The Effect of a Social Skills Program on Violent Behaviors in Children Aged 60~72 Months.

PURPOSE: To determine the effects of a child and parent program on developing social skills for preventing violent behaviors in children aged 60~72 months through a specially developed pre and posttest, control group, quasi-experimental study. METHODS: A social skills development program based on Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory was used. The data were collected using the Social Skills Assessment Scale (SSAS), a Chart to Monitor Verbal and Behavioral Violence in Children, the Parental Attitude Scale and the Parent Interview Form. This quasi-experimental study that included a pretest, posttest, and control group had a sample comprising 67 children and parents, with 36 in the experimental group, and 31 in the control group. RESULTS: Over a six-month period, while the social skill scores of the children in the experimental and control groups increased, their violent behaviors decreased (p<.050). Increase in social skill scores and decrease in violent behaviors were higher in the experimental than in the control group children (p<.050). The parents in the experimental group stated that they had started to empathize with their children, using "I" language, and applied rules more consistently after the program. CONCLUSION: This program was successful in preventing violent behaviors in children through the development of social skills. Hence, it can be effectively implemented through a teacher/nurse collaboration.

The Effect of a Social Skills Program on Violent Behaviors in Children Aged 60~72 Months

Purpose@#To determine the effects of a child and parent program on developing social skills for preventing violent behaviors in children aged 60~72 months through a specially developed pre and posttest, control group, quasi-experimental study. @*Methods@#A social skills development program based on Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory was used. The data were collected using the Social Skills Assessment Scale (SSAS), a Chart to Monitor Verbal and Behavioral Violence in Children, the Parental Attitude Scale and the Parent Interview Form. This quasi-experimental study that included a pretest, posttest, and control group had a sample comprising 67 children and parents, with 36 in the experimental group, and 31 in the control group. @*Results@#Over a six-month period, while the social skill scores of the children in the experimental and control groups increased, their violent behaviors decreased (p<.050). Increase in social skill scores and decrease in violent behaviors were higher in the experimental than in the control group children (p<.050). The parents in the experimental group stated that they had started to empathize with their children, using “I” language, and applied rules more consistently after the program. @*Conclusion@#This program was successful in preventing violent behaviors in children through the development of social skills. Hence, it can be effectively implemented through a teacherurse collaboration.

The effect of a grief support program on Turkish parents whose babies have died.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the Grief Support Program on the bereavement of parents whose babies had died. The sample consisted of 77 couples. The data was collected by the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief and the Coping Strategies Inventory. The intervention group was offered before, immediately after, and a month after death of their baby in accordance with the Grief Support Program guideline. The Grief Support Program did not affect grief intensity in the short term but had a positive effect 1 year later.

Rehospitalization of preterm infants according to the discharge risk level.

PURPOSE: The rehospitalization rate of preterm infants is between 22 and 52% within the first year after discharge. The purpose of this study was to investigate the rehospitalization of preterm infants within 2 months following discharge, considering the level of risks originating from the infant, parents, and the social factors. DESIGN AND METHODS: The sample was composed of 238 preterm infants and their parents. The data were collected with a Descriptive Information Form, the Post-Discharge Infant Follow-up Form, and the Neonatal Discharge Assessment Tool (N-DAT). Before discharge, the preterm infants were evaluated in terms of risky discharge via N-DAT consisting of the subscales Medical, Competencies, Risk factors, Resources, and Parenting. Discharge was determined as low, moderate, and high risk according to N-DAT total score. Two months after the discharge, rehospitalization of the infants was assessed. The data were evaluated via chi-square, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: In the study, 39.9% of the preterm infants were rehospitalized within the 8 weeks following the discharge, with medical and/or surgical reasons. Medical problems such as pneumonia and acute bronchiolitis were ranked as the first cause for rehospitalization. As expected, according to the N-DAT scores, the rates of rehospitalization of infants who had been discharged with intermediate and high risk levels were found to be higher (p < .001) than the rates of those with low risk levels. Also, N-DAT Medical, Competencies, Risk factors, Resources, and Parenting subscale scores of the infants who were rehospitalized with medical problems were found to be higher at a statistically significant level than infants who were not rehospitalized (p < .001). PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Nurses can help to minimize rehospitalization of infants by parental education, telephonic counseling, frequent observation, and home care support.

