Repeated Participation in a Bereaved Parents Group: Two Case Studies and Implications for Clinicians

Over 30, 000 children die each year from catastrophic illness Groups for the bereaved have arisen to address the needs of family members following the profound loss of a child The authors review the commonly held notions of "normal" and "pathological" mourning and their special application to bereaved parents The cases of two women who participated in their fifth group for bereaved parents are presented with the meanings of their repeated attendance examined in the context of incomplete mourning Implications for professionals working with bereaved parents are discussed.     

Categories of Information Need Expressed by Parents of Individuals with Rare Genetic Disorders in a Facebook Community Group: A Case Study with Implications for Information Professionals

Abstract

Costello syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that affects virtually all aspects of an individual’s life. Few specialists have been trained to understand the condition and provide guidance to caregivers and virtually no traditional information sources (e.g. books, websites) exist to provide information to caregivers. In this case, the community becomes a major source of information for caregivers of individuals with this condition. This study examines the types of information that need to be expressed in one of these communities: an online Facebook group. The categories of information need to be identified in the study to demonstrate areas of concern to caregivers and offer areas for further research or publication for researchers of rare disorders and health conditions. The role of information professionals in satisfying these information needs of caregivers of individuals with Costello syndrome and other rare disorders.     

Measurement of Child Temperament: Implications for Researchers, Clinicians and Caregivers

Child temperament has been of interest to researchers clinicians, and caregivers for many years The New York Longitudinal Study identified nine dimensions of child temperament, several additional investigations have contributed to the development of this important construct These studies and the subsequent development of temperament instruments have stimulated debate, research, and opposing theories Currently, there is not a single definition of temperament and there are many psychometric problems with the available temperament instruments However, temperament in children will continue to raise interesting questions for parents, researchers, clinicians, and caregivers.     

Parenting: A Group Programme for Abusive Parents

Treatment programmes for sexual offenders constitute a new area of practice for occupational therapy. Role dysfunction is evident in the way the offenders perform within their family, work and social settings. This article describes a parenting group which was established in order to assist the offenders to examine their parenting roles and to develop new and appropriate parenting skills.     

Interventions for Young Bereaved Children: A Systematic Review and Implications for School Mental Health Providers

Background

Many young children experience the death of a family member and they may be at risk for developing psychological and behavioral problems, but not much is known about how to help young children cope with such a stressful and painful experience.

Objective

The purposes of this study are to identify the interventions for bereaved young children and examine the effectiveness of the interventions.

Methods

A systematic review of the literature was performed to investigate the effects of interventions for preschool-age children (3–5 years) who experience the death of a family member.

Results

Seventeen studies that met the inclusion criteria for the purpose of this review were identified. All of the studies involved a small sample, and majority of the studies mixed preschool children with other older children in the sample. Play-based therapies were the most common interventions for grieving young children. Involving parents in the interventions, regardless of their therapeutic orientation, was a critical ingredient.

Conclusions

Limited empirical evidence of positive intervention outcomes for preschool-age bereaved children was available. Surviving parents were seen as an important agent to help young children grieve and cope with the experience of loss. Implications for school mental health practice and research are provided.

     

The Human-Animal Team Approach for Children with Emotional Disorders: Two Case Studies

The therapeutic potential of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) was assessed in two case studies of emotionally disturbed children. Two boys (11 and 12 years of age) participated in weekly AAT sessions for 12 weeks. Progress of individual goals was assessed through The ADD-H Comprehensive Teacher Rating Scale (ACTeRS), direct observation and videotapes of the therapy sessions, Individual Education Plans (IEP), and post-intervention interviews with the participants, their families, and educational professionals. Data analysis revealed progress in most identified goals.     

