Search

Objective: Social support is a critical component of breast cancer care and is associated with clinical and quality of life outcomes. Significant health disparities exist between Black and White women with breast cancer. Our study used qualitative methods to explore the social support needs of Black and White women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer on adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET)., Methods: We conducted four focus group (FG) interviews (N = 28), stratified by race (ie, Black and White) and time on AET. FGs were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed according to conventions of thematic analysis., Results: Participants noted the importance of having their informational and emotional social support needs met by friends and family members. White participants reported support provided by others with breast cancer was crucial; Black women did not discuss other survivors as part of their networks. Notably, both White and Black participants used the FG environment to provide experiential social support to each other., Conclusions: White participants noted that having other breast cancer survivors in their support network was essential for meeting their social support needs. However, Black participants did not reference other breast cancer survivors as part of their networks. Cancer centers should consider reviewing patients' access to experiential support and facilitate opportunities to connect women in the adjuvant phase., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Background: The estimated prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is one in 88. Autism Spectrum Disorders are nearly five times more common among boys than girls. Children with autism may develop a variety of socially unacceptable maladaptive behaviors beyond the defining symptoms of the spectrum disorder., Aims: It is necessary to conduct research to examine maladaptive behaviors of children with autism, family supports, parental stress, and parental coping., Methods: Data used were collected during an earlier descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional study. Using the Double ABCX Model of family behavior as the framework, this study evaluated parents' views of the adaptive behaviors of their children diagnosed with autism using the networks of support for their family, parental stress, and parental coping patterns., Results: Results indicate an association between increased Internalizing maladaptive behaviors and increased parental stress (r = .547, p = .000)., Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that parents of children with autism report that their children have clinically significant maladaptive behaviors. Healthcare providers could use results from this study to provide appropriate intervention for maladaptive behaviors to support children with autism and their families.

Background: As the number of children diagnosed with autism continues to rise, resources must be available to support parents of children with autism and their families. Parents need help as they assess their unique situations, reach out for help in their communities, and work to decrease their stress levels by using appropriate coping strategies that will benefit their entire family., Methods: A descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional study was conducted with 75 parents/primary caregivers of children with autism. Using the McCubbin and Patterson model of family behavior, adaptive behaviors of children with autism, family support networks, parenting stress, and parent coping were measured., Findings and Conclusions: An association between low adaptive functioning in children with autism and increased parenting stress creates a need for additional family support as parents search for different coping strategies to assist the family with ongoing and new challenges. Professionals should have up-to-date knowledge of the supports available to families and refer families to appropriate resources to avoid overwhelming them with unnecessary and inappropriate referrals.

Objective: This study examined the possible moderating role of social support on the association between child externalizing behavior and parenting stress in a cross‐sectional sample of typically developing toddlers and their mothers. Background: Child externalizing behavior problems often emerge during the toddler years and are associated with increased parenting stress. Family stress theory posits that resources (e.g., social support) may buffer the effects of stressors such as child behavior concerns. However, limited empirical research has examined the impact of social support on parenting stress in parents of typically developing toddlers. Method: The sample included 1,036 mother–toddler dyads and was representative of the broader region in which the research took place (59% African American, 58% married/cohabitating, 53% with high school diploma). General linear models were performed. Results: The interaction term was not significant; therefore, a moderator model was not supported. However, the final model demonstrated that child behavior problems were associated with higher levels of parenting stress; and lower levels of both amount of support and satisfaction with social support were associated with additional increases in parenting stress. Conclusion: Results suggest that parents who have low levels of social support and a toddler with higher levels of externalizing behaviors are at particular risk for experiencing elevated levels of parenting stress. Implications: Given that externalizing behaviors are common during the toddler years, future research is needed to better understand how social support benefits parents of toddlers and to develop new or modify existing interventions to increase social support and reduce parenting stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored experiences associated with burden, depressive symptoms, and perceived health in six male caregivers of persons with end stage renal disease (ESRD) using qualitative interviews. Analysis employed open coding and analysis to generate codes and categories. Eighty-three percent of the participants reported significant subjective and objective burden. Linkages occurred between sociodemographic characteristics, care recipient attributes, and caregiver-care recipient relationship, and caregivers' experience of burden and depressive symptoms. Findings suggest the need for intervention trials targeting new coping strategies to help improve the well-being of this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Research suggests that parents of children with disabilities endure increased amounts of stress but also experience positive outcomes. Purpose: To further investigate findings from focus group interviews that explored parental stress in families of children with disabilities using a sequential mixed methods design. Method: This study sought to model parental stress using the McCubbin and McCubbin (1993) Resiliency Model of Stress, Adjustment, and Adaptation using qualitative and quantitative data collected sequentially. Twenty-five parents of children with autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and sickle cell disease participated in a 2-step study that encompassed qualitative followed by quantitative data ascertainment. Results: Parents who quantitatively experienced high stress or low stress used different behavioral themes to describe their experience qualitatively. Positive appraisals, resources, and ability to engage in problem solving and coping were associated with family resiliency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]