Associations between family cohesion, adaptability, and functioning of patients with bipolar disorder with clinical syndromes in Hebei, China

Objective We aimed to investigate the symptoms of inpatients with bipolar disorder (BD) in different types of families, and to explore the correlations between family coherence, family adaptability, and family functioning among inpatients with BD. Methods Inpatients with BD in Hebei, China (n = 61; mean age = 33.85±10.54; 39 males) participated in this study. Participants’ symptoms were evaluated using the Bech–Rafaelsen Mania Scale (BRMS) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) at weeks 1, 4, and 8 after their admission to the hospital. Participants’ family type was assessed using the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale II–Chinese Version. Family functioning was assessed using Family Assessment Device. Results Participants were classified into three family types: balanced (n = 13), mid-range (n = 28), and extreme (n = 20). BRMS scores improved over time in patients from all three family types. Improvement was slightly better with the balanced than the extreme family type. HDRS scores showed an improving trend over time, although this was not significant. Family coherence, adaptability, and functioning were mutually correlated. Conclusion The family system and family functioning are important factors that clinicians should keep in mind when treating people with BD.

Download Full-text

Experiencing and overcoming financial stress in married couples: A study in COVID 19 pandemic era

Revista Amazonia Investiga ◽

10.34069/ai/2021.42.06.12 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (42) ◽

pp. 124-140

Author(s):

Iryna P. Yakymchuk ◽

Serhii M. Olkhovetskyi ◽

Ilona V. Rashkovska ◽

Halyna M. Bevz ◽

Maryna O. Martseniuk

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Family Cohesion ◽

Family Income ◽

Family System ◽

Coping Behavior ◽

Financial Stress ◽

Married Couples ◽

Well Being ◽

Family Coping ◽

The Family

The article analyzes interaction of spouses in overcoming financial stress. An online survey of 136 married couples was conducted during the lockdown caused by the spread of COVID-19 accompanied by family income losses. Frequency and severity of discussions on financial topics; level of subjective economic well-being, activity of coping strategies, family cohesion and adaptation were measured. Results showed that the discussion of financial topics is a stressor for married couples, accompanied by contradictions and conflicts, but ultimately helps to improve quality of relations between spouses, and also increases the adaptability of the family system in a situation of socio-economic crisis. Subjects of conflicts were defined. Influence of gender roles on financial consciousness and behavior was shown. Wives are more likely to initiate discussions on economic topics and more inclined to economic anxiety, while husbands showed economic optimism. The severity of financial stress correlates with assessments of family cohesion. Correlations between financial well-being and coping behavior of husbands and wives represent the family as an entire open system. Partners are interdependent in overcoming financial stress. Collective family coping is determined by individual reactions of spouses. The efforts of partners can be congruent and complementary.

Download Full-text

The Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES): an instrument worthy of rehabilitation?

Psychiatric Bulletin ◽

10.1192/pb.29.6.215 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 29 (6) ◽

pp. 215-218 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Maurice Place ◽

Jessica Hulsmeier ◽

Allan Brownrigg ◽

Alison Soulsby

Keyword(s):

Family Functioning ◽

School Refusal ◽

Clinical Implications ◽

Clinical Settings ◽

Specific Measure ◽

Discriminatory Ability ◽

Family Adaptability ◽

The Family ◽

Different Types ◽

Mental Health Difficulties

Aims and MethodThere have been a variety of instruments developed for evaluating family functioning, but no specific measure has emerged as appropriate for routine clinical use. The Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES) was viewed as a useful tool for a period, but has been less popular of late. This paper looks at its use in families with two very different types of problem to assess its discriminatory ability.ResultsMothers with depression whose children were not showing mental health difficulties reported a very different pattern of family functioning from those whose children were showing chronic school refusal.Clinical ImplicationsThe FACES is capable of discriminating between different patterns of family functioning. Its ease of administration, and the information it provides, should recommend it for wider use in clinical settings.