Consumer Participation in Planning Health Promotion Programmes: A Case Study Using the Nominal Group Technique

Current health policy in Australia requires consumer involvement in planning health promotion programmes. The literature highlights the need to involve the elderly in planning health promotion programmes. It is only by understanding their concerns, attitudes, beliefs and values that appropriate strategies can be developed. This paper describes how the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) was used to plan a health promotion programme's content and strategies for a Veterans' Quality of Life Project. The NGT group meetings yielded a wealth of easily collected, rank ordered, qualitative data from over 400 consumers. Additionally, consumer responses revealed issues not raised in the literature and, provided the foundation for continued participation and enthusiasm in subsequent health promotion activities. NGT proved to be an effective and efficient way to involve elderly consumers in planning health promotion programmes.     

Dynamics of ADHD in Familial Contexts: Perspectives From Children and Parents and Implications for Practitioners

This article provides in-depth insights on the bidirectional dynamics between parents and their children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Five family units (8 parents, 5 children, N = 13) participated in this study. Parents and their child with ADHD were interviewed individually in their homes. Stressful moments of parent–child dynamics revolved around managing their child’s behavior and doing homework. Findings highlight the child’s agency and power of influence, and the possible recovery of negative dynamics. It is recommended that practitioners adopt the strengths perspective in working with these families and incorporate child’s agency and bidirectional dynamics in interventions.     

Mentoring Children With Incarcerated Parents: Implications for Research,Practice, and Policy

We investigated children and families who were participating in a mentoring program targeting children with incarcerated parents. Using multiple methods and informants, we explored the development of the mentoring relationship, challenges and benefits of mentoring children with incarcerated parents, and match termination in 57 mentor‐child dyads. More than one‐third of matches terminated during the first 6 months of participation. For those matches that continued to meet, however, children who saw their mentors more frequently exhibited fewer internalizing and externalizing symptoms. In monthly interviews with participants, themes emerged about challenges associated with mentoring and reasons for match termination. Implications for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers are discussed.     

Retaining Ethnic Minority Parents in a Preventive Intervention: The Quality of Group Process

This study examined relations between group process variables and retention of ethnic minority (African American and Hispanic) caregivers in a family-focused preventive intervention. Data from the Familias Unidas/SEPI project (Coatsworth, Pantin, & Szapocznik, 2002), a randomized, controlled intervention trial, were used to cluster participants according to their patterns of retention over 30 intervention sessions. These person-centered analyses identified three broad patterns: (a) dropouts; (b) variable-attenders; and (c) consistent-high-attenders. Two subgroups of the variable-attender group were also identified: (a) intermittent-attenders, and (b) continual-attenders. Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) with follow-up Analysis of Variance tested for differences among the three main retention groups on facilitator ratings of participants' general level of participation, leadership, positive alliance with the group, and negative alliance with the group during the first half of the intervention. Leadership and positive alliance significantly discriminated the broad retention patterns. Mean level of participation was not significantly different across retention groups. Results of DFA and ANOVA analyses using leadership, alliance, and participation variables from the first and second halves of the intervention indicated only leadership and positive alliance during the second half of the intervention discriminated continual-attenders from intermittent-attenders. EDITORS' STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS: The authors describe a promising approach to studying facilitators' assessments of client involvement in a family-focused preventive intervention. The quality of the participants' behavior during sessions, rather than their absolute levels of participation, predicted their pattern of retention in the program. Future comparisons of facilitator and parent views may prove helpful.     

Parenting Attitudes and Moral Development of Treatment Foster Parents: Implications for Training and Supervision

This study examined the relationship between moral development and treatment foster parent attitudes. The Defining Issues Test and the Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory were administered to 103 treatment foster parents. Additional variables of gender, age, race, marital status, and education were also considered. Significant correlations indicated that treatment foster parents with higher levels of moral reasoning were more likely to report more appropriate and nurturing parenting attitudes on the parenting inventory. Significant relationships with gender, race, age, and education are reported. Implications for utilizing a cognitive developmental framework for selecting, training, and supervising foster parents and perhaps other child and youth caregivers are discussed.     

