scholarly journals COVID-19 Life Events Spill-Over on Family Functioning and Adolescent Adjustment

2021 ◽  
pp. 027243162110367
Author(s):  
Andrea M. Hussong ◽  
Allegra J. Midgette ◽  
Adrianna N. Richards ◽  
Rachel C. Petrie ◽  
Jennifer L. Coffman ◽  
...  

We examined US parent and youth perceptions of how life events, both positive and negative, associated with COVID-19 resulted in changes in family and youth functioning. Families ( n = 105, 80% white, 48% male, and 87% mothers) completed surveys during the pandemic (May to July 2020) and 3 years prior (for youth ages M = 10.6, SD = 1.17 and M = 13.6, SD = 1.19). Declines in youth, though not parent, report of open family communication, parental support, and family satisfaction were found. Declines were associated with various domains of pandemic-related stress in parent report, though positive life events served as buffers. Pre-pandemic family functioning also predicted pandemic stress. Spillover effects in turn impacted youth functioning. The current findings shed light on how experiences of the pandemic are linked with family functioning and have implications for how to support families during this time.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Hussong ◽  
Allegra Midgette ◽  
Adrianna Richards ◽  
Rachel Petrie ◽  
Jennifer Coffman ◽  
...  

Abstract In this longitudinal study, we examined parent and youth perceptions of how life events, both positive and negative, associated with the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in changes in family functioning as well as youth functioning. We tested both direct effects of parent- and youth-reported negative and positive events as well as indirect or spillover effects that have their effects on parent functioning and marital relationships. Families (n=101 parent-youth dyads, 80% European American, 48% boys, and 87% mothers) completed surveys during the pandemic (May to July 2020) and 1.5 years prior. We conducted multivariate path analyses predicting residualized change in family and youth functioning. According to child-report of family functioning, open family communication, parent-child relationship quality and family satisfaction all decreased during this time, although no changes were found in parent-report of family functioning. Several forms of parent-reported negative life events and child-reports of school-related stress during the pandemic predicted changes in family functioning. Moreover, positive life events predicted child reports of family functioning directly and evidence for spill-over effects of parent-reported positive life events on family functioning were also found. In addition, the receipt of social support by parents during the pandemic protected against decrements in family functioning and, indirectly, increases in child symptomatology. School-related stress also predicted increases in child-reported symptomatology. Moreover, several aspects of family functioning pre-pandemic impacted the extent to which parents and children experienced both positive and negative life events during the pandemic. The current findings thus shed light on how experiences of the pandemic are linked with family functioning and have implications for how to support families during this time.


Author(s):  
Grace B. McKee ◽  
Laiene Olabarrieta-Landa ◽  
Paula K. Pérez-Delgadillo ◽  
Ricardo Valdivia-Tangarife ◽  
Teresita Villaseñor-Cabrera ◽  
...  

Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents a serious public health concern. Family members are often caregivers for children with TBI, which can result in a significant strain on familial relationships. Research is needed to examine aspects of family functioning in the context of recovery post-TBI, especially in Latin America, where cultural norms may reinforce caregiving by family members, but where resources for these caregivers may be scarce. This study examined caregiver-reported family satisfaction, communication, cohesion, and flexibility at three time points in the year post-injury for 46 families of a child with TBI in comparison to healthy control families. Families experiencing pediatric TBI were recruited from a large hospital in Guadalajara, Mexico, while healthy controls were recruited from a local educational center. Results from multilevel growth curve models demonstrated that caregivers of children with a TBI reported significantly worse family functioning than controls at each assessment. Families experiencing pediatric TBI were unable to attain the level of functioning of controls during the time span studied, suggesting that these families are likely to experience long-term disruptions in family functioning. The current study highlights the need for family-level intervention programs to target functioning for families affected by pediatric TBI who are at risk for difficulties within a rehabilitation context.


1987 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 857 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoav Lavee ◽  
Hamilton I. McCubbin ◽  
David H. Olson

2021 ◽  
pp. 009579842110379
Author(s):  
Tchilissila Alicerces Simões ◽  
Isabel Marques Alberto

The aim of the present study was to explore and to understand how 36 urban Southern Angolan couples perceived their family’s development across the lifetime. The study sought to compare those results with three systemic approaches of family development, two Western and another indigenous. Through semi-structured interviews, the existence of two trajectories of family life, with similar life events, were identified. The life events of these two trajectories were organized in a different chronological order, based on the religious commitment of the individuals. The results showed discrepancies with the Western models on the composition of the household (i.e., big backyard families and families with a third element) as well as the type of events considered to be important milestones within the family trajectory (e.g., the inexistence of the empty nest). This study provides support for the indigenous framework proposed by Simões and Alberto (2015) and contributes to a better comprehension of the family functioning of the urban Southern Angolan families.


Author(s):  
William Meezan ◽  
Maura O'Keefe

The authors compare the effectiveness of multifamily group therapy (MFGT) with traditional family therapy with abusive and neglectful caregivers and their children. Positive changes in the family functioning of the MFGT group occurred in areas critical to the reduction of child abuse and neglect, whereas changes in the family functioning of those in traditional family therapy occurred only in the area of parental support. The MFGT group children became significantly more assertive and less submissive according to their self-report and, according to their caregivers, showed significantly fewer overall behavior problems and greater social competence at the end of treatment. Changes in the children in the comparison group were not self-reported and did not occur in the area of social competence. These positive findings argue that agencies should consider adopting this modality in the treatment of this population and that it should be included as a treatment option in family-centered child welfare services.


