The present study examined the links between whole family interaction patterns, parent-child attachment, and child emotional adjustment in a sample of 86 community families with children between the ages of 8 and 11. Family interactions were observed and coded with the System for Coding Interactions and Family Functioning (SCIFF; Lindahl, 2001). Target children completed the Children’s Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CCSQ; Yunger, Corby, & Perry, 2005), and the Behavior Assessment System for Children- 2nd Edition, Self Report of Personality (BASC-2 SRP; Reynolds &Kamphaus, 2004). Results of hierarchical regressions indicated that Secure and Avoidant attachment each independently predicted children’s emotional symptoms in some models. Family Cohesion and Positive Affect moderated the relationship between father-child attachment and children’s emotional symptoms. Results of the current study support the utility of considering dyadic attachment and family interaction patterns conjointly when conceptualizing and treating children’s emotional outcomes.

Aim: The overall aim was to generate deepened knowledge and understanding about families’ experiences of living as a family with chronic illness. The four studies aimed to: illuminate the meaning of living as a family in the midst of chronic illness (I), illuminate illness beliefs in those families (II), illuminate the meaning of place for family well-being (III) and describe the experiences of encounters with health care in families living with chronic illness (IV). Methods: All studies had qualitative designs and a Family Systems Nursing perspective. Data was collected through family interviews with families where an adult family member had lived with chronic illness for more than two years. The used analyses were phenomenological hermeneutic (I,III), hermeneutic (II) and content analysis (IV). Results: Living as a family with chronic illness was a continuously ongoing process where families co-created a context for living with illness and alternative ways for everyday life (I). Core and secondary beliefs within and across families about illness, family, and health care were revealed and showed for how families responded to and managed situations due to illness (II). Further, the meaning of place for family well-being was described as “a shared respite”, i.e. a place for relief, reflection and re-creation. It seemed to be important for families to be in secure places to enhance well-being (III). Living with chronic illness also includes frequent encounters with health care professionals and having an accompanying member constituted a great power. It helped families to get opportunities to collaborate, and receiving confirmation in the encounters (IV). Conclusions: Living as a family with chronic illness is a continuously ongoing process where family members constitute support for each other. Families have a common desire to handle challenges and changes due to illness and to co-create new patterns for everyday living. Therefore, if nurses adopt a Family Nursing Perspective and involve families in health care, families’ strengths and resources can be facilitated. Then, family well-being can be strengthened.

Six hundred fifty-seven (657) members of the American School Counseling Association responded to the researcher-developed survey, the School Counselors Perceptions of Family Systems Perspectives Questionnaire (SCP-FSPQ). The instrument assessed school counselors’ perceptions of preparedness, competency, importance and frequency of use of family systems perspectives when working with youth in the school setting. The purposes of this quantitative study were to understand school counselors’ perceptions of their educational preparation in family systems perspectives; whether school counselors are using family systems strategies and, if so, how often; and how important school counselors believe those strategies are when implemented. This study also explores the barriers school counselors may face when working with a family systems perspective. Items from the SCP-FSPQ were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, t-test, Pearson correlation and principal component analysis. When exploring the relationships between school counselors’ type of degree, methods of learning, frequency of usage, beliefs about preparedness, competence and importance of family systems perspective, significant relationships were identified among all the variables. The results of this study supported the need for required family systems education that prepares school counselors to work with students and their families in the school setting. Findings resulted in training and education recommendations for school counselors, counselor educators, counselor education programs and the school counseling accreditation bodies.

Four hundred fifty-six (456) members of the Association for Play Therapy responded to the researcher-developed survey, the Play Therapists' Decision-Making Inventory-Revised (PTDI-R). The instrument assessed play therapists’ perceptions of the role of attachment in the treatment process, the frequency with which play therapists feel competent to use family-systems play therapy, and the frequency with which they utilize these interventions. Items from the PTDI-R were analyzed using a principal component analysis to assess the underlying structure of six items that addressed participants’ frequency of use of FSPTI relative to their understanding of the attachment relationship. This factor accounted for 45% of the variance between the 6 survey items. These items from the PTDI-R were combined into one variable for use in the analysis of the remaining research questions. Using this enhanced dependent variable representing frequency of use of FSPTI by play therapists, three multiple regression models were built. Of these, the third model had the most power, explaining 65% of the variance in the dependent variable. When examining the relationships between play therapists’ demographic variables, beliefs about attachment, and play therapy practice patterns, significant relationships were identified among all but one set of variables. The results of this study supported the need for required play therapy education that applies family systems approaches to address attachment dysfunction in the caregiver-child relationship. Findings resulted in training and education recommendations to play therapists, counselor education programs, and the play therapy credentialing body.

