Coparenting emerges across the transition to parenthood and refers to the way individuals coordinate, support each other in their parental roles and share responsibility in childrearing. Despite the increase in research on coparenting, relatively few studies have focused on non- North American or non-European families, which has hindered practice and policy targeting diverse countries. Likewise, qualitative research on coparenting is relatively rare, yet critical to shed light on details and complexities not well captured by other methods, including insights into sociocultural factors linked to coparenting in distinct contexts. Moreover, a qualitative longitudinal approach is particularly well suited to examine important life course transitions and turning points, such as the transition to parenthood. To address these gaps, we investigated coparenting across the transition to parenthood in South-Brazilian families, using a qualitative, longitudinal, multiple case study. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 12 first-time mother and fathers (six nuclear families altogether), at 6, 12, and 18 months postpartum (36 interviews altogether). In two families only the father was employed, with the mother caring for the child; in two families both parents were employed, and they hired a nanny to care for the child in their home; and, in two families both parents were employed, and the child started attending daycare at the end of maternity leave. Through the two articles that comprise the current doctoral dissertation, we explored three components of Feinberg’s (2003) coparenting framework: division of labor (how parents divide childcare tasks and household chores, as well as their satisfaction with this division); agreement/disagreement (e.g., regarding children’s emotional needs and discipline); and, support/undermining (appreciation and cooperation, or criticism and competition). The first article is focused on the division of labor, whereas the second is focused on agreement/disagreement and support/undermining. Deductive thematic analysis revealed similarities and singularities between families. As presented in the first article, we found weaker sharing of household chores over time, against greater sharing of childcare tasks during the first few days postpartum, followed by a downward tendency in the fathers’ contributions during the first few months postpartum. This more unequal division of labor remained stable over time only for families who had chosen maternal care, changing after the end of maternity leave for families who had chosen nanny care and daycare. Parental satisfaction regarding the division of labor remained relatively high over time only for families who had chosen nanny care, which suggests that counting on a domestic worker since the beginning of the transition to parenthood contributed to preventing parental feelings of overload or unfairness across the transition to parenthood. Findings were discussed in the 10 light of the role that instrumental and social support, as well as the prevailing Brazilian gender norms, may play in the division of labor for new parents. With respect to the second article, our findings showed that agreement among parents remained relatively stable during the first year, whereas disagreements concerning discipline demanded more parental negotiation as infants advanced toward toddlerhood. Support and undermining coexisted in the same families, although mothers and fathers expressed undermining differently. Aspects of the ecological context, such as family of origin, instrumental and social support, as well as labor market, also appeared to influence coparenting agreement/disagreement and support/ undermining. Following each article, we presented strengths, limitations, suggestions for future research, as well as implications for practice (e.g., counseling) and policy (e.g., childcare arrangements and parental leave).

