Quality Of Family Functioning Research Articles

Pengaruh Kualitas Fungsi Dan Pemenuhan Bahasa Kasih Keluarga Terhadap Kebahagiaan Remaja

Family plays an important role on teenagers' happiness. Teenagers' happiness can be realized if the familyperforms its functions optimally and if the teenagers receive the love language that is expected from the family.This research has two objectives, the first is to determine the influence of the quality of family roles onteenagers' happiness, and the second is to determine the influence of love language on teenagers' happiness.The respondents of this research were 456 teenagers, using accidental sampling technique. Data wascollected via a Google Form which was distributed via WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, and email. Dataanalysis uses linear regression. The results of the research show that the quality of family function has impacton teenagers' happiness and the fulfilment of family love language has also an impact on teenagers'happiness. Indicators of psychological function and educational function are the most powerful indicators ofteenage happiness. Likewise, indicators of quality time and physical touch are the strongest indicators inshaping teenage happiness.

Association between family functioning and psychotic transition in ultra-high risk adolescents and young adults.

Psychotic transition (PT) is a crucial stage in schizophrenia. The Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS) scale can be used to identify individuals at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis and to evaluate their risk of PT. Many environmental and genetic factors have been identified as contributing to the development and decompensation of schizophrenia. This study aimed to determine if the quality of family functioning is associated with PT risk in UHR individuals aged between 11 and 25 years after 1 year of follow-up. From January to November 2017, 45 patients aged 12 to 25 consulting for psychiatric reasons were included. Twenty-six were classified as UHR of PT at the CAARMS. Family functioning was assessed by the Family Assessment Device-Global Functioning (FAD-GF). Thirty-seven of these patients (30% men, mean age 16 ± 2.5) were reassessed at 8-14 months of recruitment. Survival analysis was used to examine the impact of family functioning on PT risk. A total of 40% of UHR patients were classified as psychotic at reassessment. Survival analysis showed that better family functioning is a significant protective factor for PT in this population. This result suggests that the global family functioning has an impact at 1 year on the risk of PT in the population of adolescents and young adults who consult the hospital for psychiatric reasons. A family intervention may be effective in reducing PT risk in this population and should be considered as a potential therapeutic option.

Relationship of Family Function to the Quality of Life of Persons with Disabilities

Background: People with disabilities are often referred to as disabled people, and regarded as unproductive members of society, unable to perform their duties and responsibilities so that their rights are sometimes not protected and violated. The number of persons with disabilities is about 15% of the world population, with 2.45% in Central Java and 0.75% in Purworejo Regency. Many people with disabilities need family attention. As a direct result, family has an important role in improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities. Assessment of family function using the family APGAR score and the quality of life of persons with disabilities using the WHOQOL-BREF instrument can be performed by most family doctors. Objective: This research aimed to determine the relationship of family function in people with disabilities using Family APGAR scores and quality of life using the WHOQOL-BREF instrument. Methods: This research was a quantitative analytical study with a cross-sectional design. Out of a total of 535 people with disabilities as research subjects and respondents, 190 people were excluded and 345 respondents were included. Statistical analysis used Spearman correlation tests to determine the relationship between the quality of family function and quality of life. Data processing used the Syntax program with significance set as p<0.05. Results: Data collection in 29 villages that became the locations of the study obtained 345 samples. Statistical analysis results showed significant associations of APGAR score, sex and age with WHOQOL-BREF measurement (p=0.00). The family function had a significant relationship with the quality of life in the domain of social and environmental relations. Conclusion: There is a relationship between family function and the quality of life of persons with disabilities in the domain of social and environmental relations.

