Family functioning and family goals when mother has breast cancer / Andréa Maria Vera Anna Henriette Laizner.

Format:

Book

Manuscript

Microformat

Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

Laizner, Andréa Maria Vera Anna Henriette.

Contributor:

Deatrick, Janet A., advisor.

University of Pennsylvania.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Penn dissertations--Nursing.

Nursing--Penn dissertations.

Nursing.

Academic Dissertations as Topic.

Medical Subjects:

Nursing.

Academic Dissertations as Topic.

Local Subjects:

Penn dissertations--Nursing.

Nursing--Penn dissertations.

Physical Description:

xviii, 332 pages ; 29 cm

Production:

1999.

Summary:

This family study, based on the Model of Family Goal Effectiveness, examined family functioning and family goals at 3--4 months and 6--7 months after a mother's diagnosis of breast cancer. Forty-three families (104 family members) participated. The families represented a cross-section of the Quebec population, a variety of family forms, but each had a child still living at home with the mother. The mothers were either single parents or living with a parenting partner. Families provided demographic information and completed self-report questionnaires (FAD, WIMFQ, CES-D, POMS-LASA, CDI) for the time before the diagnosis (T0), 3--4 months (T1) and 6--7 months (T2) after the diagnosis. Individual level data were combined to create family scores. Exploratory data analyses, traditional non-parametric, and parametric tests identified patterns within and across families. The diagnosis of breast cancer was an unexpected life transition for the mother and a challenge for the whole family. There was a relationship between family life-cycle stage and family members' perception of family functioning. The family goal of physical well-being increased in importance at T1, while the family goal of emotional well-being was already high, when compared to their retrospective report for T0. At the individual level, 53% mothers, 25% partners, and 39% children reported depressive symptoms at T1. These symptoms decreased with time for partners and mothers, but not for their children. Families with higher family functioning at T0 generally continued to do so at T1 and T2. Families with lower family functioning were more likely to have family members with depressive symptoms, than higher functioning families. Families with higher family functioning were more likely to be satisfied with their family goals at each time period. Total family functioning at T0 explained 61% of the variance in family goals satisfaction at T1. Mean family affective responsiveness and mean family communication at T0 explained 57% of the variance in total family goals satisfaction at T1, while prior family communication explained 37% of the variance at T2. The findings contribute to family theory and nursing models. The clinical implications of these findings for family nursing intervention, nursing and family research are discussed.

Notes:

Supervisor: Janet A. Deatrick.

Thesis (Ph.D. in Nursing) -- University of Pennsylvania, 1999.

Includes bibliographical references.

Local Notes:

University Microfilms order no.: 99-37748.

OCLC:

187475860