Apesar de pais e mães de crianças com câncer estarem em um processo interativo nos cuidados ao filho, pouca atenção tem sido dada às maneiras como a doença da criança afeta a relação conjugal desses casais. O objetivo deste trabalho foi compreender as repercussões do câncer infantil na relação conjugal de pais e mães de crianças com câncer, na experiência da doença de seus filhos. Trata-se de um estudo exploratório, de abordagem qualitativa. Participaram do estudo nove casais, totalizando 18 sujeitos. Utilizamos a entrevista em profundidade como principal técnica de coleta de dados, e a consulta em prontuários como recurso auxiliar para obter dados importantes da criança e de seus pais. A análise dos dados empíricos foi feita por meio da análise de conteúdo indutiva. Os resultados foram agrupados por similaridades nas seguintes categorias: a trajetória do casal na experiência do câncer infantil: as primeiras mudanças; o câncer infantil, o relacionamento conjugal dos pais e o papel da comunicação: fragilidades e potencialidades; alterações na dinâmica familiar e implicações para o casal: trabalho, lazer, papéis e relações de gênero; e enfrentando o desafio juntos: balanço da experiência e expectativas do casal. O presente estudo não objetivou distinguir se as mudanças ocorridas na relação conjugal desses pais e mães foram positivas ou negativas, mas, sim, mostrar que alguns aspectos contribuem para o estremecimento da relação desses homens e mulheres. Entretanto, alguns casais vivenciam aspectos que promovem o fortalecimento da relação com o cônjuge no contexto de doença da criança. O estudo evidenciou a importância da comunicação como um dos pilares do relacionamento conjugal desses casais, a necessidade da oferta adequada de apoio social, principalmente vindo do próprio cônjuge e a relevância das questões de gênero nos aspectos relacionados à sexualidade e intimidade do casal e no intercâmbio de papéis que se faz necessário durante a trajetória da doença. Os resultados deste estudo contribuem para que os profissionais de saúde, dentre eles o enfermeiro, tenham o casal como importante foco de seu cuidado, voltando-se para suas necessidades e ajudando-os a reconhecer as fortalezas no relacionamento com o cônjuge durante as adversidades, oportunizando e incentivando o diálogo e a parceria para lidar com os desafios impostos pela doença da criança. / Although fathers and mothers of children with cancer are going through an interactive process in care for their child, little attention has been given to how the childs disease affects these couples marital relationship. This research aimed to understand the repercussions of childhood cancer on the marital relationship between fathers and mothers of children with cancer, in the experience of their childrens disease. We carried out an exploratory study with a qualitative approach. Participants were nine couples, totaling 18 subjects. In-depth interviews were used as the main data collection technique, and patient files were consulted as an auxiliary resource to obtain important data about the children and their parents. Inductive content analysis was applied for empirical data analysis. The results were grouped according to similarity in the following categories: the couples trajectory in the experience of childhood cancer: the first changes; childhood cancer, the parents marital relationship and the role of communication: fragilities and potentials; changes in family dynamics and implications for the couple: work, leisure, roles and gender relations; and facing the challenge together: balancing the experience and the couples expectations. This research did not intend to distinguish whether the changes occurred in these fathers and mothers marital relationship were positive or negative, but to show that some aspects contribute to shake up these men and womens relationship. On the other hand, some couples experience aspects that promote the strengthening of the spousal relationship in the context of the childs disease. This study evidenced the importance of communication as one of the pillars of these couples marital relationship, the need for adequate social support supply, mainly from the spouse and the relevance of gender issues in aspects related to the couples sexuality and intimacy and in the role exchange needed along the disease trajectory. The results of this study contribute for health professionals, including nurses, to adopt the couple as an important focus in care delivery, looking at their needs and helping them to acknowledge the strengths in their spousal relationship during adversities, permitting and stimulating dialogue and partnership to deal with the challenges imposed by the childs disease.

O percurso do levantamento do substrato afetivo que compõe as relações familiares e o exercício das funções materna, paterna e filial, necessariamente complementares, visa realizar um paralelo com as necessidades dos integrantes da família e seu reconhecimento no campo do Direito de Família. A convivência é uma das formas de relacionamento familiar que merece abordagem interdisciplinar, com o aporte da Psicanálise, tendo em vista a necessidade de imprimir uma compreensão mais ampla relativa à guarda de filhos nas famílias transformadas. Pode-se, assim, dar-lhes moldura legal e tratamento nos processos judiciais, a partir das necessidades de todos os integrantes da família, levando em conta os aspectos que lhe são essenciais. O conceito de Poder Familiar sofreu modificações ao longo da história, em paralelo com a forma de exercício das funções materna, paterna e filial. Embora a tendência seja substituir a expressão Poder Familiar por Autoridade Parental, se vê como importante conservar aquela. As funções se pautam pela complementaridade, portanto, necessário se faz o reconhecimento de um novo balanceamento nas relações de poder que existem no seio das famílias. O afeto tem sido reconhecido como base do relacionamento familiar; desse modo, cabe trazer o conceito de vínculo, a partir da Psicanálise, para aprofundar a compreensão da dinâmica das relações familiares. As leis relativas à Guarda Compartilhada e à alienação parental trouxeram avanços importantes no sentido da proteção aos filhos e do necessário balanceamento do exercício das funções na família. A importância dada à convivência requer uma análise de seu significado, uma vez que esta pode ser contínua ou descontínua, dependendo do exercício das funções e da necessidade dos filhos. O direito à convivência, elevado por juristas ao Princípio do Direito de Família, seria melhor denominado Princípio do Direito ao Relacionamento Familiar, sendo a convivência, as visitas e o contato formas de se atingir aquele fim. / The journey towards the gathering of he affective substrate that builds up family relations and the exercise of maternal, paternal and filial functions, necessarily complementary, aims at drawing a parallel with the needs of the family members, as well as their recognition in Family Law. Conviviality needs an interdisciplinary approach with the contribution of Psychoanalysis in view of the need to bring about a broader understanding on guardianship disputes in the so called transformed families. Therefore, they could be given a somewhat different legal frame of reference with an adequate treatment on litigations rested on the needs of all the family members and taking into account aspects that are essential to their nature. The concept of Family Power suffered changes through history in parallel with how the maternal, paternal and filial functions are carried out. Although there is a tendency to replace the expression Family Power for Parental Authority, the former bears a meaning that it is advisable to preserve. The functions are complementary and it is necessary to recognize a new balance in the existing relationships of power within the families. The affection has been assumed as the basis of family relations, and its necessary to bring about the concept of bonds, from the Psychoanalysis, in order increase the understanding of the dynamics of such relationships. The new laws applicable to Joint Custody and Parental Alienation brought up important progresses as regards to the protection of offspring and the necessary balance in the exercise of the family functions and roles. The importance of conviviality requires an analysis of its meaning once it may be continuous or discontinuous, depending upon the exercise of family functions and needs of offspring. The right to conviviality promoted by jurists to a Family Law Principle would be best named as Principle of the Right to Family Relations, where conviviality, visits and contact become means to achieve that end.