Pedagogıcal Aspects of Famıly Functıonıng

Various changes in the conditions of social functioning also affect family functioning. Respecting the personality and autonomy of the individual, the connection between the quality of family functioning and educational outcomes of children cannot be neglected. The pedagogical influence of the family on the individual is recognizable by the adopted value orientations and social norms, models of behaviour, learning strategies, ways of distributing power and taking responsibility; communication and ways of solving problem situations, as well as flexibility and expressiveness. Understanding family functions (economic, socio-emotional, religious, reproductive”¦) and their simultaneous impact on children, it is unjustified to interpret children's educational outcomes based on separate aspects of family functioning. Relevant research indicates that a number of latent and intervening variables are associated with children's educational outcomes, and therefore the family is accepted as a nonlinear dynamic system, so changes and children's outcomes are certain, but not easily predictable.

Family Functioning and Multiple Sclerosis: Study Protocol of a Multicentric Italian Project.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease, which not only affects physical functioning, but is also associated with cognitive impairments and great psychological distress. The combination of those symptoms may have negative consequences on the family functioning of patients with MS, with detrimental effects on both marital relationships and parental bonding. Furthermore, the presence of individual characteristics and of an adequate social support may also contribute to the quality and endurance of family relationships. Particularly, high levels of alexithymia, a personality trait that affects the recognition of a person's own emotions, have been associated with reduced interpersonal communication skills and enhanced anxiety/depressive symptoms. Therefore, the main aim of the present study is to provide an in-depth evaluation of family functioning and related factors in patients with MS and their families. In order to reach this goal, the perceived quality of family functioning, dyadic relationships, and parental bonding will be first investigated. Secondly, the possible associations between the quality of family relationships and the presence of alexithymia, psychological distress, and perceived social support will be examined. Patients with MS and their families who will consent to take part in the study will be asked to provide sociodemographic and clinical information, and to complete a series of questionnaires, presented and uploaded on an online dedicated platform. The final sample will be made up of 300 families, consecutively recruited from the Italian medical centers involved in the project. The results of the present study will shed light on the family functioning of patients with MS, through a comprehensive assessment of the main factors that are associated with family dynamics. A holistic evaluation of those aspects can help clinicians and researchers understand family dynamics in MS population better.

Antisocial Personality Problems in Emerging Adulthood: The Role of Family Functioning, Impulsivity, and Empathy.

International research has evidenced the key role played by adults’ and adolescents’ family functioning, impulsivity, and empathy in antisocial personality problems. To date, no study has assessed the complex interaction between these variables during emerging adulthood. This study aimed to explore the possible interplay between antisocial personality problems, the quality of family functioning, impulsivity, and empathetic problems in a community sample of 350 emerging adults. Descriptive, correlational, hierarchical regression, and mediation analyses were performed, controlling relevant socio-demographic variables. Results showed a predictive effect of parental behavioral control, motor impulsivity, and empathetic concern in antisocial personality problems. Moreover, motor impulsivity and empathetic concern partially mediated the relationship between parental behavioral control and emerging adults’ antisocial personality problems. This study supports the recent evidence on the complex relationship between individual and relational protective and risk factors involved in antisocial personality problems during emerging adulthood, with important implications for their intervention treatments.

Family Functioning, Expressed Emotion and Quality of Life in Adolescents with Early Onset Schizophrenia Spectrum and Affective Psychotic Disorders

Background: Quality of family functioning and levels of parental Expressed Emotion (criticism, hostility, or emotional overinvolvement) are prospectively associated with the course and outcome of a range of childhood psychiatric disorders. Aims: This study examined family functioning, expressed emotion and quality of life, in a clinical sample of 40 adolescents presenting with schizophrenia spectrum or affective psychotic disorders. Methods: Expressed Emotion was measured using the Family Questionnaire, family functioning using the Family Assessment Device and Quality of life using the KIDSCREEN 27. Results: Parents scored high on both parts of the Family Questionnaire, the Critical Comments and Emotional Over-involvement. Higher Expressed Emotion was associated with more emotional difficulties of both parents, especially depressive features. Economic difficulties of the family were found to be negatively associated with the adolescents’ psychological wellbeing. Conclusion: Overall, the study points out the need for appropriate family interventions, which will assist the caregivers in developing communication and problem-solving strategies and will contribute to the reduction of high levels of hostile or critical expressed emotion and emotional over-involvement within the family.

