Resilience of Saudi families with chronically ill children
Creators: name: Katooa, Nouran Essam
Publisher: name: RMIT University
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 420599
subject: Nursing not elsewhere classified

description: Parents have an expectation that their children will grow and develop in a healthy manner physically, emotionally and socially. Hence when a child is diagnosed with a chronic condition, parents’ expectations are challenged. This research study explores resilience among Saudi families, when faced with the burden of a child’s chronic illness, in three main public hospitals in the Jeddah region of Saudi Arabia. It seeks to identify the factors that influence resilience among Saudi families.<br>This study emphasises the need for further exploratory research regarding this topic in Saudi Arabia. This is especially important due to the fact that Saudi Arabia (and most nations in the Middle East region), for the increase of chronic illness in children. This highlights the preferences for the concept of communal existence and the emergence of patriarchal leaders. It is also worth noting that religion may also be a key differentiating factor in exploring the factors that lead to family resilience.<br>This descriptive, exploratory cross-sectional study examined and described the factors that influence the development of resilience in Saudi families with chronically ill children. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected in three public hospitals in the Jeddah region of Saudi Arabia. The aim was to determine the approaches employed by these families to become resilient and to identify the factors that led them to emerge even stronger in the face of adversity. Data were collected in two concurrent phases. In the first phase, 122 Saudi parents were surveyed to identify which factors they believed led to resilience. The second phase consisted of face-to-face interviews with 15 registered paediatric nurses to obtain information on the their objective observations of how they felt Saudi parents were coping with having a chronically ill child. Furthermore, 12 face-to-face interviews with Saudi mothers were undertaken to explore and identify an in-depth understanding of what the concept of resilience means to them. Quantitative data were analysed through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, V20.0); descriptive and inferential statistical tests were utilised. Qualitative data were analysed with a thematic approach, using NVivo 10® qualitative analysis software.<br>The findings from the inferential analyses supported the model suggesting that individuals with High Stress and Adversity combined with High sense of quality of life (QOL) demonstrated resilience, which is affected by demographic variables as well as social support and general self-efficacy. The results of the study demonstrated significant relationships between self-efficacy and social support on resilience.<br>The content analyses of the interviews revealed the factors perceived to reduce family stress and increase the ability to cope include parents’ reliance on God and prayer, and parents’ educational levels and effective staff communication with the parents.<br>The findings of the study emphasise the importance of a thorough and holistic assessment of families, their social environments and the level of support they require to assist them to cope and become resilient.<br>