This study explores the phenomenon of the relationships between practitioners and families who have a child with a chronic illness. Using a heremeneutic phenomenological method informed by the writings of Martin Heidegger [1889-1976] and Hans-Georg Gadamer [1900-2002], this study provides an understanding of the meaning of 'being in relationship' from the perspective of both families and practitioners.Study participants include ten family groups who have a child with a chronic illness and twelve practitioners from the disciplines of nursing, medicine, dietetics, physiotherapy and speech therapy who work with children with chronic illness. Narrative audiotaped interviewing was the means by which the participants told their stories about times that relationships worked well and when they did not. These stories uncover the every day realities of 'being in relationship' and provide another understanding of the relationship between family and practitioner.The findings of this thesis suggest that chronic childhood illness 'throws' families and practitioners together into a web of relationships that must work for the sake of the child. The relationship is primarily conducted between adults. Children are usually excluded. In order to understand and manage the child's illness, practitioners and families 'go around' and act 'in-between' relationships. While the quality of the relationship from the family perspective is not essential to the chronic illness journey, relationships are more successful when practitioners recognise the uniqueness of each family web. The nature of the relationship is often simple, yet it co-exists with complexity. This thesis proposes that a 'companion relationship' between practitioners and family may offer a more effective and satisfying way of working. It also challenges practitioners to consider the voice of children within health care relationships.

<p>Syftet med vår uppsats är att ur ett sociologiskt samhällsteoretiskt perspektiv, ge både oss själva och läsaren en ökad förståelse för och synliggöra flickor från vissa etniska grupper och deras intim- och familjerelationer i Sverige. För att kunna förstå flickornas eventuella problem och konflikter i familjen tar vi hjälp av Niklas Luhmanns systemteori och hans analys av intima relationer och familjen i det moderna samhället. De frågeställningar som besvaras är:</p><p>• Vilka skillnader mellan det förmoderna och moderna samhällets syn på intim- och familjerelationer ställs flickorna i vårt material inför?</p><p>• Hur kan dessa skillnader tolkas och förstås utifrån Luhmanns systemteoretiska analys av den moderna familjen?</p><p>Vår studie är ett teoretiskt arbete och grundar sig på litteraturstudier. För att kunna besvara våra frågeställningar har vi inspirerats av och löst anknutit oss till en abduktiv metod. Undersökningen tar sin utgångspunkt dels i en nyligen gjord studie av Åsa Andersson, Inte samma lika (2003), och dels i den internationellt erkände sociologen Niklas Luhmanns systemteori och hans analys av intima relationer och familjen.</p><p>För att kunna få en sociologisk samhällsteoretisk förståelse för och kunna placera in familjen i det moderna samhällets kontext presenterar vi de delar av Luhmanns teori och begreppsapparat som vi ansåg relevanta för ämnet. Det gör vi för att kunna förstå hur familjen fungerar i det moderna samhället.</p><p>Sammanfattningsvis kan vi konstatera att de skillnader i synen på intim- och familjerelationer som flickorna har att förhålla sig till finns i såväl den offentliga som den privata sfären. Skillnaderna är flera under respektive sfär men de mest framträdande skillnaderna handlar om moral och förnuft där familjen och den egna etniska gruppen använder mekanismer som skam och skuld för att reducera en ökad kontingens och komplexitet som råder i det moderna samhället. Utifrån flickornas beskrivningar kan vi förstå att deras förväntningar i hög grad skiljer sig från föräldrarnas såväl i valet av äktenskapspartner, hemarbete, mer frihet och ökad jämställdhet i form av utbildning och ekonomiskt oberoende. Utifrån en systemteoretisk synvinkel kan vi även se skillnader på såväl generell som specifik nivå, förändringar av intima relationer kan alltså kopplas till samhällsutvecklingen och dess semantiska koder knutna till familjen som system.</p>

