Parental attitude and coping behaviors in families of children with epilepsy

This study investigated the relationship between parental attitudes toward their children's epilepsy and parental coping patterns. Subjects were 27 parents whose children had epilepsy. Parental attitude was measured using the Fishbein Expectancy-Value Model, while coping was measured using the Coping Health Inventory for Parents. Significant positive correlations were found between parental attitude and the coping pattern of Maintaining Family Integration, Cooperation and Optimistic Definition of the Situation (r = .42, p less than .02). Parental attitude was also positively related to the coping pattern of Maintaining Social Support, Self-esteem and Psychological Stability (r = .32, p less than .05). Results suggest parents with positive attitudes toward their children's epilepsy use more positive coping behaviors than parents with less positive attitudes.     

The Effects of a Stress-Management Program on Self-concept, Locus of Control, and the Acquisition of Coping Skills in School-Age Children Diagnosed With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

PROBLEM: What is the effectiveness of a stress-management program on self-concept, locus of control, and acquisition of appropriate coping strategies in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? METHODS: Forty-two children with ADHD (age range 9-12) were randomly assigned to a control group, a therapist-led group, or a group in which the stress-management techniques were taught by the parents. The subjects were pre- and posttested on self-concept, locus of control, and acquisition of coping skills. FINDINGS: Although there were no significant changes in any of the three groups for acquisition of coping skills, the children in the therapist-led group reported more appropriate coping strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Involving parents in a cognitive-behavioral approach could improve parent-child relationships and further increase the opportunities for successful academic and social functioning.     

Parental satisfaction with an outpatient asthma-management program for children and adolescents – A pilot study

The objective of our asthma management program is to optimize the disease management and the quality of life of children and adolescents with asthma. An improvement in coping with asthma should be achieved by teaching theoretical aspects and practical skills. The training is performed in small groups of children and adolescents of similar age, going for 10 sessions each lasting 90 minutes. Additionally, in 1999 and 2000, the program was also offered as a two-week workshop in the summer holidays. The goal of this study was the assessment of parental satisfaction with the outpatient asthma management program for children and adolescents. We developed a short questionnaire and assessed the following aspects: general parental satisfaction with the training, judgement of the children's knowledge about asthma, coping skills and recommendation of the training. All parents (n = 138) whose children/adolescents attended the training between 1999 and 2002 were invited to take part in this study. 106 parents (76.8%) returned the questionnaire. The results showed that most parents (95%) were highly satisfied with this asthma management program. They equally positively rated their children's coping skills (87% classified them as "much better") and their knowledge (96% rated it as "very good" resp. "good") about asthma after the training. Almost all parents (97%) recommended our program. The results were very helpful for planning the recently started, prospective case-control study on outcome evaluation of this program.     

Affected family member coping with a relative with alcohol and/or other drug misuse: A cross‐sectional survey questionnaire

Families have a crucial role supporting a relative with alcohol and/or other drug misuse, but the role has adverse implications for family members’ coping, which in turn, affects their ability and willingness to support the relative. The aim of this study was to assess the coping behaviours of affected family members of relatives with alcohol and/or other drug misuse and to assess if there was a relationship between the level of coping and family member type and support‐giving experience. A cross‐sectional survey design was used, and 90 respondents completed the questionnaire. Results suggest the following associations: that ‘Other’ family members made more frequent use of maladaptive coping strategies than intimate partners (P = 0.012); family members whose role had a negative effect on their physical health made more frequent use of maladaptive coping strategies than those whose role did not have this effect (P = 0.014); and family members whose role had a negative effect on their ability to socialise used maladaptive coping strategies more often than those whose role did not have this effect (P = 0.003). Engaged and tolerant‐inactive maladaptive coping strategies had a significantly greater adverse influence on family members’ physical health and/or socialising than withdrawal coping strategies. Affected family members should be supported to use adaptive coping strategies to mitigate the detrimental effects of their support‐giving role and to sustain them in this crucial support‐giving role. Family and friends, mental health nurses, and other clinicians in the alcohol and other drug field have an important role in supporting family members in this context.     