The Role of Embedded Librarians in Educational Health Resources: Two Case Studies

The field of media and health is continually evolving, requiring ongoing evaluation and interpretation of the research examining this burgeoning environmental health issue. Creating educational materials for specialized topics, such as how media and technology affect children’s health and development, is a complex process best accomplished with the support of an embedded librarian. Embedded librarianship, in which a librarian is a core member of a research team, allows for the development of specific subject knowledge. Subsequently, having an embedded health sciences librarian as a collaborator in the creation of specialized resources ensures that these materials are grounded in the latest science and tailored to fit their intended audiences’ interests and needs.     

Orthotic Management of the Flaccid Upper Limb in Hemiplegia: Two Case Studies

There is little documented evidence pertaining to the effects of orthotic management of the flaccid upper limb in hemiplegia. Two adult hemiplegics with flaccid upper limbs post cerebrovascular accident volunteered to participate in an investigation examining the effects of a wrist hand orthosis of the resting type on variables such as sensation, passive range of motion, oedema, arm placement, hand function, muscle tone and cosmetic appearance. One subject was fitted with the orthosis, the other was not. All variables were measured over an eight week period. Results for the splinted subject indicated no negative effects for any of the measured variables whilst the limb was splinted. The unsplinted subject developed some oedema and range restrictions during the eight weeks. Due to the limited number of subjects and the length of the study, generalised conclusive and long-term effects of orthotic management could not be stated. The short-term results however, suggest possible benefits from the use of orthoses in flaccid hemiplegia and further emphasise the need for continued research in this field.     

Community Partnerships: Review of Selected Models and Evaluation of Two Case Studies

Risks for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are established early in life with behavior patterns associated with diet and physical activity. Establishing healthy behavior patterns among children, and providing the environmental supports necessary to maintain them, has the potential to reduce future risks for chronic diseases. This paper reviews the literature on collaborative partnerships formed to address similar issues.The authors describe the evaluation of school and community partnerships facilitated by the Kansas LEAN School Intervention Project, which had the mission of reducing risks for chronic diseases, including CVDs and some cancers, among children. A multiple case study design was used with collaborative partnerships in two communities in Kansas.The results suggest that the partnerships facilitated important changes in the schools and communities. We discuss challenges and opportunities in the evaluation of school and community partnerships for health.     

Breast Cancer‐Related Lymphedema: Implications for Family Leisure Participation

An estimated 20% of breast cancer survivors face the chronic condition of breast cancer‐related lymphedema. This study explored the ways in which women with this condition experienced changes in their participation in family leisure as one indicator of family functioning. Participants (N = 27) were interviewed regarding lifestyles before and after lymphedema, perceptions of personal independence, relationships with others, and personal coping. Data were analyzed using a cooperative, inductive format. Participants described a heightened sense of caution regarding participation in family leisure activities. Participants coped with lymphedema by either modifying the way they participated or not taking part in family leisure activities. Professionals may use these findings to assist women and their families in modifying leisure activities and exploring new activities.     

Evaluating a Psychoeducational,Therapeutic Group for Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The current study aimed to review and evaluate a three-session psychoeducational and psychotherapeutic group programme for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The group programme was facilitated through an ASD diagnostic and intervention service within a Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Trust over a 12-month period, throughout which time 83 parents attended a three-session course covering various aspects of ASD-specific material. Knowledge of ASD, understanding of behavioural management techniques and parental self-efficacy were measured through pre-course and post-course questionnaires, completed by the parents. Participants also completed a questionnaire regarding their experience following course attendance. The data were analysed using a mixed-methods approach. Results from pre-course and post-course analysis showed that parental understanding of the social deficits and the cognitive and behavioural difficulties associated with ASD significantly increased following course attendance. Course attendance also significantly increased parental understanding of the strategies used to support a child with ASD and parental self-efficacy. Client experience questionnaires were analysed using thematic analysis, with themes centring on the importance of peer and professional support, timeliness of intervention and relevance of information covered within the course. The parents' evaluation of the course was rated predominantly as a positive experience. The importance of parents receiving involvement through an intervention programme is explored and the results are discussed in relation to potential impact on service provision, identifying future need and areas for further research.