ABSTRACT
This study was conducted with the objective of evaluating whether a relationship between family functioning and social support networks exists in a sample of parents from the city of Morelia, Michoacán. Methods A total of 192 adults participated; 17% were men and 83% were women with a mean of age of 42 years. They answered two self-administered questionnaires: the adapted Nava Network Quality and the FACES II scale. ANOVA with the Bonferroni post hoc test and Spearman's correlation were applied. Results Only 12 out of 16 types of families proposed by Olson were found. The family functioning types that were found are 29% connected-chaotic, 20% emmeshed-chaotic, 19% connected-flexible, and in the remaining 32% all the other types of family functioning. Family support networks followed by friend networks provide the most support to the majority of family types. Statistically significant differences were found in the variance analysis among the different family types and their perception of family support networks with an F(11.180)= 8.573, p<.001, and the perceived lack of support from social networks with an F(11.180)= 4.501, p<0.001. The correlations between family functioning and social support networks were significant, but low in most of the cases. Conclusions Family support networks, followed by friend support networks, were found to provide the greatest support to the majority of family types. However, this pattern changes depending on the typology and level of family functioning. The chaotic-connected followed by enmeshed-chaotic were family functioning types frequently found in this sample. Significant and low, differences were found in the correlations of the different levels of family functioning and their social support networks. The characterization of family functioning in relation to the perception of support provided by social networks is useful for the identification of resources and specific strategies for clinical and psychosocial interventions with families.
El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la relación existente entre el funcionamiento familiar y las redes de apoyo social en una muestra de padres de familia de la ciudad de Morelia, Michoacán, México. Método Participaron 192 adultos, 17% hombres y 83% mujeres, con 42 años en promedio, quienes respondieron la escala de Calidad de Red adaptada de Nava y complementada por López-Peñaloza y la escala FACES II de Olson et al. Los análisis estadísticos fueron ANOVA con post hoc de Bonferroni y correlaciones de Spearman. Resultados Sólo se encontraron 12 de los 16 tipos de familia que propone Olson; el 29% de los participantes presentó un tipo de funcionamiento familiar conectado-caótico, el 20% aglutinado-caótico y 19% conectado-flexible. En el 32% restante se ubicaron los otros tipos de funcionamiento familiar. En su mayoría las correlaciones entre el funcionamiento familiar y las redes de apoyo social fueron estadísticamente significativas, pero bajas. Las redes de apoyo familiar y las redes de amigos son las que más apoyo social aportaron a la mayoría de los tipos de familia. Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los tipos de familia y la percepción de las redes de apoyo familiar [F(11.180)=8.573, p<.001], así como en la falta de apoyo de la red [F(3.188)=6.48, p<.001]. Conclusiones Las familias extensas seguidas por las redes de amigos son las redes de apoyo social más utilizadas; las menos utilizadas son las de vecinos. Sin embargo, este patrón cambia dependiendo de la tipología y el nivel de funcionamiento familiar. El tipo de familia encontrado con mayor frecuencia fue el conectado-caótico, seguido del aglutinado-caótico. El conocimiento del funcionamiento familiar y las redes de apoyo social son recursos para el desarrollo de estrategias específicas para las intervenciones tanto clínicas como psicosociales en familias con diferentes tipos de funcionamiento familiar.