Family oriented intervention for families of adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A feasibility study.

PURPOSE: Based on eight research criteria, this study examines the feasibility of a 5-week Family Strength-Oriented Therapeutic Conversation (FAM-SOTC) for caregivers of adolescents diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); this intervention aims to improve outcomes of both caregivers and adolescents. DESIGN AND METHODS: The FAM-SOTC intervention was implemented at an adolescent psychiatric outpatient unit with 10 caregivers of 10 adolescents diagnosed with ADHD. The feasibility criteria were addressed through survey responses, diary reports, and a one-group pre- and posttest quasi-experimental design. FINDINGS: The assessment of eight feasibility criteria showed promising results for the further evaluation of the intervention. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: This feasibility study has produced promising results, which represent a step toward a more extensive study, designed to evaluate a protocol that may offer educational and supportive programs for families of adolescents with ADHD, enhancing their self-management behavior. Further studies are warranted to test the FAM-SOTC intervention using a larger sample.

Factors associated with family functioning in patients with heart failure and their family members: An international cross-sectional study.

AIMS: To describe and compare family functioning, family health, and perceived social support from nurses and to identify the variables that are associated with family functioning in patients with heart failure (HF) and their family members in Denmark, Iran, and Iceland. DESIGN: An international multi-centre cross-sectional study. METHODS: A sample of 1382 participants (692 patients and 690 family members) from Denmark, Iceland, and Iran were included from January 2015 to May 2020. Data were collected using the Family Functioning, Health, and Social Support questionnaire. RESULTS: The significant factors associated with family functioning in patients were country, New York Heart Association classification (NYHA), education level, age, family health, social support, and there was a significant interaction effect between NYHA class and gender. The significant factors associated with family functioning in family members were country, education level, work status, family health, and there was a significant interaction effect between education and work status. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that the strongest factor associated with higher family functioning was family health for both patients and family members. Women in NYHA class I and younger patients and those with an academic education had a lower level of family functioning. Moreover, unemployed family members with an elementary education and family members with elementary and high school educations who were self-employed or employees had a lower level of family functioning. IMPACT: This is the first international study to investigate family functioning, family health, and social support and adds to the literature on the factors associated with family functioning in patients with HF and their family members. Our findings may help nurses to identify the most vulnerable families living with HF, thereby being able to provide special support to enhance their family functioning to promote self-management strategies.

Icelandic and United States families of adolescents with asthma: predictors of health-related quality of life from the parents' perspective.

AIMS: To evaluate cultural differences in sociodemographic factors, illness severity and parents' perception of their adolescent's quality of life for Icelandic and USA families of adolescents with asthma; and to determine predictors of parent-rated quality of life. BACKGROUND: Asthma is known to have an impact on the quality of life of affected adolescents and their families, but few studies have addressed parents' perception of their adolescent's health-related quality of life. DESIGN: Cross-sectional exploratory study. METHOD: The study involved families of adolescents with asthma included 15 from Iceland and 15 from USA, recruited from paediatric practices. Parent and adolescent participants completed questionnaires; this study is based on the parent responses. Data were collected from January-May 2006. FINDINGS: While parents from Iceland and USA were similar in demographic characteristics, parents from Iceland rated their children's health-related quality of life (PedsQL(TM) 3.0, Varni 1998) more positively than did USA parents, even though Icelandic parents were more likely than their USA counterparts to report that their adolescent's asthma is severe. Significant predictors of parent-rated quality of life included location (higher scores for Icelandic parents), gender (higher scores for parents of boys), exposure to second hand smoke in the home (higher scores for those not exposed) and frequency of troublesome wheezing (higher scores for lower frequency). CONCLUSION: Quality of life has been acknowledged as an essential health outcome measure. Even though gender difference was not found in asthma severity, parents of boys perceived their adolescent's quality of life as more positive compared with parents of girls. It might be helpful for Icelandic and USA families to integrate into care delivery models, cultural differences in parent-rated quality of life. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Asthma management interventions may improve quality of life for adolescents with asthma by reducing symptoms. Interventions promoting smoke-free homes and enhanced self-monitoring to prevent exacerbations may improve quality of life.