Is Rural School-Aged Children's Quality of Life Affected by Their Responses to Asthma?

The unpredictable nature of asthma makes it stressful for children and can affect their quality of life (QOL). An exploratory analysis of 183 rural school-aged children's data was conducted to determine relationships among demographic factors, children's responses to asthma (coping and asthma self-management), and their QOL. Coping frequency, asthma severity, and race/ethnicity significantly predicted children's asthma-related QOL. Children reported more frequent coping as asthma-related QOL worsened (higher scores). Children with more asthma severity had worse asthma-related QOL. Post hoc analyses showed that racial/ethnic minorities reported worse asthma-related QOL scores than did non-Hispanic Whites.     

Coping and family relationships in stress resistance: a study of job satisfaction of nurses in Singapore

This study examined the role of coping strategies and family relationships in mitigating the negative effect of work stress on nurses. The findings indicated that nurses who adapted to work stress with high job satisfaction were more inclined to adopt approach coping methods (problem orientation, ability enhancement, and change of perspective) than those who reported low job satisfaction under high work stress. The stress-resistant nurses were also distinguished by a less frequent use of defensive or avoidance coping in handling of their emotional reactions to stress. They perceived greater family support than did the distressed nurses. Implications of the findings and limitation of the study were discussed.     

Exploring a broader context of the home environment and its relationship with asthma control in American Indian children

In this cross-sectional study of 60 American Indian mother-child dyads from Southeastern North Carolina, we examined whether childhood asthma control was related to household-level factors, such as environmental tobacco smoke and family management behaviors. We also examined the relationships among family management behaviors and maternal depressive symptoms. We used logistic regression to assess the relationships among childhood asthma control, the presence of environmental tobacco smoke, and family management behaviors, specifically condition management ability (CMA) and condition management effort (CME). We used linear regression to evaluate the relationships between both CMA and CME and maternal depressive symptoms. Better asthma control in children was associated with the absence of environmental tobacco smoke in the home and the maternal perception of asthma as a manageable condition. Mothers perceived an increase in effort to manage their child's asthma as their depressive symptoms increased. These findings emphasize the importance of environmental triggers, perceptions of condition management, and maternal mental health in controlling asthma in American Indian children. Interventions to reduce environmental triggers, treat maternal depressive symptoms, and support mothers in their ability to manage childhood asthma may yield better asthma control and help to reduce existing racial disparities in this population.     

Parental stress in mothers of children with asthma

Cases of asthma are increasing dramatically. Asthma is the most common chronic disease among children. Children's health and education can be affected by uncontrolled disease. Families play an important role in childhood asthma management. The main purpose of this study was to understand the parental stress and associated coping behaviors of mothers of children with asthma. The study adopted the survey design with the purposive sampling method. Data collection took place between December, 2003 and February, 2004. Sixty-eight mothers participated in the research. Data were collected with structured questionnaires, incorporating the Parental Distress Rating Scale, the Parental Coping Behavior Rating Scale, the Seriousness of Asthma Symptom Rating Scale and Demographic Data Sheet. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS/10.0 software. The results showed that factors affecting the mother's stress, included her age and the seriousness of the child's disease. Factors affecting the mother's coping behaviors included the mother's educational level, the child's age, the seriousness of the child's disease, the mother's age, the number of asthmatic children in the family, and the mother's system of belief. Using multiple regression analysis, the number of asthmatic children in the family, and the mother's coping behavior were found to be significant in explaining 47% of the variance in parental stress. We hope that these data will help clinical health care providers in fostering more effective strategies of health care in asthma of children and mother.     

