Related Experiment Videos
Children facing a family member's acute illness: a review of intervention studies
1University of St. Francis, 2701 Spring Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46808, USA. mlspath@sf.edu
Insights
Psycho-educational interventions show promise for children coping with family illness. However, research quality is often low, lacking rigorous methods and long-term outcome measures.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Family Health
- Intervention Studies
Background:
- Children experience significant distress when a close family member faces serious illness.
- Psycho-educational interventions aim to support these children's adaptation.
- Limited research exists on the effectiveness of these interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing psycho-educational intervention studies for children adapting to family illness.
- To critique the research methodologies employed in these studies.
- To identify clinical outcomes and propose future research directions.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases (Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, etc.) from 1990 to 2005.
- Six studies were identified and systematically reviewed.
- Evaluation criteria included sample characteristics, study design, theoretical framework, intervention details, validity threats, and outcomes.
Main Results:
- All reviewed interventions reported positive outcomes.
- Studies frequently lacked theoretical frameworks and control groups.
- Samples were often small and convenience-based, with non-validated instruments used for outcome measurement.
- Interventions varied in duration and intensity, focusing on short-term satisfaction rather than cognitive or behavioral changes.
Conclusions:
- There is a significant need for more psycho-educational intervention studies.
- Future research must employ rigorous methodologies to accurately evaluate intervention effectiveness.
- Methodological improvements are crucial for advancing the field and supporting children effectively.
Background:
A review of psycho-educational intervention studies to benefit children adapting to a close (parent, sibling, or grandparent) family member's serious illness was conducted.
Objectives:
To review the literature on studies addressing this topic, critique research methods, describe clinical outcomes, and make recommendations for future research efforts.
Data Sources:
Research citations from 1990 to 2005 from Medline, CINAHL, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, PsycARTICLES, and PsycINFO databases were identified.
Review Methods:
Citations were reviewed and evaluated for sample, design, theoretical framework, intervention, threats to validity, and outcomes. Reviewed studies were limited to those that included statistical analysis to evaluate interventions and outcomes.
Results:
Six studies were reviewed. Positive outcomes were reported for all of the interventional strategies used in the studies. Reviewed studies generally lacked a theoretical framework and a control group, were generally composed of small convenience samples, and primarily used non-tested investigator instruments. They were diverse in terms of intervention length and intensity, and measured short-term outcomes related to participant program satisfaction, rather than participant cognitive and behavioral change.
Conclusions:
The paucity of interventional studies and lack of systematic empirical precision to evaluate intervention effectiveness necessitates future studies that are methodologically rigorous.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Techniques of therapeutic communication I: Active Listening, Sharing Observations, Validation, and Using Touch
Therapeutic communication is not the same as social interaction. Social interaction has no goal or purpose and consists of casual information sharing, whereas therapeutic communication has a plan or purpose for the conversation. Therapeutic...
01:30Family Therapy
Strategic Family Therapy
Strategic family therapy emphasizes resolving communication barriers and improving problem-solving abilities...
01:29Relationship with Other Adult Family Members and Siblings
01:17Classification of Illness
An illness is a response to a disease in which the person's level of functioning is changed compared with a previous level. The general classification of illness includes acute and chronic.
Acute illness is severe and...
01:25Continuing Care
01:18Factors Affecting Illness
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness, disability,...