Download Full-text

Correlations in health status between estimates of families of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and estimates of staff

Palliative & Supportive Care ◽

10.1017/s1478951512000089 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 183-189 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Anneli G. Ozanne ◽

Lennart I. Persson

Keyword(s):

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ◽

Analogue Scale ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Well Being ◽

Life Situation ◽

Next Of Kin ◽

Holistic View ◽

The Family ◽

Lateral Sclerosis ◽

Over Time

AbstractObjective:The aim of this study was to compare self-estimates of the physical, psychological, and general well-being of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and their next of kin with the assessment of the nurses and physician of these participants.Method:The well-being of 35 pairs of patients and their next of kin was rated by themselves, and by a physician and nurses. The well-being was examined over time, using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Patients' physical function was estimated at the same time with the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised and the Norris scale.Results:The correlations between the staff's estimates of the well-being of patients and next of kin were similar to their own estimates, even though staff to a higher degree estimated a decrease in well-being over time among the patients. The estimates by the nurses correlated better to that of the patients and next of kin in psychological and general well-being than the physicians' estimates did.Significance of results:Even though the staff's estimates of participants were roughly equivalent to their self-estimates, there were some differences. This result calls attention to the importance of working in teams in which different professional roles are combined and integrated, making it possible to form a holistic view of the situation of each family. A concern overlooked by one member of staff might be covered by another, and different focuses on the family may give a better composite picture of their life situation, which could lead to better support to the family.

Download Full-text

The Process Model of Family Functioning

The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/070674378402900202 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 77-88 ◽

Cited By ~ 71

Author(s):

P.D. Steinhauer ◽

J. Santa-Barbara ◽

H. Skinner

Keyword(s):

Family Functioning ◽

Process Model ◽

Family System ◽

Self Report ◽

Family Process ◽

Common Source ◽

Validity And Reliability ◽

System A ◽

The Family ◽

Critical Aspects

The Process Model of Family Functioning differs from the McMaster Model of Family Functioning and their common source, the Family Categories Schema, by its increased emphasis on the dynamic interaction between the major dimensions of family functioning, and by its stress on the interface between intrapsychic subsystems and the interpersonal dimensions of the family system. A model of family process rather than family structure, it defines six universal criteria of family functioning. It describes the processes involved in each along with the content components and the critical aspects of each. A self-report test developed from the model (FAM-III) is being widely used both as a research tool and as a clinical adjunct. Tests to define its validity and reliability continue.

Download Full-text

Family functioning and environmental resources offered by families of children with mental disorders

Salud Mental ◽

10.17711/sm.0185-3325.2019.030 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 42 (5) ◽

pp. 235-242

Author(s):

Eduarda Souza Dilleggi ◽

Ana Paula Rosa ◽

Patricia Leila dos Santos

Keyword(s):

Mental Disorders ◽

Family Functioning ◽

Family Environment ◽

Family Cohesion ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Environmental Resources ◽

Mean Values ◽

Faces Iv ◽

The Family ◽

Spearman Correlation Test

Introduction. The presence of mental disorders in a family may cause various losses in its functioning and characteristics. Objective. To determine which environmental resources are offered to children with mental disorders by their families and how they correlated with the family functioning. Method. The study included a total of 33 persons responsible for children with mental disorders. The subjects responded to two questionnaires to characterize family functioning (FACES IV) and the availability of resources in the family environment (RAF). Data were analyzed in a descriptively and the Spearman correlation test was used to identify associations between variables. Results. Most of the children were male and attended school, and the most frequent psychiatric diagnoses were attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Most families were considered to have good family functioning (87.9%), with only 12.1% being considered dysfunctional. Regarding environmental resources, the highest mean values were assigned to the presence of toys (6.9 ± 2.0) and to family gatherings for routine activities (6.6 ± 2.3). Family cohesion, flexibility, communication, and satisfaction (functional) were positively correlated with the offer of activities and resources and negatively correlated with unbalanced (dysfunctional) subscales. Discussion and conclusion. Children’s mental disorders do not appear to affect family dynamics in a significant manner. However, family functioning interferes with the types of activities and resources it offers to the child and that may have an impact on his/her development.