Validity and reliability of the Neonatal Discharge Assessment Tool.

PURPOSE: To investigate the reliability and validity of the Neonatal Discharge Assessment Tool (N-DAT) designed to assess risk factors related to infants' and parents' readiness for discharge to home. DESIGN AND METHODS: The sample was composed of 238 high-risk preterm infants, born at gestational age of 24 to 37 weeks, and their parents. High scores on the N-DAT indicated higher risk for discharge of preterm infants and their parents. Psychometric analyses of the N-DAT included content validity, internal consistency reliability, and construct validity. RESULTS: Content validity of the N-DAT items was supported by experts (content validity index = .98). Internal consistency reliability was supported by a Cronbach's alpha for the total instrument of .94. N-DAT total and subscale score correlations ranged from .42 to .89. Known-groups analysis indicated that infants born at <31 weeks' gestation and infants who were rehospitalized during 8 weeks after discharge had significantly higher N-DAT total and subscale scores than infants born at ≥31 weeks or not rehospitalized. Also, mothers who reported experiencing problems with infant care at home had significantly higher N-DAT Competencies subscale scores than mothers who did not report problems. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The N-DAT is a reliable and valid instrument to evaluate the risks related to discharge of preterm infants so that nurses can provide parents with the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources they need prior to discharge.

Effects of an Asthma Training and Monitoring Program on Children's Disease Management and Quality of Life.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of an asthma training and monitoring program on children's disease management and quality of life. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sample consisted of 120 children and their parents. Data were collected during, at the beginning, and at the end of the 3-month monitoring period using four forms and a quality of life scale. After an initial evaluation, approaches to control symptoms and asthma triggers and measures that might be taken for them were taught to the children and parents. The children recorded the conditions of trigger exposure, experience of disease symptoms, their effects on daily activities, and therapeutic implementations on a daily basis. RESULTS: During the 3-month monitoring period, the number of days when the children were exposed to triggers (p=0.000) and experienced disease symptoms decreased to a statistically significant level (p=0.006). Majority of domestic triggers disappeared, but those stemming from the structure of the house and non-domestic triggers indicated no change (p>0.05). Moreover, 30.8% of the children applied to a physician/hospital/emergency service, 4.2% of the children were hospitalized, and 30% of them could not go to school. The number of times when the children applied to a physician/hospital/emergency (p=0.013), the number of times they used medicines (p=0.050), and the number of days they could not go to school (p=0.002) decreased at a statistically significant level, and their quality of life increased (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Asthma training and monitoring program decreased children's rate of experiencing asthma symptoms and implementations of therapeutic purposes and increased their life quality.

Quality of life and job satisfaction of nurses.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a relation between job satisfactionand quality of life (QOL) of nurses. The study was based on a sample of 501 nurses. Job satisfaction was measured by means of the Short Form Minnesota Questionnaire and QOL by means of WHOQOL-BRIEE The results demostrated a positive correlation between job satisfaction and QOL. It was also found that job satisfaction and QOL scores of nurses showed a significant difference according to their age, economic level, marital status, duration of working life, and position at work.

Stress factors and coping strategies of parents with children treated by hemodialysis: A qualitative study.

The purpose of this study was to describe the common stress factors and coping strategies of parents whose children had been treated by hemodialysis. This study was conducted by using focus group interviews. The sample was composed of 31 parents. Five focus groups were made up from these parents. Data were analyzed by using the manifest content analysis method. According to the results, common stress factors of parents included financial and bureaucratic problems, growth and development of ill children, fluid-diet restriction and educational problems of children, lack of social support, and anxiety about losing their children at any moment. Coping strategies of parents were to give their attention to the positive side of matters, to share their feelings with their spouse or other parents, to cry, or pray.