Nursing Commons^™

Exploring Resiliency And Family Functioning For Families Of Premature Infants, Karen Schnackel Gralton

Theses and Dissertations

The impact of a premature birth on a family is a crisis requiring a process of adjustment and adaptation. The Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation (RMFAA) describe this process for families and was the conceptual framework for the current study. A modified model of the RMFAA was used to explore family resiliency for Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and Non-Hispanic White (NHW) families of premature infants through the identification of protective and recovery factors. The aims of the current study explored the association between protective and recovery factors and family functioning.

Biological mothers of premature infants (< 37 weeks gestational age) and one other family member, who identified as either NHB or NHW were recruited in five separate Level III or IV neonatal intensive care units. Fifty-five NHW (N = 110) and 24 NHB (N = 48) families completed five scales that assessed their use of protective and recovery factors and their perception of family functioning. Mean scores for family functioning indicated that most family members viewed themselves as functioning effectively at that point in time.

Specific demographic …