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. 2022 May 1;149(Suppl 5):e2021053509J.
doi: 10.1542/peds.2021-053509J.

Family Health Development in Life Course Research: A Scoping Review of Family Functioning Measures

Saswati B Ramaswami  1   2 , Todd Jensen  3 , Mary Berghaus  1   2 , Sophia De-Oliveira  1 , Shirley A Russ  1   2 , Nomi Weiss-Laxer  4 , Sarah Verbiest  3 , Shari Barkin  5
Affiliations

Family Health Development in Life Course Research: A Scoping Review of Family Functioning Measures

Saswati B Ramaswami et al. Pediatrics. .

Abstract

Background and objectives: Our objective is to identify common family functioning measurement tools and assess their compatibility with family-health development and life-course perspectives.

Methods: Data sources include PubMed, ERIC, CINAHL, Families and Societies Worldwide, PsychInfo, Web of Science, PsychNet, and Health and Psychosocial Instruments. Title and abstract screening and full-text review of articles were conducted by multiple reviewers based on prespecified inclusion criteria. Data extraction focused on features of identified measurements tools, including: (1) name (2) domains of family functioning measured, (3) established psychometric properties, and (4) original context of psychometric evaluation (eg, details about the study sample).

Results: Of the 50 measurement tools identified, 94% measured organizational patterns (eg, flexibility, connectedness, or resources), 46% measured belief systems (eg, making meaning of adversity, or positive outlook), and 54% measured communication processes (eg, open emotional sharing, or collaborative problem-solving).

Conclusions: Existing measures of family functioning can aid life-course researchers in understanding family processes as contexts for health and well-being. There also remain opportunities to refine or develop measures of family functioning more compatible with a life-course perspective that assess family processes (1) at various life stages; (2) with various backgrounds, identities, structures, and experiences; and (3) embedded in or impacted by various contexts that may facilitate or hinder family functioning.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURES: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose to disclose.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Summary of search and review results (PRISMA flowchart).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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