Validation of Family Functioning Questionnaire (FFQ) with a Sample of Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Addis Ababa

Contextually validated measures of family functioning of parents with special needs are unavailable in Ethiopia. This study was aimed to validate the Amharic version of the Family Functioning Questionnaire (FFQ) with evidence from community samples of families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (n=72). Having translated the FFQ into Amharic, then the validation processes of assessing the psychometric properties (validity and reliability) of the instrument were conducted using experts’ judgments, factor analysis, and internal consistency measures. The face and content validity assessments resulted in a measure that lends itself to the construct it intends to measure. The principal component factor analysis brought out two factors ( problem-solving and personal goal) with the majority of items demonstrated a factor loading above 0.5. The convergent validity of the FFQ was demonstrated via the Dyadic Adjustment Scale in which the observed significant intercorrelations suggested a strong construct validity of the Amharic FFQ. The internal consistency of the scale was also good, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.82 for the whole scale and 0.91 and 0.82 for the problem-solving and personal goal sub-scales respectively. Hence, the Amharic version of the FFQ can be used for measuring the quality of family functioning in families of children with developmental disorders in the Ethiopian context.

Exploring the Family factors associated with Suicide Attempts among Adolescents and Young Adults: A Qualitative Study.

Background:Suicides are among the leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults worldwide, including India. Suicide attempts are about 20 times more common than completed suicides. Teenagers and youth who attempt suicide belong to a heterogeneous group. Various biological and psychosocial factors, including family factors, contribute to such behavior. Quality of family functioning and relationships may act as an important contextual factor in deciding suicidal behavior. Hence, this study was done to explore the family factors contributing to suicide attempts.Methods:Qualitative exploratory study design and purposive sampling were used. Data were collected from 22 adolescents and young adults using an in-depth interview method. All audio recordings were transcribed in Malayalam, and then translated to English. Codes were developed using the qualitative data analysis software. Thematic analysis was done. Themes and relationships were identified and synthesized to a framework that represents the summary of the data.Results:Most of the participants perceived the home environment as hostile. Problems within the family included parental conflicts and separation, conflict with a sibling or other members of the family, and marital disharmony. Most of them perceived low family support. Socioeconomic factors such as financial issues, superstitious beliefs, disturbing neighborhoods, interpersonal issues, and the stigma of having a mental illness, in a family member, were also noted.Conclusion:Hostile family environment, faulty interactions between family members, and lack of perceived family support may contribute to suicidal behavior among adolescents and young adults. Hence, it is imperative to consider these factors while treating them or planning any suicide prevention program for them.

Correlation Analysis of the Quality of Family Functioning and Subjective Quality of Life in Rehabilitation Patients Living with Schizophrenia in the Community.

Background: Recently, the community rehabilitation model for schizophrenia patients has become increasingly popular, and the Shanghai Pudong New Area has developed a relatively complete community rehabilitation model. This study analyzed the correlation between family function and subjective quality of life in the rehabilitation of patients living with schizophrenia in the community. Methods: This study evaluated persons living with schizophrenia using the Family Assessment Device and the Subjective Quality of Life Scale. A convenient sampling method was used to select 281 rehabilitation patients living with schizophrenia in the community and 166 hospitalized persons living with schizophrenia. Results: There was a significant difference in the Family Assessment Device scores between rehabilitation patients living with schizophrenia in the community and hospitalized persons living with schizophrenia (p < 0.0001). The difference in the scores of the subjective quality of life assessment between rehabilitation patients living with schizophrenia in the community and hospitalized persons living with schizophrenia was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The regression analysis showed that quality of family function had a significant effect on the subjective quality of life in rehabilitation patients living with schizophrenia in the community and hospitalized persons living with schizophrenia. (F = 10.770 p < 0.001), (F = 2.960 p < 0.01). Conclusions: The quality of family function plays an important role in improving the subjective quality of life in rehabilitation patients living with schizophrenia in the community. It may be beneficial to add some methods to improve family function in the current model of rehabilitation in the community.

