Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Schuler, Tammy A., Ph.D
• Zaider, Talia I., Ph.D
• Li, Yuelin, Ph.D
• Masterson, Melissa, M.A
• McDonnell, Glynnis A., M.A
• Hichenberg, Shira, M.A
• Loeb, Rebecca, M.S
• Kissane, David W., M.D

Titel

Perceived Family Functioning Predicts Baseline Psychosocial Characteristics in U.S. Participants of a Family Focused Grief Therapy Trial

Ist Teil von

• Journal of pain and symptom management, 2017-07, Vol.54 (1), p.126-131

Ort / Verlag

United States: Elsevier Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2017

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts (ASSIA)

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Abstract Context and Objectives Screening and baseline data on 170 American families (620 individuals), selected by screening from a palliative care population for inclusion in a RCT of Family Focused Grief Therapy (FFGT), were examined to determine whether family dysfunction conferred higher levels of psychosocial morbidity. We hypothesized that greater family dysfunction would indeed be associated with poorer psychosocial outcomes among palliative care patients and their family members. Methods Screened families were classified according to their functioning on the Family Relationships Index (FRI) and consented families completed baseline assessments. Mixed effects modeling with post hoc tests compared individuals’ baseline psychosocial outcomes (psychological distress, social functioning, and family functioning on a different measure) according to the classification of their family on the FRI. Covariates were included in all models as appropriate. Results For those who completed baseline measures, n=191 (30.0%) individuals were in low-communicating families; n=313 (50.5%) were in uninvolved families and n=116 (18.7%) were in conflictual families. Family class was significantly associated (at p s < 0.05) with increased psychological distress (BDI, BSI) and poorer social adjustment (SAS) for individual family members. The Family Assessment Device (FAD) supported the concurrent accuracy of the FRI. Conclusion As predicted, significantly greater levels of individual psychosocial morbidity were present in American families whose functioning as a group was poorer. Support was generated for a clinical approach that screens families to identify those at high risk. Overall, these baseline data point to the importance of a family-centered model of care.