of monomers IL-12 p40 and IL-12 p35 and heterodimers IL-12 p70, IL-23, IL 35, assessed by ELISA method. Results: IL-12 family programming was abnormal in ADPKD patients. IL-12p70, IL-12p40, and IL-23 secretion increased, while IL-12p35 and IL-35 secretion decreased compared to control. IL-12p70, IL-12p40, and IL-23 had a progressive increase correlated with immune response amplification, a decrease of eGFR, an increase in TKV, and in albuminuria. On the other hand, IL-35 and IL-12p35 were correlated negatively with CRP and albuminuria and positively with eGFR in advanced ADPKD. Conclusions: The present study investigated IL-12 cytokine family members' involvement in ADPKD pathogenesis, enriching our understanding of inflammation in the most common renal genetic disorder.

Predicting the time to get back to work using statistical models and machine learning approaches

BackgroundWhether machine learning approaches are superior to classical statistical models for survival analyses, especially in the case of lack of proportionality, is unknown.ObjectivesTo compare model performance and predictive accuracy of classic regressions and machine learning approaches using data from the Inspiring Families programme.MethodsThe Inspiring Families programme aims to support members of families with complex issues to return to work. We explored predictors of time to return to work with proportional hazards (Semi-Parametric Cox in Stata) and (Flexible Parametric Parmar-Royston in Stata) against the Survival penalised regression with Elastic Net penalty (scikit-survival), (conditional) Survival Forest algorithm (pySurvival), and (kernel) Survival Support Vector Machine (pySurvival).ResultsAt baseline we obtained data on 61 binary variables from all 3161 participants. No model appeared superior, with a low predictive power (concordance index between 0.51 and 0.61). The median time for finding the first job was about 254 days. The top five contributing variables were ‘family issues and additional barriers’, ‘restriction of hours’, ‘available CV’, ‘self-employment considered’ and ‘education’. The Harrell’s Concordance index was range from 0.60 (Cox model) to 0.71 (Random Survival Forest) suggesting a better fit for the machine learning approaches. However, the comparison for predicting median time on a selected scenario based showed only minor differences.ConclusionImplementing a series of survival models with and without proportional hazards background provides a useful insight as well as better interpretation of the coefficients affected by non-linearities. However, that better fit does not translate to substantially higher predictive power and accuracy from using machine learning approaches. Further tuning of the machine learning algorithms may provide improved results.