THE EXPERT OPINION ON QUALITY OF FAMILY FUNCTIONING IN CROATIA

A number of recent studies found the link between the quality of family functioning, welfare and children’s achievement. In the absence of longitudinal studies on the quality of family functioning in Croatia, the expert opinion on family functions and the educational aspects of family life was explored. The data was obtained by classic Delphi method, in three cycles. Anonymous discussion was accepted as a quality manner of idea generating and analysis. Socio-emotional and upbringing functions have been singled out as the most significant permanent family functions, while the educational function is gradually taken over by the society. The expert opinion on family functions and the educational aspects of family life in Croatia was explored. The development of self-esteem and self-respect in children has been identified as the most important aspect of the upbringing function of family. It is assumed that the quality of growing up is related to growing up in families with family functioning. Research participants anticipate further changes in the family structure and the way that family functions. There was no consensus on the unambiguous definition of the family as a concept. There was no statistically significant difference between the opinions of the research participants on the importance of individual family functions in the modern society, and the predictors of the quality of family life. Due to the long-term economic crisis, there is a justified concern about the quality of parenting and, subsequently, the current and long-term welfare of children.

Protocol of a longitudinal study on the specific needs of Syrian refugee families in Switzerland

BackgroundThe ongoing Syrian civil war has led to massive population displacements, leading to the reorganization of the asylum policies of several countries. Accordingly, like other European countries, the Swiss government has recently chosen to implement a specific resettlement program. This program is characterized by the fact that the whole nuclear family is granted a work and residence permit upon arrival, and benefits from enhanced integration services. The aim of the present project is to evaluate the effects of the Swiss resettlement program, with a special focus on mental health, while adopting a family perspective.MethodsThe outcomes of 15 Syrian families taking part in this program will be compared to those of 15 Syrian families that came to Switzerland through other means (i.e., following the usual asylum procedure, which is much more stressful and time consuming). Each family member above 8 years old will be invited to participate to a 3-wave longitudinal survey concerning the resettlement process: upon arrival in the collective shelters, six and 12 months later. Questionnaires will be used for the evaluation of participants’ mental health, risk behaviors, general health, romantic relationship, parent-child relationship, family functioning, parentification, social support, and social identities related to group belongingness.DiscussionThe findings of the present project will provide longitudinal information on Syrian refugees. A comprehensive approach will be adopted by screening potential difficulties that the sample may be faced with and potential strengths that participants may rely on. Accordingly, physical and mental health, as well as the quality of family functioning, the feeling of support and of belongingness to different groups will be evaluated.We will also compare the results of families who had the chance to immigrate through the Swiss resettlement program, to the results of families that did not. This comparison will allow the elaboration of hypotheses regarding adjusted asylum policies. Furthermore, it will enhance our knowledge regarding the impact of displacement on the family system. Indeed, although the role of the family for the well-being of adults and children has been established, surprisingly few studies have adopted this focus in the asylum field.

Mediating role of caregiver burden among family caregivers of patients with Parkinson's disease in Mexico.

This study examined the mediating role of caregiver distress on family factors and caregiver life satisfaction among an understudied population of Parkinson's disease caregiver in Mexico. A cross-sectional design was used to examine psychosocial factors pertinent to caregiver of individuals with Parkinson's disease ( n = 95). Guided by a caregiver stress process model, relations among family factors (e.g., cohesion, flexibility, quality of functioning), gender, distress, and satisfaction with life among caregiver were examined. Mediation analyses were performed to test the role of caregiver distress on the associations between family factors, gender, and caregiver satisfaction with life. Mediation models demonstrated that caregiver distress fully mediated the relation between quality of family functioning and caregiver satisfaction with life and partially mediated the association between family flexibility and caregiver satisfaction with life. Caregiver gender did not emerge as a significant covariate, and null results were found in the model examining family cohesion as a predictor. These results underscore the critical role of caregiver distress and family factors on features of caregiver well-being, notably satisfaction with life. This evidence also offers cross cultural evidence for the caregiver stress process model, which has primarily been observed in Western samples. Accordingly, the need to build and disseminate empirically supported family-based treatments that emphasize caregiver distress is warranted.

