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

Citation

Ramaswami, Saswati B.; Jensen, Todd M.; Berghaus, Mary; De-Oliveira, Sophia; Russ, Shirley A.; Weiss-Laxer, Nomi; Verbiest, Sarah; & Barkin, Shari (2022). Family Health Development in Life Course Research: A Scoping Review of Family Functioning Measures. Pediatrics, 149(Suppl. 5). PMCID: PMC9847419

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.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2021-053509J

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

2022

Journal Title

Pediatrics

Author(s)

Ramaswami, Saswati B.
Jensen, Todd M.
Berghaus, Mary
De-Oliveira, Sophia
Russ, Shirley A.
Weiss-Laxer, Nomi
Verbiest, Sarah
Barkin, Shari

Article Type

Regular

PMCID

PMC9847419

ORCiD

Jensen T - 0000-0002-6930-899X