Peer support for adolescent girls living with scoliosis: finding a digital community

Introduction : Scoliosis in a condition where a curve develops in the spine. Adolescent girls affected by scoliosis are significantly more likely to require treatment such as bracing or surgery than their male counterparts. Curvy Girls is a peer support group for adolescent girls with scoliosis that allows them to engage with each other in a safe environment. Objectives : This study endeavours to explore the experiences of adolescent girls living with scoliosis who are Curvy Girls members and understand how this peer support group has affected their experience. Approach : Sixteen participants were recruited through a senior board member of Curvy Girls. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using an applied philosophical hermeneutic approach, a practice of uncovering insights from transformational conversation. Findings : We found that the participants’ sense of belonging to Curvy Girls did not depend on their level of involvement with the group. Whether they were leaders in their in-person local group, or simply following the organization on social media, seeing themselves represented allowed the participants to feel like they belonged to the group. Future Directions : These findings may help clinicians, healthcare professionals, and peer support organisations deepen their understanding of the perspectives of this specific population. This transformed understanding could lead to the instauration of care and services that are better adapted to this population’s needs, resulting in lessening the burden of the condition on the individual and their support system.

Parenting Experiences of Cancer Patients with Minor Children and Their Conversations About the Possibility of Death: A Cross-Sectional Web-Based Survey for an Online Cancer Community

Purpose Many cancer patients with minor children experience difficulty when talking about their illness with their children. The aim of this study is to investigate the parenting experiences of cancer patients with minor children and their conversations about the possibility of death. Methods A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted between April and May 2019. Cancer patients with minor children were recruited from among an online peer support group called “Cancer Parents”. The participants were asked to complete a questionnaire about their experiences talking about their illness with their children. The participants were classified into those who disclosed their cancer to their children (“disclosed group”), and those who didn’t disclose (“undisclosed group”). The association between whether they talked with their children about their cancer and their conversations about the possibility of death were examined. Results A total of 370 participants were analyzed (80.8% female, median age 43.0 years). The disclosed group (n = 274, 74.1%) wanted to know what their child felt than the undisclosed group (p < 0.001). The undisclosed group didn’t want their children to see their suffering (p = 0.002) and didn’t know how to explain their disease condition ( p < 0.002). Both the disclosed (42.1%) and undisclosed (6.5%) groups told their children about the possibility of death. Conclusion This study showed the disclosed group wanted to know their children’s feelings and they tended to have a conversation about the possibility of death with their children, compared to the undisclosed group.

COGNITIVE INTERVENTION TO THE WOMEN WHO ATTEND THE "BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT GROUP"

Introduction: Breast milk is the best food to meet the nutritional needs of the child, exclusively for the first 6 months and up to two years of age, favoring the establishment of the mother-child bond. Objective: To carry out a cognitive intervention to the women who attend the “breastfeeding support group”. Method: Quantitative research, with a quasi-experimental design, in a census sample made up of 11 pregnant women and 19 breastfeeding women. The Iowa Infant Feeding Attitudes Scale (IIFAS) was used. Results: 33.30% (10) are between 33-35 years old, 63% (19) in the puerperium, 56% (17) with primary education, 60% (18) carry out agricultural / cattle raising activities, 53% (16) in free union. In the pre-intervention, the women had a positive attitude with a score of 17-48 towards artificial breastfeeding 83% (25), in the post-intervention the positive attitude towards breastfeeding changed 87% (26), with a significant difference of p <0.01, in the items of the IIFAS instrument in the pre-intervention a mean and standard deviation of 2.07 ± 1.16, with an increase in the post-intervention of 4.48±0.65, a significance difference <0.05 in the total of questions in the pre-intervention from 35.23, increased after the intervention to 76.13, their attitude changed to exclusive breastfeeding. Conclusions: the cognitive intervention increased the positive attitude towards exclusive breastfeeding, highlighting that a timely educational intervention of promotion, support and accompaniment during pregnancy and postpartum guarantees the duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding. Keywords: breastfeeding, breastfeeding behavior, breastfeeding, knowledge, attitudes and health practice

Support group for families with children in a pediatric intensive care unit

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe the process of creating and implementing a support group for families with children in a pediatric intensive care unit. Methods: A professional experience report described using a management and planning tool. Results: This is a pioneering initiative in the hospital. The application of the tool enabled the delineation of the scope, justification, location, frequency, responsible persons, approach, and budget. After its implementation, the group enables significant interaction between health professionals-families and families-families, favoring the formation of therapeutic bonds and stimulating social and emotional support networks. Conclusion: The tool effectively planned the group and highlighted its effects on family coping and the relationships between professionals and families.

Parenting Stress and Related Factors of Parents in Self-Support Groups

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between positive and negative effects of participating in self support group, attitudes towards self support group, parenting efficacy, and parenting stress among parents with preschool children by using structural equation modeling.Methods: The participants in this study were parents in Gyeonggido with at least one preschool child who participated in self-support groups. The number of participants was 495. The data were collected using an online survey, and structural equation modeling was employed to investigate significant factors related to parenting stress among parents in self-support groups. IBM SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 21.0 were used in this study to conduct statistical analysis.Results: First, attitudes toward self-support group had no direct effect on parenting efficacy and parenting stress. Second, negative effects of self-support group had a significant direct effect on parenting stress. Parenting efficacy had also a direct effect on parenting stress. Finally, through parenting efficacy, the positive effects of self-support group had both direct and indirect effects on parenting stress. Parents who perceived the self-support group as having a higher level of positive impact reported higher parenting efficacy and they were less likely to experience parenting stress.Conclusion: This study examined the mediation effect of parenting efficacy in relations between related factors of self support group(parents’ attitudes and perceived effects) and parenting stress. Individuals’ perceptions of the positive and negative effects of participating in self-support groups, rather than the circumstances of group activities, are highlighted in this study.