Effect of family-oriented interviews on family function of young persons attending the family practice clinic in Oauthc, Ile Ife, south-western Nigeria

The outcome of a young person’s future is affected by the support received from the family. Support that is received is related to the quality of family functioning of the young person. Family-oriented interview assesses the family of a patient who presents for consultation, through the patient. It diagnoses relationship issues in a family and helps in solving them. It may be best suited for the young-person encounter in a clinic as it ensures privacy, an important requirement for young-person care. The study objective was to assess the perceived family function of young persons and the perceived effect on this of family-oriented interview. The study had a quasi-experimental, pre- and post-test design, and the setting was in the family medicine clinic. Family-oriented interview was conducted for 221 young persons after an initial family function assessment. They were each followed up for 12 weeks and family function was reassessed. Perceived family function was significantly associated with very close relationships with the family members, especially fathers and mothers. Family-oriented interview may have significantly improved perceived family function in the study. Family-oriented interview of young persons presenting for medical care is recommended.

Family Cohesion and Adaptation in Pediatric Chronic Conditions: The Missing Link of the Family’s Condition Management

The quality of family functioning has been considered an important predictor of adaptation in children with chronic conditions and their parents. Previous research suggests that beyond general family functioning, the specific experience of the family’s condition management is paramount for understanding family members’ adaptation. This study’s first goal was to compare family functioning and parents’ and children’s adaptation outcomes across four chronic conditions: asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, and obesity. Secondly, we explored the mediating role of family life difficulties and parental mutuality, as two potential paths through which family cohesion is linked to family members’ adaptation. A total of 263 parents of children (3–19 years old) with asthma (n = 77), obesity (n = 79), epilepsy (n = 52) and diabetes (n = 55) completed self-report measures of family cohesion, family life difficulty, parental mutuality, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and their children’s health-related quality of life (HrQoL). The results showed that families of children with diabetes, obesity, and epilepsy were at higher risk of experiencing family difficulties and children’s deteriorated HrQoL when compared to families of children with asthma. With regard to the links among study variables, although family cohesion had both a direct and indirect relationship with parental depressive symptoms, its links with parental anxiety symptoms and children’s HrQoL were only indirect, through family life difficulty. These associations were consistent across the four clinical groups. These findings emphasize the relevance of family-centered interventions aimed at promoting family cohesion, parents’ mutuality, and effective coping with the demands of pediatric chronic conditions.

Cognitive assessment of refugee children: Effects of trauma and new language acquisition.

Each year, approximately 60,000 children of refugee background are resettled in Western countries. This paper reviews the effects of the refugee experience on cognitive functioning. The distinctive influences for these children include exposure to traumatic events and the need to acquire a new language, factors that need to be considered to avoid overdiagnosis of learning disorders and inappropriate educational placements. Prearrival trauma, psychological sequelae of traumatic events, developmental impact of trauma, and the quality of family functioning have been found to influence cognitive functioning, learning, and academic performance. In addition, the refugee child may be semiproficient in several languages, but proficient in none, whilst also trying to learn a new language. The influence that the child's limited English proficiency, literacy, and school experience may have on academic and test performance is demonstrated by drawing on the research on refugees' English language acquisition, as well as the more extensive literature on bilingual English language learners. Implications for interventions are drawn at the level of government policy, schools, and the individual. The paper concludes with the observation that there is a major need for longitudinal research on refugee children's learning and academic performance and on interventions that will close the academic gap, thereby enabling refugee children to reach their educational potential.