Relations between social support, appraisal and coping and both positive and negative outcomes for children of a parent with multiple sclerosis and comparisons with children of healthy parents

OBJECTIVE: To examine adjustment in children of a parent with multiple sclerosis within a stress and coping framework and compare them with those who have 'healthy' parents. SUBJECTS: A total of 193 participants between 10 and 25 years completed questionnaires; 48 youngsters who had a parent with multiple sclerosis and 145 youngsters who reported that they did not have a parent with an illness or disability. METHOD: A questionnaire survey methodology was used. Variable sets included caregiving context (e.g. additional parental illness, family responsibilities, parental functional impairment, choice in helping), social support (network size, satisfaction), stress appraisal, coping (problem solving, seeking support, acceptance, wishful thinking, denial), and positive (life satisfaction, positive affect, benefits) and negative (distress, health) adjustment outcomes. RESULTS: Caregiving context variables significantly correlated with poorer adjustment in children of a parent with multiple sclerosis included additional parental illness, higher family responsibilities, parental functional impairment and unpredictability of the parent's multiple sclerosis, and less choice in helping. As predicted, better adjustment in children of a parent with multiple sclerosis was related to higher levels of social support, lower stress appraisals, greater reliance on approach coping strategies (problem solving, seeking support and acceptance) and less reliance on avoidant coping (wishful thinking and denial). Compared with children of 'healthy' parents, children of a parent with multiple sclerosis reported greater family responsibilities, less reliance on problem solving and seeking social support coping, higher somatization and lower life satisfaction and positive affect. CONCLUSIONS: Findings delineate the key impacts of young caregiving and support a stress and coping model of adjustment in children of a parent with multiple sclerosis.     

Physical activity and physical self-concept: comparison between children with and without asthma

AIM: This paper reports a study comparing levels of physical activity and physical self-concepts between children with and without asthma. BACKGROUND: Childhood asthma has become one of the world's most prevalent chronic illnesses. Its symptoms are thought to prevent children from participating in some forms of physical activity. However, asthma treatment guidelines are increasingly suggesting that children with asthma can participate in the same physical activities as healthy children for the same reasons-- to promote normal growth, physical development and psychological health. METHOD: Between October 2001 and May 2002, 120 children between the ages of 9 and 11 with mild and moderate asthma were recruited from three paediatric asthma clinics in Taiwan, and 309 non-asthmatic children in the same age group were selected from four elementary schools in Taiwan's three largest cities. Participants were asked to record physical activity levels for 3 days out of the past 7 days and to fill out a 29-item Physical Self-Concept Inventory. Physical activities were classified as moderate-to-vigorous physical activity or vigorous physical activity. Physical self-concept was measured in terms of perceived flexibility, endurance, appearance, agility, obesity and strength. RESULTS: Asthma was the primary factor determining vigorous physical activity levels, but gender was the primary factor determining physical self-concept, especially in terms of endurance, obesity and strength. No statistically significant relationships were noted between asthma and gender in terms of effects on physical activity and physical self-concept. CONCLUSIONS: Asthma interferes with children's ability to participate in vigorous physical activity but not in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Gender determines primary differences in physical self-concept. Appropriate exercise recommendations are necessary to encourage children with asthma to engage in vigorous physical activity for normal growth.     

高热惊厥患儿家属应对方式现状及其相关影响因素分析

目的 探究高热惊厥患儿家属应对方式现状及其相关影响因素。方法 选取2022年4月至2023年5月我院收治的100例高热惊厥患儿家属,采用简易应对方式问卷（SCSQ）评估患儿家属的应对方式,并收集相关资料,分析该类患儿家属应对方式的影响因素。结果 100例患儿家属中消极应对者32例,占32.00%。家属与患儿的关系、受教育程度、家庭关怀度、心理弹性与高热惊厥患儿家属的消极应对有关（P＜0.05）;经Logistic回归分析显示,患儿母亲、高中及以下是高热惊厥患儿家属消极应对的危险因素（OR＞1,P＜0.05）;家庭关怀度及心理弹性评分较高是高热惊厥患儿家属消极应对的保护因素（OR＜1,P＜0.05）。结论 高热惊厥患儿家属消极应对主要受其为患儿母亲、受教育程度较低、家庭关怀度较低、心理弹性较低等因素影响,临床可据此采取措施来改善其应对方式。     

