The associations between resilience and socio-demographic factors in parents who care for their children with congenital heart disease

Feeling stretched: Parents' narratives about challenges to resilience when their child has a tracheostomy

This study aimed to examine how parents develop personal resilience when facing the challenges of caring for a child with tracheostomy. This study employed a longitudinal qualitative design. Unstructured narrative interviews with 12 parents (from nine families) whose child had a new tracheostomy were undertaken at three time points over 12 months. Data were analysed using a socio-narratology method. Findings reveal the journey parents experienced, how their feelings changed and the processes involved in developing resilience over the first 12 months of their child having a tracheostomy. Stories told by parents early in their journey revealed emotional upheaval, negative emotions, stress and shock. Due to medical need, parents had little or no choice for their child to have a tracheostomy. Once their child's life was out of danger, parents started to reframe their experiences and beliefs. Resilience played a major part in how parents perceived and faced their situation, allowing them to deal with what came their way and to move forward with their lives. Different aspects of resilience such as self-awareness, grit, gratitude, internal locus of control and reframing came to the fore at different time points. Parents talked feeling stretched by the challenges they faced and how they reframed their perspectives about their child's tracheostomy. Parents' resilience and reframing is discussed in relation to the ABC-X model. This study identifies a theoretical model that explains this process of change, this results in transferable knowledge, useful for understanding and explaining the experience of other parents and families.

Effects of positive psychological control intervention on sleep and psychology of officers and soldiers working at sea

BACKGROUND

The working environment of submarine crews is also very special. They are in a closed, high-temperature, high-noise, high-vibration and narrow working and living space for a long time, and they suffer from physical discomfort caused by seasickness, which will affect the mental health of officers and soldiers. American psychologists have achieved positive results in psychological resilience training for officers and soldiers from the perspective of positive psychology. At present, there are few reports on the correlation between psychological resilience in the field of domestic research on submarine crew psychology, and it is necessary to conduct further research.

AIM

To explore the impact of active psychological regulation intervention on officers and soldiers operating in confined spaces at sea.

METHODS

A total of 121 soldiers working in a confined space of a large ship were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group. The 50 soldiers in the experimental group were given a training course intervention, while the 71 soldiers in the control group did not receive any intervention measures. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Psychological Resilience Scale, military Psychological Stress Self-Assessment Questionnaire, and General Self-Efficacy Scale scores were compared before and 6 months after the intervention.

RESULTS

Under the positive psychological control intervention, except for sleep efficiency (P = 0.05), the difference between the remaining dimensions of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores and the total scores of the experimental group compared with the control group was statistically significant (P < 0.05); the assessment of the psychological condition showed that, in addition to the Psychological Stress Self-assessment Questionnaire for Military Personnel scores (P = 0.05), the scores of the Mental Toughness Scale (Dispositional Resilience Scale Resilience II) in the experimental group, General Self-Efficacy Scale scores were statistically significant (P < 0.05) compared to pre-intervention.

CONCLUSION

Positive psychological intervention and control can improve the sleep state and psychological state of officers and soldiers working in confined space at sea.

Financial Stressors for Parents of Children and Emerging Adults With Congenital Heart Disease: A Qualitative Study

INTRODUCTION

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most prevalent congenital disability globally. This study aimed to describe parents' perspectives on financial stressors related to having a child with CHD using a descriptive qualitative approach.

METHOD

Qualitative data were obtained from parents of children with CHD in a cross-sectional web-based survey study. Iterative data analysis was used to develop essential themes that enabled a rich description of 147 parents' perspectives.

RESULTS

Parents identified five financial stressors: perpetual worries about health insurance, facing the dilemma of "making too much money," struggling to balance work, worrying over having an emerging adult with CHD, and constant constraints because of financial needs.

DISCUSSION

As experts in pediatric care, pediatric advanced practice providers need to work with policymakers to provide further financial assistance and sufficient insurance coverage for families that struggle to balance finances for the whole family and children with CHD.

Mothers of Children With Special Health Care Needs: Exploring Caregiver Burden, Quality of Life, and Resiliency

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to explore caregiver burden, quality of life (QOL), and resilience in mothers of children with special health care needs (CSHCN), compare differences between mothers of CSHCN and healthy children, and differences between mothers of CSHCN on the basis of child severity.

METHOD

Mothers (n = 106) with a child aged < 18 years were recruited. A cross-sectional design was used. Measures included the Caregiver Burden Inventory, Quality of Life Scale, and Brief Resilience Inventory. Pearson point-biserial correlations and independent t-tests were used to compare group differences.

RESULTS

Caregiver burden and QOL were negatively correlated (p < .001). Mothers of CSHCN had greater burden (p < .001) and poorer QOL (p = .006). Child severity increased caregiver burden time (p = .003).

DISCUSSION

Study findings expound on research indicating mothers of CSHCN experience greater burden and poorer QOL than their peers, and child severity increases burden via time commitment. Health care providers should assess risk factors for poor QOL and caregiver burden and provide appropriate resources.