While it is recognised that the burden on the caregiver of a person who has suffered a neurological event is great, research into the experience of caregiving and the effects of cognitive-communicative difficulties on intergenerational families is lacking. Studies examining these experiences within a multicultural and multilingual setting such as South Africa are few. The effects of neurogenic communication disorders in family systems also require further investigation. This study explores parent caregivers’ experiences of caring for their once-independent adult child, who are now faced with the reality of parenting for the second time. A qualitative research design was employed. Eighteen parents of adult children who have suffered TBIs, strokes or brain tumours were interviewed. The data obtained were analysed by means of thematic analysis. Themes associated with caring for an adult child, specifically in the South African context, are identified and discussed. These themes related to the parent caregiver’s experience of loss – loss of their child due to physical and cognitivecommunicative difficulties as well as the loss of their own dreams and plans for the future. Multiple roles within intergenerational family systems, support and information are identified as significant factors in either minimising or exacerbating their experience of loss. These themes are explained within a Family Systems Theory framework and assist in identifying both positive and negative factors that impact on experiences of caring for an adult child. It stresses the importance of the implementation of sustainable programmes and support services specifically catering for parents of adult children with neurological communication disorders.

This study explores and describes the experiences of hearing children growing up in Deaf Parented families in Gauteng. The specific objectives of the study were to explore the delegation of different roles including South African Sign Language interpreting in the family; the influence of having Deaf parents in occupational choices of hearing adult-children of Deaf parents; the availability of support services to CODAs and their perceptions of their parents in terms of disability. A purposive sampling strategy in conjunction with snowball sampling was used to identify and recruit participants. Two males and eight females between the ages of 21 and 40 years, with different occupations were recruited for this study. A qualitative design, embedded within the constructivism and interpretivism framework was used in this study. Data were collected through semi structured; open ended and in-depth interview questions were used to obtain data for the study. A pilot study was conducted prior to commencing with the main study. Thematic content analysis was employed to describe themes qualitatively. The following themes emerged from the study. Participants reported to have developed a bicultural identity; however, they primarily identify themselves as CODAs regardless of their racial identity. Participants expressed frustrations with the interpreter role and female children reported to have interpreted for their parents more than their male counterparts. Seven participants are currently employed as SASL interpreters. The study highlights that there are mixed emotions regarding interactions with the extended family members. The study identifies a strong need for support services for Deaf parented families. Lastly; participants viewed Deafness as a cultural minority, and not a disability. Findings revealed a need for audiologists to clearly define their role in Deaf parented families, and to also adopt emic view of Deafness and family system perspective model.

Thesis advisor: Paul Gray / As siblings tend to have the longest lasting and most transformative relationship within family systems, more attention must be given to individuals with siblings with disabilities. Given that young adulthood is a time spent planning for the future, this research investigates the impact of the experience of having a sibling with a disability on the development of future aspirations for young adults. Semi-structured interviews and a qualitative analysis examine the various aspects of the sibling relationship and family systems which affect the future planning of young adults with special needs siblings. The purpose is to understand what personality and identity traits develop from the experience of having a sibling with a disability, and how these characteristics subsequently relate to decisions such as career choice, geographical location, beginning a family, and role accountability towards future caregiving for their special needs sibling. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: College Honors Program. / Discipline: Sociology.

This study sought to create a measure of parent's perceptions of parental experience-based change (PEBC), or parents' perceptions of the changes they make to their parenting of secondborn children as a result of experiences with firstborn children. The measure assessed PEBC in the domains of monitoring, expectations, nurturing and discipline. Participants were 401 mothers or fathers of 2 or 3 adolescent children. Factor analyses revealed an 8 factor solution that assessed increasing and decreasing in each of the 4 domains. Criterion validity was evaluated using regression analyses to examine the relationships between each factor and parenting outcomes thought to be related to PEBC, namely efficacy, relationship positivity and negativity, demandingness, responsiveness and granting of autonomy. Reliability of the measure was also evaluated. Overall, results supported the validity and reliability of the measure of PEBC and future research can implement the measure in study of parenting and sibling influence.

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Book Summary: The ninth edition of Corey's best-selling THEORY AND PRACTICE OF COUNSELING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY helps you develop your own counseling style. With this text, you will gain a firm foundation in the major counseling theories (psychoanalytic, Adlerian, existential, person-centered, Gestalt, reality, behavior, cognitive-behavior, family systems, feminist, and postmodern approaches) as they are used in practice. By means of the case of "Stan," you will see how the theory presented in each text chapter informs therapeutic decision making. The "DVD for Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy: The Case of Stan and Lecturettes" is an extension of the text. "At a Glance" charts pinpoint the major differences between theories in areas such as multicultural focus, basic philosophies, and limitations.