Features of problematic eating behaviors among community-dwelling older adults with dementia: Family caregivers' experience

This study aimed to explore family caregivers' experience of the problematic eating behaviors among community-dwelling older adults with dementia, and how these caregivers cope with these problems. An exploratory qualitative study using purposive sampling recruited family caregivers of community-dwelling older adults with dementia in southern Taiwan. In-depth interviews were carried out with a semi-structured interview guide. Data were saturated when the number of participants reached a certain number. The following three features were derived from the content analysis: fundamental deviations of eating behaviors, expressing needs through eating behaviors, and loss of eating ability. The results also show that caregivers often derived their own ways of coping with the problems they faced, and tended to have negative attitudes and behaviors with regard to coping with the demands of older adults with dementia. The findings of this study can provide valuable information to family caregivers with regard to the problematic eating behaviors of older adults with dementia, so that early recognition and understanding of such behaviors facilitate appropriate responses, thus reducing the burden shouldered by caregivers.     

护理本科生临床实习期间压力程度和应对方式的相关因素研究

目的了解护理本科生临床实习期间的压力程度、应对方式,分析其相关因素,并探索压力程度与应对方式的相关性。方法采用问卷调查法,在临床实习前期对80名护理本科生进行调查。结果护生的压力程度以中度为主,应对方式较积极。对压力程度有影响的因素:父母职业、家庭子女数和护生类别;对应对方式有影响的因素:专业态度和相关社会实践;积极应对方式与压力程度呈负相关,消极应对方式与压力程度呈正相关。结论护理本科生压力程度与父母职业、家庭子女数及护生类别有关,应对方式受专业喜好程度及社会实践经验影响。护理教师应针对性地为护生提供指导和帮助,减轻临床实习期间的压力,提高实习效果。     

Children with asthma: initial development of the child resilience model

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a clinically relevant conceptual model of resilience in children based on theoretical relationships between family environment, specific child characteristics, and selected health outcomes. METHODS: A correlational study method was used to study a nonprobability, volunteer sample of 235 children, diagnosed with asthma on daily medication. FINDINGS: Findings revealed that the paths in the inner core of a resilience model were statistically significant. Fifteen percent of the variance in the illness indices outcome for children with asthma was explained by family environment, specific child characteristics, appraisal and coping, and child perceived quality of life. A child's sense of coherence and self-esteem, as mediated by a child's appraisal of asthma, accounted for 37% of the variance explained in the perceived quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses and physicians, committed to working in partnerships with parents, can help foster specific child characteristics that impact the effects of asthma.     

Gender differences in the use of coping strategies among Taiwanese parents whose children have cancer

This study explores parental gender-based similarities and differences in the use of coping strategies when their children suffer from cancer. The data from the 171 parent-couples who served as subjects for this study were selected from a larger data set of surveys from parents whose children were receiving treatment or follow-up care for cancer. The results show that no major differences were found between fathers and mothers in coping behaviors while caring for children with cancer. In addition to quantitative measure of coping behaviors, a qualitative orientation with more in-depth data is needed to explore how parents cope with children with cancer. More data are needed on additional variables that may influence coping such as the presence and severity of child's illness. Nurses need to be aware of the various coping behaviors that mothers and fathers use while caring for children with cancer. Assessment of coping strategies is a prerequisite to planning care for parents with cancer.     

Self-concept and health locus of control: factors related to children's adherence to recommended asthma regimen

PURPOSE: To determine the relationships of adherence to daily peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) monitoring, recommended for asthma self-management, with self-concept and health locus of control in a sample of 42 children, ages 7 through 11. DESIGN/METHODS: Secondary analysis was conducted on data collected as part of our 5-week randomized, controlled asthma self-management clinical trial. During the study, the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale (PHCSC) and Children's Health Locus of Control Scale (CHLOC) were administered at baseline (Week 1) and Week 5 for comparison, while adherence to electronically-measured peak flow monitor (PFM) was evaluated during Week 5. RESULTS: Adherence was positively correlated with higher self-concept (r(s) = .33, p = .03) and internal health locus of control (r(s) = .30, p = .05). Adherence to PFM and the intellectual and anxiety subscales of the PHCSC also were positively associated (r(s) = .38, p = .01, in both cases). CONCLUSIONS: Children who have a positive self-concept, particularly in the areas of intellect and anxiety, are more adherent to their recommended asthma regimen. Similarly, those who perceive their ability to control their health more positively adhere better to daily PEFR monitoring. These results suggest that children's adherence interventions may need to include components aimed at enhancing self-concept and health locus of control.     

