Marjorie A. White

Norwegian families: transition to parenthood.

Our purpose in conducting this study was to explore relationships among family dynamics, parent–fetal attachment, and infant temperament in 230 mother–father pairs from the third trimester of pregnancy to when their infant was 7 to 9 months old. Mothers reported increased role conflict during this time, as well as more role conflict than their partners. First-time parents (n = 133) perceived more positive family dynamics than second-time parents (n = 97), as well as greater parent–fetal attachment. Maternal–fetal attachment was greater than paternal–fetal attachment. Health care providers can provide support for new parents as they negotiate new role relationships.

Family dynamics as predictors of infant disposition

In this longitudinal study of mothers, their families, and their infants, both discriminant and regression analyses showed that prenatal reports of family dynamics predicted infant disposition at 8 months with considerable accuracy. The most important predictive component was organization and consistency within the family unit as well as the dependability of other family members. Possible mechanisms by which family dynamics might affect the infants developing disposition are discussed.

Family Dynamics and Child Abuse and Neglect in Three Finnish Communities

The purpose of this study was to describe family dynamics of Finnish families in which there is abuse or neglect of a child in that family. One adult from 41 families with recognized child abuse/neglect completed the Family Dynamics Measure II (FDM II) consisting of six dimensions of family life, and answered questions about problems, changes and illnesses. Nurses and social workers in community health care and social agencies identified potential subjects in their agencies and collected data. Four of the six dimensions of the FDM II reached statistical significance ( p =. 05) with child age and number of children, education, marital status, and age of respondent. They are: Flexibility vs. rigidity, Stability vs. disorganization, Clear vs. distorted communication, and Role reciprocity vs. role conflict. FDM II is useful in identifying several of the less positive family dynamics dimensions in abuse:neglect families. Conclusions for clinical management cannot be drawn at this time.

Family dynamics in the United States, Finland and Iceland

Understanding the dynamics of contemporary, postmodern families and how these relate to health is critically important to nurses and other health care providers throughout the world. Much can be learned by studying not only ones own culture but also other countries. Thus, the purpose of this study was to compare family dynamics of families in the United States, Finland and Iceland. To date relatively little has been published related to families in these Nordic countries. Six family dimensions in Barnhills Family Health Cycle served as the theoretical framework. Adult respondents (n = 567) purposively selected from varied community groups, completed the Family Dynamics Measure II (FDM II) and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Main findings from the three countries were positive family dynamics, with mutuality contributing the strongest factor to partially confirm the theoretical propositions in Barnhills Family Health Cycle. Respondents from all countries reported (1) clear communication and flexibility that contribute to mutuality; (2) younger age of respondents and increased education that were associated with more positive family dynamics; and (3) larger families associated with more negative dynamics. Mixed reports occurred according to gender, with Nordic men tending to perceive some negative dimensions. Marriage was important for more positive family dynamics only in the United States. Families in the United States and in Iceland had in common more negative family dynamics during illnesses. Problems and changes affected mostly families in the United States. In general, families in Finland and Iceland had greater strengths than in the United States. This benchmark study offers information for health practitioners to assist families, as well as contribute to the improvement of family social policies, especially in the United States.

Technical Notes: Parent-Child Separation: An Observational Methodology

An innovative observational methodology is employed in this study of the separation of parents and young children who are hospitalized. The research problem focuses on the investigation of two nursing interventions that will facilitate maintaining the link between parents and their young hospitalized child. One assumption rests on the belief that appropriate links will promote positive adaptation to the separation experience. Voice contact designed as an experimental variable is used in two phases of the research: 1) a tape recorded bedtime story for the child, and 2) a series of telephone calls to the parents by the nurse. Children 3 to 8 years and their parents are subjects in this study. Only those families who cannot avail themselves of the opportunity for rooming-in are invited to be part of the study. Child-parent subjects are randomized into four groups: 1) story and phone calls; 2) phone calls,