Download Full-text

Resourcefulness Skills Use by Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren: A Longitudinal Case Study Approach

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.1903 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 495-496

Author(s):

Alexandra Jeanblanc ◽

Carol Musil ◽

Elizabeth Tracy ◽

Jaclene Zauszniewski

Keyword(s):

Program Implementation ◽

Family System ◽

Skills Training ◽

Comparative Case Study ◽

Longitudinal Case Study ◽

Entire Family ◽

Developmental Issues ◽

The Family ◽

Over Time

Abstract In the U.S., over 2.7 million grandparents are primary caregivers to grandchildren. It is critical to understand the experiences of grandparent caregivers to design tailored, supportive programs. Our aim was to analyze 4 weeks of daily online journals of 129 grandmothers with respect to their use of a set of Resourcefulness Skills© following web-based skills training. Using a thematic analysis approach, coding was completed by a three person team using NVIVO 12. Percent agreement among coders was over 90% (Kappa = .956). Twelve cases were randomly selected for case study development. Comparative case study analysis was used to look within and across cases for instances where skills were used and how skill use changed over time. The pattern of skill use showed that grandmother caregivers used resourcefulness skills to deal with the grandchild’s behavior and developmental issues as well as within the entire family system to manage conflicted relationships with the grandchild’s parents, balance relationships with their spouse/partner, and maintain relationships with other relatives. Case studies will be presented to show skill use over the four weeks of journaling in the context of the family system, as well as the strategies used by participants who improved skill use over time and those who faced barriers to skill use. Findings highlight the use of journals as a means to assess enactment fidelity of treatment interventions and the importance of the family network in skills training program implementation and ways to help grandmothers make use of skills training in the family setting.

Download Full-text

Levetiracetam as an Adjunctive Treatment for Mania: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Neuropsychobiology ◽

10.1159/000520457 ◽

2022 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Amir Keshavarzi ◽

Aziz Sharifi ◽

Leila Jahangard ◽

Alireza Soltanian ◽

Annette Beatrix Brühl ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Effect Size ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Medium Effect ◽

Large Effect Size ◽

Placebo Condition ◽

Double Blind ◽

Subjective Sleep ◽

Over Time

Background: Levetiracetam is an anticonvulsant with a low side effect profile and favorable properties for individuals with bipolar I disorder during their manic phase. Despite initial promising results until about 2008, it appears that this track of research has not been followed-up. To counter this, we tested the influence of adjuvant levetiracetam on acute mania, compared to placebo. More specifically, we performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial among inpatients with bipolar disorder I during their acute phase of mania. Methods: A total of 72 inpatients (mean age: 33.98 years; 23.6% females) with diagnosed bipolar disorder I and during their acute manic phase were randomly assigned either to the adjuvant levetiracetam (250 mg to a maximum of 1,500 mg) or to the placebo condition. Standard medication was lithium at therapeutic dosages. At baseline, participants completed a series of self-rating questionnaires covering sociodemographic information and subjective sleep. Subjective sleep was re-assessed 24 days later at the end of the study. Experts rated participants’ acute state of mania with the Young Mania Rating Scale at baseline and at day 12 and day 24. Participants’ cognitive performance was assessed at baseline and at day 24 at the end of the study. Results: Over time, mania scores significantly decreased (large effect size), but more so in the levetiracetam condition, compared to the placebo condition (medium effect size). Likewise, over time, subjective sleep improved (large effect size), but more so in the levetiracetam condition, compared to the placebo condition (large effect size). Over time, cognitive performance improved (large effect size), irrespective of the study condition. Conclusions: Compared to placebo, adjuvant levetiracetam to lithium improved symptoms of mania, as rated by experts, and subjective sleep quality. Adjuvant levetiracetam had no further favorable (or detrimental) impact on cognitive performance.