Families of children with developmental disabilities: an examination of family hardiness.

Using the Typology Model of Adjustment and Adaptation, a family stress model, relationships among family hardiness, family stressors, family appraisal, coping, social support, and satisfaction with family functioning were examined in a sample of 57 families of children with developmental disabilities. Family hardiness was associated with family appraisal, social support, parental coping related to maintaining family integration, and satisfaction with family functioning. Higher satisfaction with family functioning was correlated with coping-integration, network support, functional support, and hardiness. Lower satisfaction with family functioning was associated with higher family stressor scores, social support loss, and increased parental age. Over 42% of the variance in family functioning was accounted for by family hardiness, functional support, family stressors, and parental age. The results highlight the value of continued investigations of hardiness in families.     

临床护士工作家庭冲突及应对方式对工作满意度的影响

目的:了解临床护士工作家庭冲突、应对方式和工作满意度的现状,并探讨三者之间的关系。方法:便利抽取2所医院578名临床护士。采用护士一般人口情况调查表、工作家庭冲突量表、应对方式量表和护士工作满意度量表进行调查。结果:临床护士工作家庭冲突处于较高水平,工作影响家庭高于家庭影响工作,且差异具有统计学意义(P<0.001);工作满意度均分为(2.88±0.46)分,得分最低的维度为薪酬;护士应对方式6个维度得分由高到低为:问题的解决、正面认识、行为摆脱、寻求社会支持、缓解情绪困扰、回避与自责;工作家庭冲突、问题的解决、寻求社会支持、回避与自责显著影响工作满意度(P<0.01)。结论:鼓励护士积极解决问题和寻求社会支持是降低工作家庭冲突、提高工作满意度的正性激励措施。     

家族特应性聚集与儿童哮喘表型关系的研究

目的研究家族特应性聚集与儿童哮喘表型的关系。方法对2007年4月至2008年5月本院呼吸专科就诊的216例哮喘患儿进行问卷调查及临床检查，并根据有无家族特应性疾病史分为家族特应性（A组）和无家族特应性（B组）两组，比较两组哮喘患儿特应性疾病的患病率、哮喘严重程度及血清总IgE（TIgE）、户尘螨特异性IgE（DlIgE）水平。结果A组哮喘患儿特应性患病率为81．15％，与B组45．74％比较，有显著性差异（P〈0．05）；A组哮喘患儿，TIgE为（768．40±524．26）IU／mL，与B组患儿TIgE（597．16±565．38）IU／mL相比较，有显著性差异（P〈0．05）；A组哮喘患儿DlIgE为（62．35±51．14）kua／L，与B组患儿D1IgE（59．43±60．77）kua／L相比较，无显著性差异（P〉0．05）；A组哮喘患儿重度哮喘患病率为10．66％，与B组的重度哮喘患病率3．19％比较，有显著性差异（P〈0．05）；A组哮喘患儿中度哮喘患病率为30．33％，与B组的中度哮喘患病率12．77％比较，有显著性差异（P〈0．05）；两组患儿间歇发作、轻度哮喘患病率分别比较，无显著性差异（P均〉0．05）。重度哮喘患儿TIgE（1326．04±635．48）IU／mL，与非重度哮喘患儿TIgE（650．05±539．10）IU／mL相比较，差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论家族特应性聚集与患儿哮喘表型之间有一定的关系，有家族特应性聚集的哮喘息儿易患特应性疾病，病情较严重，TIgE水平更高。