<p> </p><p>The purpose of this study was to investigate registered nurses experiences about giving support to relatives to patients within palliative home care. This study was descriptive with qualitative approach. The data collection was made in the form of semi structured qualitative interviews which took place in a Swedish city of medium size, in an area for palliative homecare. Six registrated nurses were interviewed which all gave informed consent. The study suffered no losses and permission from the director of the concerned department had been given prior to the start of this study. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed whereupon three themes followed by seven categories entered.</p><p>In the main results difficulties appeared, such as when the family of a patient was unwilling to realize the situation. However the results also showed opportunities, for example the importance of the support which the nurses constituted. Many informants witnessed about the individual needs that existed among the relatives.  Foremost emphasize was on the importance of relatives and how the contact with them took place. Finally the study shows a picture of the supporting aspects that exists, for example to be able to sense the relatives needs and se their unspoken demands.</p><p> </p> / <p> </p><p>Syftet med studien var att undersöka sjuksköterskors upplevelser av att ge stöd till anhöriga till patienter inom palliativ hemsjukvård. Studien var deskriptiv med kvalitativ ansats. Datainsamling skedde i form av semistrukturerade intervjuer utifrån ett intervjuschema, intervjuerna spelades in på band. Detta ägde rum i en medelstor svensk stad i en verksamhet för palliativ hemsjukvård. Sex legitimerade sjuksköterskor intervjuades, varav samtliga lämnade informerat samtycke. Studien erfor inget bortfall och tillstånd från berörd verksamhetschef hade erhållits innan studiens start. Intervjuerna transkriberades och analyserades vartefter tre teman med sju kategorier kom fram.</p><p>I huvudresultatet framkom svårigheter som när anhöriga har en ovilja att inse situationen. Även möjligheter, till exempel betydelsen av det stöd som sjuksköterskorna utgjorde för de anhöriga belystes.   Många informanter vittnade om individuella behov bland de anhöriga. Framförallt betonades vikten av anhöriga och hur kontakten med dem skede. Slutligen gavs en bild av vilka stödjande aspekter som fanns till exempel sjuksköterskornas förmåga att kunna känna av de anhöriga och se deras osagda behov.</p><p> </p>

Syftet med vår uppsats är att ur ett sociologiskt samhällsteoretiskt perspektiv, ge både oss själva och läsaren en ökad förståelse för och synliggöra flickor från vissa etniska grupper och deras intim- och familjerelationer i Sverige. För att kunna förstå flickornas eventuella problem och konflikter i familjen tar vi hjälp av Niklas Luhmanns systemteori och hans analys av intima relationer och familjen i det moderna samhället. De frågeställningar som besvaras är: • Vilka skillnader mellan det förmoderna och moderna samhällets syn på intim- och familjerelationer ställs flickorna i vårt material inför? • Hur kan dessa skillnader tolkas och förstås utifrån Luhmanns systemteoretiska analys av den moderna familjen? Vår studie är ett teoretiskt arbete och grundar sig på litteraturstudier. För att kunna besvara våra frågeställningar har vi inspirerats av och löst anknutit oss till en abduktiv metod. Undersökningen tar sin utgångspunkt dels i en nyligen gjord studie av Åsa Andersson, Inte samma lika (2003), och dels i den internationellt erkände sociologen Niklas Luhmanns systemteori och hans analys av intima relationer och familjen. För att kunna få en sociologisk samhällsteoretisk förståelse för och kunna placera in familjen i det moderna samhällets kontext presenterar vi de delar av Luhmanns teori och begreppsapparat som vi ansåg relevanta för ämnet. Det gör vi för att kunna förstå hur familjen fungerar i det moderna samhället. Sammanfattningsvis kan vi konstatera att de skillnader i synen på intim- och familjerelationer som flickorna har att förhålla sig till finns i såväl den offentliga som den privata sfären. Skillnaderna är flera under respektive sfär men de mest framträdande skillnaderna handlar om moral och förnuft där familjen och den egna etniska gruppen använder mekanismer som skam och skuld för att reducera en ökad kontingens och komplexitet som råder i det moderna samhället. Utifrån flickornas beskrivningar kan vi förstå att deras förväntningar i hög grad skiljer sig från föräldrarnas såväl i valet av äktenskapspartner, hemarbete, mer frihet och ökad jämställdhet i form av utbildning och ekonomiskt oberoende. Utifrån en systemteoretisk synvinkel kan vi även se skillnader på såväl generell som specifik nivå, förändringar av intima relationer kan alltså kopplas till samhällsutvecklingen och dess semantiska koder knutna till familjen som system.