2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Sundström ◽  
Michael Rönnlund ◽  
Rolf Adolfsson ◽  
Lars-Göran Nilsson

ABSTRACTBackground:The impact of stressful life events as a risk factor of dementia diseases is inconclusive. We sought to determine whether stressful negative life events are associated with incidental dementia in a population-based study with long-term follow-up. We also tested the hypothesis that the occurrence of positive life events could mitigate or overcome the possible adverse effects of negative life events on dementia conversion.Methods:The study involved 2,462 dementia-free participants aged 55 years and older. Information on life events was ascertained at baseline from a comprehensive Life Event Inventory, which included 56 questions about specific life events. For each life event, the emotional impact (both positive and negative) and emotional adjustment were asked for.Results:During follow-up, 423 participants developed dementia; of these, 240 developed Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cox regression analysis showed no association between the total number of negative life events and the incidence of dementia when adjusted solely for age and gender (hazard ratio = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.92–1.02), or with multiple adjustments for a range of covariates (hazard ratio = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.91–1.01). Similarly, neither emotional impact nor emotional adjustment to these life events was associated with incident dementia. A separate analysis of AD did not alter the results.Conclusions:The result of this population-based study finds no association between negative or positive life events and dementia. Accordingly, our results reject the hypothesis that stressful life events trigger the onset of dementia diseases.


2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiorenzo Laghi ◽  
Sara Pompili ◽  
Valeria Zanna ◽  
Maria Chiara Castiglioni ◽  
Michela Criscuolo ◽  
...  

This study aims at examining whether adolescent girls diagnosed with anorexia nervosa and their parents differ in perceiving the different aspects of family functioning. Moreover, the discrepancy between adolescent girls and healthy controls on Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales dimensions, family communication, and family satisfaction is investigated. The study includes 36 female anorexia patients and their parents and 36 healthy controls. The results showed a different view between mothers and their daughters with regard to the dimension of rigidity. In addition, girls with anorexia nervosa were less satisfied about family environment and rated their families as less communicative, flexible, cohesive, and more disengaged, compared to controls.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 96 (6) ◽  
pp. 1101-1105
Author(s):  
Sai-Woon Liang ◽  
John M. Jemerin ◽  
Jeanne M. Tschann ◽  
Charles E. Irwin ◽  
Diane W. Wara ◽  
...  

Background. Risk behavior contributes to injuries, one of the most important sources of morbidity and mortality in adolescents. Although research has shown that environmental stress makes adolescents more likely to engage in risk behavior and to sustain injuries, the magnitude of these associations has been small. Little is known about the role of individual differences in psychobiologic reactivity to stress in moderating the impact of stressful events. In this study, we examined associations among environmental stressors, cardiovascular reactivity to stress, and the level of risk behavior in adolescent boys. Methods. Twenty-four 14- to 16-year-old boys underwent a laboratory protocol designed to measure responses to psychologically and physically stressful tasks. Changes in heart rate and mean arterial blood pressure were measured serially at standard points in the protocol, and levels of positive and negative life events and recent risk behavior were measured using self-report questionnaires. Results. Neither life events nor cardiovascular reactivity were independently associated with risk behavior. Positive life events and mean arterial blood pressure reactivity significantly interacted, however, in predicting risk behavior (R2 increment = .25). Boys with high reactivity who reported numerous positive life events engaged in markedly less risk behavior than their peers. Conclusion. We conclude that adolescents with exaggerated cardiovascular responses to laboratory stressors are associated with less risk behavior in a setting of positive life circumstances. This result suggests that reactivity may exert protective, rather than harmful, influences in some environments.


Author(s):  
Nicolette Roman ◽  
Edna Rich ◽  
Charl Davids ◽  
Fatiema Benjamin ◽  
Matthew Taylor

Background: Although there has been an exponential growth in hookah use on a global scale, research within the context of South Africa is very limited. While hookah use is known internationally to be a health and addiction risk, the focus is on university students and not on families.Aim: This study aims to compare the family functioning and family satisfaction among hookah users and non-users.Setting: This study was conducted in low or middle-high class socio-economic status areas of Cape Town, South Africa.Methods: A quantitative method was employed to test for significant differences with a sample of 1193 participants, in which each participant represented a family. An independent t-test was used to test for significant differences between hookah users and non-users.Results: One-third (34%) of the participants indicated that they smoked hookah pipe, with the general age of onset being 16.5 years. In trying to understand the family context, it was found that 28% of hookah users indicated that the hookah pipe was used as a means of socialising with others in the family, and 24% of parents indicated that they were more accepting of family members smoking the hookah pipe. Findings also suggest that families of hookah users have less cohesion, expressiveness and family satisfaction, and more conflict and permissiveness than families of non-users.Conclusion: This study provides and extends knowledge regarding the family in hookah pipe use. This information could assist in reducing hookah pipe use, and building healthier and more resilient communities by formulating prevention and intervention strategies to reduce hookah use.


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-93
Author(s):  
John J. Seta ◽  
Catherine E. Seta

How people respond to positive and negative events is a basic question in psychology. Most theoretical accounts assume that the detrimental impact of negative life events is cumulative, resulting in a “more is more” effect. A similar assumption of “more is more” is typically used to predict the influence of multiple positive life events, people’s reactions to evaluative stimuli (e.g., an audience), and their judgments of consumer goods. In this article, we present a model that suggests that these conclusions do not capture the full picture of how people respond to multiple positive or negative events. More specifically, the averaging/summation (A/S) model does not predict that the underpinnings of individuals’ responses to positive or negative events always reflect summative affective impact. Rather, individuals’ responses often reflect the average value of events, as well as their summative value. We review research supporting the model’s predictions and discuss alternative theories and interpretations, such as the conservation of resource model, the peak–end rule, mental accounting, distraction, and assimilation/contrast. In addition, we suggest new avenues for research.


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