Heather R. Hall

The relationships among adaptive behaviors of children with autism, family support, parenting stress, and coping.

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.

Maladaptive Behaviors of Children with Autism: Parent Support, Stress, and Coping

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.

PARENTAL STRESS IN FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH A GENETIC DISORDER/DISABILITY AND THE RESILIENCY MODEL OF FAMILY STRESS, ADJUSTMENT, AND ADAPTATION

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.

Families of Children With Autism: Behaviors of Children, Community Support and Coping

Background: The diagnosis of autism for children (from birth to age 21) continues to increase, with the current rate being 1 in 110 children in the US. Besides financial strain, families often experience reduced quality of life due to disruptive behaviors related to autism. Research indicates that social support for families of children with autism improves family coping and adaptation. Method: A descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional study was conducted with 38 parents of children with autism. Using the McCubbin and Patterson (1983) model of family behavior, associations among behaviors of children with autism, community support for family, and family coping were analyzed. Results: Findings of this study indicate an association between increased community supports and increased family coping strategies (r=.451; p=.005). Results also suggest the levels of disruptive behaviors associated with autism vary, community support can be but is not always helpful, and that the family’s ability to cope with the challenges of autism is important to the family.

Exploring parent-sibling communication in families of children with sickle cell disease.

Background: Communication within families of children with sickle cell disease is important yet has not been adequately investigated. Methods: Focus group interviews were conducted with parents of children with sickle cell disease to explore parent-sibling communication about sickle cell disease. Results: Communication was influenced by attributes and behaviors of the parent, the child with sickle cell disease, and the sibling; extended family, neighbors, friends, and church members or social networks; and available, accessible resources related to the childs health, childs school, and parent employment. Outcomes that influenced and were influenced by factors within and outside the parent-sibling dyad and nuclear family included parent satisfaction, parent roles, family intactness, and status attainment. Conclusions: These findings support previous research with African-American families and expand our views of the importance of educating parents, family members, and others about sickle cell disease. The findings suggest a need to explore sibling perception of this communication, parent and sibling perception of the impact of frequent hospitalizations and clinic visits on the sibling and family, and variations within families of children with sickle cell disease.

Obesity Stigma and Bias

Overweight and obesity are escalating in epidemic proportions in the United States. Individuals with overweight and obesity are often reluctant to seek medical help, not only for weight reduction but also for any health issue because of perceived provider discrimination. Providers who are biased against individuals with obesity can hinder our nations effort to effectively fight the obesity epidemic. By addressing weight bias in the provider setting, individuals affected by obesity may be more likely to engage in a meaningful and productive discussion of weight. Providers need to be the go-to source for obesity-focused information on new and emerging treatments.

Concept mapping a baccalaureate nursing program: a method for success.

The understanding of curricular design and development is paramount for faculty. For novice faculty, learning teaching methods commonly takes precedence over understanding curriculum development. Professional accrediting bodies of nursing programs require curriculum course content to be pertinent and flow logically. Baccalaureate nursing programs can choose to be accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The purpose of this article is to describe an educational innovation that one College of Nursing implemented to orient new faculty to the curriculum and prepare for an accreditation renewal. Assigned faculty developed and implemented a concept mapping process aimed to evaluate and revise course content based on national standards and guidelines. Undergraduate faculty understanding and ownership of the curriculum was evident throughout the process. The concept mapping process proved to be an innovative approach to enhance the curriculum and equip faculty with an understanding of the relationship between concepts and course content.

Cardiovascular Health of Filipinos in the United States A Review of the Literature

Purpose: Filipino Americans (FAs) are at high risk for cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this literature review is to enhance understanding of cardiovascular health among FAs. Design: Databases searched: MEDLINE (via PubMed), Google Scholar, Journals@OVID, and EBSCO databases including CINAHL Complete. Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, Academic Search Complete, and Biological Abstracts 1969-Present. Key terms used: FAs and cardiovascular disease. Criteria for inclusion: peer-reviewed empirical articles published in English. Findings/Results: A total of 51 studies were identified and 27 were selected for the review based on relevance to nursing care for FAs. Three main themes emerged from the literature reviewed: risk factors and disease prevalence, health promotion, and health beliefs/practices. Discussion/Conclusions: The literature review identified that FAs were at high risk for cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome at lower BMI levels. Implications for Practice: Health care providers should implement prevention strategies and interventions for the FA population to ensure the best outcomes.