The purpose of this study was to investigate registered nurses experiences about giving support to relatives to patients within palliative home care. This study was descriptive with qualitative approach. The data collection was made in the form of semi structured qualitative interviews which took place in a Swedish city of medium size, in an area for palliative homecare. Six registrated nurses were interviewed which all gave informed consent. The study suffered no losses and permission from the director of the concerned department had been given prior to the start of this study. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed whereupon three themes followed by seven categories entered. In the main results difficulties appeared, such as when the family of a patient was unwilling to realize the situation. However the results also showed opportunities, for example the importance of the support which the nurses constituted. Many informants witnessed about the individual needs that existed among the relatives.  Foremost emphasize was on the importance of relatives and how the contact with them took place. Finally the study shows a picture of the supporting aspects that exists, for example to be able to sense the relatives needs and se their unspoken demands. / Syftet med studien var att undersöka sjuksköterskors upplevelser av att ge stöd till anhöriga till patienter inom palliativ hemsjukvård. Studien var deskriptiv med kvalitativ ansats. Datainsamling skedde i form av semistrukturerade intervjuer utifrån ett intervjuschema, intervjuerna spelades in på band. Detta ägde rum i en medelstor svensk stad i en verksamhet för palliativ hemsjukvård. Sex legitimerade sjuksköterskor intervjuades, varav samtliga lämnade informerat samtycke. Studien erfor inget bortfall och tillstånd från berörd verksamhetschef hade erhållits innan studiens start. Intervjuerna transkriberades och analyserades vartefter tre teman med sju kategorier kom fram. I huvudresultatet framkom svårigheter som när anhöriga har en ovilja att inse situationen. Även möjligheter, till exempel betydelsen av det stöd som sjuksköterskorna utgjorde för de anhöriga belystes.   Många informanter vittnade om individuella behov bland de anhöriga. Framförallt betonades vikten av anhöriga och hur kontakten med dem skede. Slutligen gavs en bild av vilka stödjande aspekter som fanns till exempel sjuksköterskornas förmåga att kunna känna av de anhöriga och se deras osagda behov.

Summary Self-esteem is formed during different periods of human life. Various factors can influence its formation directly or indirectly. The aim of this study was to investigate one of self-esteem’s aspects: determine characteristics of self-esteem in relation to child’s relations with members of his or her family and self. 200 children participated in this study. Their age range was from 4 to 10 years old. Participants were divided into two groups according to their age: pre-school age group and elementary school-age group. Self esteem and participant’s relations with other family members as well as self were investigated using self-esteem scale (Beresneviciene, 1995) and projective family relations test (Chomentauskas, 1983). Data analysis confirmed the following hypotheses: children form two-parent family have a more positive relation with their father than children from one-parent family (t(43,667)=7,274, p<0,01); children from one-parent family have a more positive relations with their mother than children from to-parent family (t(101,249)=-2,207, p=0,030). Other significant relations in were found analyzing differences of relations with participant���s family members and self in groups according to age, sex, birth sequence in a family and family structure (two-parent or one -parent family); comparing self-esteem in groups according to age, sex, birth sequence in a family and family structure (two-parent or one -parent family) and investigating correlations between... [to full text]

This study explores the phenomenon of the relationships between practitioners and families who have a child with a chronic illness. Using a heremeneutic phenomenological method informed by the writings of Martin Heidegger [1889-1976] and Hans-Georg Gadamer [1900-2002], this study provides an understanding of the meaning of 'being in relationship' from the perspective of both families and practitioners.Study participants include ten family groups who have a child with a chronic illness and twelve practitioners from the disciplines of nursing, medicine, dietetics, physiotherapy and speech therapy who work with children with chronic illness. Narrative audiotaped interviewing was the means by which the participants told their stories about times that relationships worked well and when they did not. These stories uncover the every day realities of 'being in relationship' and provide another understanding of the relationship between family and practitioner.The findings of this thesis suggest that chronic childhood illness 'throws' families and practitioners together into a web of relationships that must work for the sake of the child. The relationship is primarily conducted between adults. Children are usually excluded. In order to understand and manage the child's illness, practitioners and families 'go around' and act 'in-between' relationships. While the quality of the relationship from the family perspective is not essential to the chronic illness journey, relationships are more successful when practitioners recognise the uniqueness of each family web. The nature of the relationship is often simple, yet it co-exists with complexity. This thesis proposes that a 'companion relationship' between practitioners and family may offer a more effective and satisfying way of working. It also challenges practitioners to consider the voice of children within health care relationships.