Download Full-text

Effect of Family Cohesion On Symptom Distress During Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

10.21203/rs.3.rs-499668/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yesol Yang ◽

Wei Pan ◽

Sherif S Farag ◽

Diane Von Ah

Keyword(s):

Stem Cell ◽

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ◽

Stem Cell Transplantation ◽

Family Functioning ◽

Family Cohesion ◽

Symptom Distress ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Symptom Bother ◽

Symptom Frequency ◽

Over Time

Abstract Purpose: Family may play an important role in Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recovery; however, little is known about the effect of family functioning on an individual’s health. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of family cohesion (family functioning) on the trajectory of HSCT recipients’ symptom distress (symptom frequency and symptom bother) before, during, and after HSCT. Methods: Secondary analysis was conducted using data collected from178 individuals who underwent HSCT. Longitudinal parallel-process (LPP) modeling was used to examine how family cohesion and HSCT associated symptoms (symptom frequency and symptom bother) change over time; and how these longitudinal changes relate to each other. Results: The trajectory of family cohesion predicted the trajectories of HSCT associated symptom frequency and bother. HSCT recipients who experienced higher family cohesion at baseline (T1) showed lower symptom frequency (p<.01) as well as symptom bother (p<.01) at T1. This trajectory analysis also showed that HSCT recipients who had improved family cohesion over time reported decrease in symptom frequency (p<.01) as well as bother (p<.01) over time. Conclusion: Findings indicate that higher family cohesion predicts decrease in symptom distress over the HSCT trajectory. Interventions aimed at enhancing family cohesion have the potential to lower HSCT recipients’ symptom distress. Further research is needed to understand the critical role of family cohesion and family functioning and their relationship with HSCT symptom distress prevention, early detection, and risk stratification.

Download Full-text

Family cohesion: A study on caregiving daughters of parents with Alzheimer’s disease

Interpersona An International Journal on Personal Relationships ◽

10.5964/ijpr.v10isupp1.244 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 10 (supp1) ◽

pp. 61-74 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Deusivania Vieira da Silva Falcão ◽

Maycoln Leoni Martins Teodoro ◽

Júlia Sursis Nobre Ferro Bucher-Maluschke

Keyword(s):

Mental State ◽

Family Cohesion ◽

Mini Mental State Examination ◽

Family System ◽

Family Relations ◽

The Other ◽

Conflict Situations ◽

The Family ◽

State Examination ◽

The Ideal

In this regard, investigating these aspects might facilitate the evaluation of family relations and the development of interventions that create, keep, restore, or enhance the skills families need to better deal with the disease. Based on this information, the objective of this chapter is to present and discuss investigative research on family cohesion and hierarchy from the perspective of caregiver daughters of elderly with Alzheimer’s in four situations: before the disease, currently, in conflict, and ideally. 32 women caretakers and their respective parents (6 fathers and 26 mothers) diagnosed with possible or probable AD participated in the survey. The instruments used were the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in an Open Interview with a Semi-Structured Script, and the Family System Test (FAST). We observed that before onset of the disease, the caregivers generally perceived themselves to have more hierarchy than their siblings, χ2(2) = 4.92, p < .10. The current situation showed a greater number of caregivers in higher hierarchical positions than their siblings (72%), and a lesser number of siblings than expected in higher hierarchical positions than the caregivers, χ2(2) = 18.32, p < .001. The ideal representation showed that most caregivers did not want themselves or any of their siblings to have more power than the other (66.7%), χ2(2) = 14.89, p < .001. Comparing conflict representations to ideal representations showed that family members demonstrated lower cohesion in conflict situations than in ideal situations, z = -2.86, p < .01.

Download Full-text

Replicating the Factor Structure of Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scales II

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1987.60.3.775 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 60 (3) ◽

pp. 775-782 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Carole A. Eigen ◽

Bruce W. Hartman

Keyword(s):

Factor Analysis ◽

Factor Structure ◽

Scoring System ◽

Family System ◽

Circumplex Model ◽

Valid Measure ◽

Major Step ◽

Family Adaptability ◽

The Family ◽

Two Factors

This study examined the factor structure of the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scales (FACES II) to test the rationale underlying the structure and the scoring system based on that structure. The factor analysis of scores for 197 subjects did not replicate the results reported by Olson, Bell and Portner in 1982. Although two factors that measured cohesion and adaptability were identified, the items did not load as anticipated. The quantification of the circumplex model in the form of FACES II is a major step towards developing an instrument using family system concepts to diagnose problems of life adjustment. This 30-item instrument needs refining to be useful as a reliable, valid measure for practitioners.

Download Full-text