Family functioning mediates adaptation in caregivers of individuals with Rett syndrome.
Amanda E Lamb, Barbara B Biesecker, Kendall L Umstead and 3 others
PMID 27373960WHAT IT FOUND
Caregivers of children with Rett syndrome who felt competent in their parenting role and shared caregiving duties reported better family functioning.
This stronger family functioning was linked to the caregiver's own psychological adaptation to the stress of the condition.
Key findings
01Higher parental self-efficacy, more problem-focused coping, and less emotion-focused coping were associated with better family functioning.
02Caregivers who did the majority of the care work alone reported less effective family functioning than those who shared responsibilities.
03Family functioning acted as a partial mediator, meaning it helped explain the link between coping strategies and caregiver adaptation.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot prove that better family functioning causes better adaptation, or vice versa. The sample consisted mostly of white, married, well-educated biological mothers, which may not represent the experiences of fathers or diverse family structures. Data relied entirely on self-report from the primary caregiver, without input from other family members or objective measures. Participants were recruited from conferences and online groups, which may introduce selection bias toward families already engaged with support organizations.
Declared interests
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (Intramural). No other conflicts of interest were declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that interventions to improve family functioning will automatically improve caregiver adaptation. The study shows a correlation and a mediating role in a specific group of mostly white, educated mothers, but it does not test an intervention or prove causality.