Quality of life among parents of children with autistic disorder: A sample from the Arab world

BackgroundA growing body of research has sought to examine issues associated with the Quality of Life (QoL) of parents of children with Autistic Disorder. However, no studies have examined the QoL of Arab parents whose parenting experience is expected to be substantially different from that of their western counterparts. Therefore, the purposes of this study were: (1) to examine differences in the QoL between fathers and mothers of children with Autistic Disorder in a sample from an Arab country, and (2) to examine the psychosocial correlates of the QoL of Arab parents of children with Autistic Disorder.MethodsSelf-administered questionnaires on parents’ QoL, stress, coping strategies, and demographic characteristics were completed by 184 parents of children with Autistic Disorder. The participants were recruited using the convenience sampling design.ResultsFathers and mothers of children with Autistic Disorder showed no significant differences in their physical, psychological, social, and environmental health. Further, both parents showed almost similar bivariate correlations between the reported QoL levels and their parenting stress, coping strategies, and demographic characteristics.ConclusionThis is the first study to examine the QoL of parents of children with Autistic Disorder in the Arab world and, in doing so, it highlighted the distinct lack of research in this area. The QoL of Arab parents of children with Autistic Disorder crosses lines with their stress levels, coping strategies, demographic characteristics, and to some extent their cultural context.     

Parental perception,knowledge, barriers and practice of kangaroo care for preterm infants in Indonesia

This study aimed to identify knowledge, perception, barriers and practice of Kangaroo Care (KC), and investigate the possible predictors of KC practice in Indonesia from parents' perspective. A Cross-sectional survey targeting 86 parents and family members of premature infants (77 mothers, 9 fathers and grandmothers) from four hospitals in Central Java was conducted. This study found less Indonesian parents practicing KC and have low knowledge about KC. However, they have good perception and moderately perceived barriers. Multiple linear regression analysis confirmed that knowledge, perception and barriers were significant factors associated with practice (p < .001), and explained 72.1% of the variance in KC practice among the parents. While educational level, parity, experience having premature infant and giving KC are not proved convincing the KC practice. Therefore, the healthcare providers have to make more effort to improve parents’ knowledge, perception and reduce barriers of KC to improve KC practice.     

Greek adolescents' intimate relations before their transition to adulthood

The study examined whether the characteristics of the other partner in a dyad could reveal some unique intimate relationships regardless of the commonalties in the intimate relationships adolescents and emerging adults endorse with four important partners (mother, father, female and male peers). Six hundred and thirteen (56.8% female) Greek adolescents and emerging adults participated in the study. Participants endorsed their agreement to nine items addressing issues of intimacy and companionship. The intimate relationships with the four important partners share some common characteristics reflecting the person who endorses the intimate relationships and are also reciprocal, depending on who is the other partner in the dyad. The intimacy participants endorsed with their parents contributed to the intimate relationship with their peers of the same sex with the parent. The way Greek youth is gendered could explain the characteristics of the intimate relationships they endorse with the other partners in the dyads.     

Validation of an Australian parenting health literacy skills instrument: The parenting plus skills index

ObjectiveExisting instruments for assessing health literacy skills in parents have limited scope to inform the design and evaluation of health literacy interventions. In this study we aimed to develop and validate a new performance-based measure of health literacy for Australian parents, the Parenting Plus Skills Index (PPSI). The instrument aimed to assess functional, communicative and critical health literacy skills.MethodsThe PPSI was developed in three phases: 1) Modified Delphi Expert Panel to provide feedback on 34 initial items; 2) Evaluation of psychometric properties of each item using a multidimensional item response theory model in a sample of Australian adults of parenting age (20−44 years) (N = 500); 3) Assessment of subset of items in an independent sample (N = 500).ResultsFollowing the three phases, 13 items were included in the final instrument. Participants scored on average 8.9/13 (69 %). The instrument demonstrated acceptable reliability (r = 0.70) and was significantly correlated with other performance-based health literacy instruments.ConclusionsThe PPSI is a validated 13-item performance-based instrument that assesses health literacy skills for parents in an Australian setting.Practice implicationsThe PPSI fills an important gap in available health literacy instruments that may be useful for facilitating development and evaluation of health literacy interventions.     

