Parental perceptions of family management styles in families with a child with asthma

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Annette Hines (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Heidi Krowchuk

Abstract: Asthma is the most common chronic illness among children in the United States, and families who have a child with asthma face daily challenges to maintaining a normal family life. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed that studied four risk factors and four protective factors derived from the literature that impact these families, in order to better understand how nurses can meet the health care needs of the children with asthma and their families. Knafl's (1990, 1996) family management styles framework was applied as the theoretical framework of the study, and the concept of normalization was measured using the Family Management Measure (FaMM). The sample consisted of 43 parent dyads that had a child with asthma, who answered questions about their family, the child's asthma, and various dimensions of managing daily life with an ill child. Regression models were generated to determine the effect of the risk and protective factors on the outcome variable of normalization. The maternal and paternal scores on the FaMM were compared and were significantly correlated (r= 0.532, ñ < 0.001), while also exhibiting a significant difference in mean scores (t = 2.73, p = 0. 009). The risk factor of asthma severity had a statistically significant effect on family normalization. Based on study findings, nurses should assess for differences between parents in managing their child's asthma. Also, nurses should increase interventions for the child who has severe asthma because the child and family are at increased risk for difficulty in achieving normalization. Recommendations are made to perform studies that include children with other chronic illnesses and to include a wider variety of family configurations.

Additional Information

Publication
Dissertation
Language: English
Date: 2011
Keywords
Asthma, Children, Family, Family management styles, Normalization, Parents
Subjects
Asthma in children $x Patients $x Care $v Case studies
Family nursing $x Research $v Case studies
Chronically ill children $x Care $v Case studies
Families $x Health and hygiene $v Case studies

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