Are parents doing better when they are together? A study on the association between parental sensitivity and family-level processes

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of one parent's presence on the quality of the interaction between the other parent and their three-month-old infant. Family interactions were observed in a sample of 69 two-parent families. Parental sensitivity was assessed during two sessions, first in a ‘dyadic’ context (D) and then in a ‘dyad within the triad’ context (DT). Subsequently, we compared maternal and paternal sensitivity in the D and DT contexts according to the quality of family functioning (‘high coordination’ versus ‘low coordination’). The results showed that parents were significantly more sensitive in the DT context than in the D context. This effect appeared to vary according to the quality of family alliance. Moreover, family alliance was globally associated with sensitive parenting. This study helps clarify the role of the triad as a protective factor for early infant–parent dyads.

Family Functioning as a Mediator of Relations between Family History of Substance Use Disorder and Impulsivity.

To examine family functioning as a mediator of relations between having a family history of substance use disorder and impulsivity. Participants included a majority Hispanic sample of pre-adolescent boys and girls (mean age 10.99, SD = .84) recruited from the community who did (FH+) and did not (FH-) have a family history of substance use disorder. FH status and the quality of family functioning were compared at the initial visit with impulsiveness assessed a year later. Results showed FH+ children had worse family functioning; worse family functioning was related to higher levels of impulsivity, and higher levels of impulsivity among FH+ children were due to the influence of family functioning on levels of impulsivity. In other words, family functioning mediated relations between having a family history of substance use disorder and impulsivity. These results indicate that higher levels of impulsivity in FH+ children are due in part to worse family functioning.

Family Environment, Coping and Parent-Child Relationship among Families Raising Children with and without Bipolar Disorder: A Comparative Study

Childhood bipolar disorder, also known as pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD), is a form of mood disorder that occurs in children. The significant functional impairments and considerable difficulties associated with PBD heavy demands are often placed on the resources of parents, which can lead to decreased quality of family functioning and difficult parent-child relationships. Difficulties in family function and parent-child relationships have also in other childhood psychiatric disorder including depression and schizophrenia. The aim of the paper is to know the family environment, coping and parent-child relationship among families raising children with bipolar disorder in comparison to normal group. The sample size consists 60 children‘s and their parents, among which 30 children with bipolar disorder and the remaining 30 from normal children‘s (non bipolar) with age and sex matched normal controls through purposive sampling method. The first category of the samples was collected from out-patient department of Erna Hoch Centre for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry of Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP), Ranchi. The second category (normal controls) of the samples consist non bipolar children‘s and their parents who resides in the surrounding areas of the hospital. The family environment and coping scale were administered with parents and the parent child relationship was assessed from the children‘s. There is higher level of behavioral problems found in children‘s with Bipolar Affective Disorder compared to normal control group. Both internalizing and externalizing problems are found in patient group. Statistically significant associations and differences are found among the parents of children with and without bipolar disorder. The study emphasizes the vulnerability of the families raising children with mental illnesses.

The Family Questionnaire

Efforts to improve the quality of life of children cannot be considered in isolation from the family. In this study, a short family questionnaire (FQ) is presented that clinicians, researchers, and policy makers can use to assess the quality of family functioning. Measured family characteristics are responsiveness, communication, organization, social network, and partner relationship. A total of 2,450 parents (2,011 mothers and 439 fathers) completed the FQ. Confirmatory factor analysis reveals a robust comparative fit index of 0.98 and RMSEA of 0.04. Internal consistency ranges from 0.83 to 0.97, test–retest reliability from 0.77 to 0.91 and mother–father concordance from 0.64 to 0.74. An estimated 11% of all Dutch families are neutral or negative about their total family functioning. The conclusions are that the results support the reliability and validity of the FQ, and that the majority of Dutch parents perceived the quality of their family functioning positively.