Packing : quand des parents témoignent

ObjectiveIn a very controversial context that led to a packing ban in 2016, the aim of this study was to give a voice to parents of autistic children who are not visible in the media and who have experienced packing for their child.Methods and resultsThrough the intermediary of a child psychiatrist, seven in-depth interviews were carried out in Seine-Saint-Denis, a suburb where the index of social disadvantage is very high and where there is a significant shortage of places and resources. Seven mothers of children with autism agreed to testify to report on the help provided by professionals and the beneficial effects of packing on the most problematic manifestations: self-injury, perceptual problems, anxiety, agitation, and shouting.ConclusionThese testimonies reveal a clear discrepancy between the satisfaction of the parents who spoke out and the anti-packing movement of parents’ associations that influence public policy. They reflect a complex situation that requires the cooperation of different professionals to best answer the questions posed by certain symptoms and manifestations of extreme distress.     

儿科治疗过程中缓解家长心理问题及护理干预的临床效果

目的:研究儿科治疗过程中缓解家长心理问题及护理干预的临床效果。方法:选取我院儿科2015年6月至2016年6月收治的120例肺炎患儿,按患儿入院顺序将其分为对照组和观察组各60例。予以对照组家长常规护理,观察组家长在对照组基础上给予心理护理干预。比较两组患儿家长心理问题发生率及抑郁、焦虑心理改善情况,观察两组患儿治疗总有效率。结果:心理护理后观察组患儿家长心理问题发生率为16.67%,显著低于对照组的78.33%(χ2=45.748,P0.05);两组患儿家长护理前焦虑自评量表(SAS)、抑郁自评量表(SDS)评分差异无统计学意义(P0.05);心理护理后观察组患儿家长SAS、SDS评分显著低于对照组(t=15.590,14.584;P0.05);观察组患儿治疗总有效率为95.00%,显著高于对照组的66.67%(χ2=15.545,P0.05)。结论:儿科治疗过程中缓解家长心理问题及护理干预的临床效果显著,值得在临床上广泛应用。     

家长对护生从事临床基础护理的认知调查

目的了解家长对护生从事临床基础护理认知情况,探讨其影响因素及对策。方法采用自设问卷对我校186名中职毕业护生的家长进行护生从事临床基础护理的认知情况调查。结果95．88％的护生家长不了解“优质护理服务示范工程”,85．30％的家长不了解基础护理服务项目,77．65％的家长不了解基础护理能体现护理服务精神与护理专业价值,92．35％的家长担心护生受到歧视,91．18％的家长认为基础护理繁杂、琐碎、辛苦担心护生受累;94％以上的家长更希望自己的孩子从事治疗性护理工作而非基础护理特别是生活护理。结论大多数家长对卫生系统开展“优质护理服务示范工程”认知匮乏,对护生从事临床基础护理认知偏颇,应进一步加大宣传教育力度,提高家长对护生从事基础护理工作重要性的认识,以充分发挥家长家庭教育与支持作用,加强护生职业心理素质的培养,探索符合护理工作特点的激励措施,激发护生对护理职业的追求与向往。     

NICU病房患儿父母需求现状与分析

目的：探讨NICU病房患儿父母需求现状。方法采用一般资料调查表和危重症患者家属需求量表,对300例NICU患儿父母进行调查。结果危重患儿父母认为最迫切的前10项需求中有6项是患者保证需求,2项是信息需求,1项是接近患儿需求,1项是支持需求,患儿父母的舒适需求未在前10项中体现。结论医护人员以严谨认真的工作态度、精湛的技术、精心的照顾赢得患儿父母的信赖。科室开展“以家庭为中心的优质护理服务”,采取一定措施,满足患儿父母对基本信息的需求,使其更好地为患儿提供正性支持,为患儿争取最大的康复机会。提高其生活质量,使患儿父母更积极有效地发挥照顾者的良好职能,促进NICU患儿的早日康复。     

家长对学龄前儿童发热知识认知及需求的调查研究

目的调查家长对学龄前儿童发热知识的认知和需求情况,为进一步做好发热知识的健康教育工作提供科学的理论依据．方法采用自行设计的学龄前儿童发热知识问卷,以无记名方式对528名学龄前儿童家长进行调查。结果家长对学龄前儿童发热的常规知识掌握较好,但是对儿童高热惊厥等急救知识及物理降温知识知晓率较低;高学历和文教卫生工作者的家长对学龄前儿童发热知识知晓率高;家长对学龄前儿童发热知识的需求较高;大多数家长选择阅读宣传小册子和上网学习获取发热相关知识。结论积极开展学龄前儿童发热知识的健康教育非常重要,医务工作者有必要加强对低学历的和非文教卫生工作者家长的宣教,并开发适合家长的学龄前儿童发热的健康资料。