Impact of XXXX on family functioning.

@entity1 @entity26 @entity409 @entity1030
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to ascertain family dynamics of Finnish @entity1 with severe @entity1030 ( @entity1030 ) on the basis of Barnhill's framework for healthy family functioning. DESIGN AND METHOD: This study used description and comparison and an interview-administered questionnaire and survey. SAMPLE: @entity1 were @entity1 with @entity1030 and their family members (n = 65) living in the Tampere University Hospital catchment area. The sample consisted of families of home @entity26 therapy @entity1 (n = 36) and families of inpatients (n = 29). Families consisted of @entity1 and their family members. INSTRUMENTS: Data were collected from @entity1 by interview-administered questionnaires and from family members by survey. The instrument used was the Family Dynamics Measure 2, operationalized and tested by the American Family Research Group. RESULTS: Families of home @entity26 therapy @entity1 experienced significantly more mutuality (P =.03) and made decisions about their illness and life significantly more independently (P =.05) than families of inpatients. Families of home @entity26 therapy @entity1 handled change significantly more flexibly (P =.03) than families of inpatients. DISCUSSION: For the most part, families of both @entity1 groups functioned well, but overall family functioning was clearly better in families of home @entity26 therapy @entity1 . The sample included some @entity409 and even severely @entity409 families. The results of this study cannot be generalized beyond the study sample because of the small sample size, but they provide suggestions for developing the care of @entity1 with @entity1030 and their families.
