Thematic analysis of spousal interaction patterns among Asian parents of children with chronic life-threatening illness
Objective This is the first known study which examines the evolutionary nature of spousal interaction patterns among Asian parents of children with chronic life-threatening illness, from the time of providing care to their child through bereavement. This study is informed by earlier findings that wh...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2019-11-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/11/e032582.full |
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| author | Andy Hau Yan Ho Oindrila Dutta Geraldine Tan-Ho Ping Ying Choo Xinyi Casuarine Low Poh Heng Chong Carolyn Ng Sashikumar Ganapathy |
| author_facet | Andy Hau Yan Ho Oindrila Dutta Geraldine Tan-Ho Ping Ying Choo Xinyi Casuarine Low Poh Heng Chong Carolyn Ng Sashikumar Ganapathy |
| author_sort | Andy Hau Yan Ho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective This is the first known study which examines the evolutionary nature of spousal interaction patterns among Asian parents of children with chronic life-threatening illness, from the time of providing care to their child through bereavement. This study is informed by earlier findings that when a child is diagnosed with a chronic life-threatening illness, parents are faced with multiple stressors, leaving them with little time to invest in their spousal relationship.Participants and setting A constructivist-phenomenological research paradigm was adopted and meaning-oriented interviews were conducted with 20 parental units (i.e., 6 couples, 12 lone mothers and 2 lone fathers) of Chinese, Malay and Indian ethnicities who lost their child to chronic life-threatening illness in Singapore.Results Qualitative thematic analysis of the data revealed four themes, which describe the evolutionary nature of spousal interaction patterns among Asian parents of children with chronic life-threatening illness, from caregiving through bereavement. Findings reveal participants’ tendency to concentrate on pragmatic, solution-focused communication during the period of caregiving (pragmatic interaction), avoid discussion about their emotional pain as a means of protecting their spouse (partner-oriented self-regulation), respect and acknowledge their spouse’s personal coping strategies (empathic responding) and show greater appreciation and emotional expression within the spousal relationship after their child’s death (affective appreciation).Conclusion Engaging in pragmatic discussions, deferring emotion-focused and potentially distressing conversations, and acknowledging their spouse’s need for personal space are important coping strategies for Asian couples facing their child’s chronic life-threatening illness and in the immediate aftermath of his/her death. Bereaved couples who have processed their grief individually feel ready to share their reflections with their spouse, deriving meaning and greater relational closeness through such disclosure. These findings are discussed from a cultural lens, with recommendations for healthcare professionals working with Asian parents of children with chronic life-threatening illness. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6dc9de41ca47477c913f001f83d6beeb |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2019-11-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-6dc9de41ca47477c913f001f83d6beeb2025-08-20T02:07:30ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552019-11-0191110.1136/bmjopen-2019-032582Thematic analysis of spousal interaction patterns among Asian parents of children with chronic life-threatening illnessAndy Hau Yan Ho0Oindrila Dutta1Geraldine Tan-Ho2Ping Ying Choo3Xinyi Casuarine Low4Poh Heng Chong5Carolyn Ng6Sashikumar Ganapathy72 Centre for Population Health Sciences (CePHaS), Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore1 Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore1 Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore1 Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, SingaporeHealth Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, SingaporeHCA Hospice, Singapore5 Portland Institute for Loss and Transitiom, Portland, Oregon, USA1 Department of Emergency Medicine, KK Womens and Childrens Hospital, SingaporeObjective This is the first known study which examines the evolutionary nature of spousal interaction patterns among Asian parents of children with chronic life-threatening illness, from the time of providing care to their child through bereavement. This study is informed by earlier findings that when a child is diagnosed with a chronic life-threatening illness, parents are faced with multiple stressors, leaving them with little time to invest in their spousal relationship.Participants and setting A constructivist-phenomenological research paradigm was adopted and meaning-oriented interviews were conducted with 20 parental units (i.e., 6 couples, 12 lone mothers and 2 lone fathers) of Chinese, Malay and Indian ethnicities who lost their child to chronic life-threatening illness in Singapore.Results Qualitative thematic analysis of the data revealed four themes, which describe the evolutionary nature of spousal interaction patterns among Asian parents of children with chronic life-threatening illness, from caregiving through bereavement. Findings reveal participants’ tendency to concentrate on pragmatic, solution-focused communication during the period of caregiving (pragmatic interaction), avoid discussion about their emotional pain as a means of protecting their spouse (partner-oriented self-regulation), respect and acknowledge their spouse’s personal coping strategies (empathic responding) and show greater appreciation and emotional expression within the spousal relationship after their child’s death (affective appreciation).Conclusion Engaging in pragmatic discussions, deferring emotion-focused and potentially distressing conversations, and acknowledging their spouse’s need for personal space are important coping strategies for Asian couples facing their child’s chronic life-threatening illness and in the immediate aftermath of his/her death. Bereaved couples who have processed their grief individually feel ready to share their reflections with their spouse, deriving meaning and greater relational closeness through such disclosure. These findings are discussed from a cultural lens, with recommendations for healthcare professionals working with Asian parents of children with chronic life-threatening illness.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/11/e032582.full |
| spellingShingle | Andy Hau Yan Ho Oindrila Dutta Geraldine Tan-Ho Ping Ying Choo Xinyi Casuarine Low Poh Heng Chong Carolyn Ng Sashikumar Ganapathy Thematic analysis of spousal interaction patterns among Asian parents of children with chronic life-threatening illness BMJ Open |
| title | Thematic analysis of spousal interaction patterns among Asian parents of children with chronic life-threatening illness |
| title_full | Thematic analysis of spousal interaction patterns among Asian parents of children with chronic life-threatening illness |
| title_fullStr | Thematic analysis of spousal interaction patterns among Asian parents of children with chronic life-threatening illness |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thematic analysis of spousal interaction patterns among Asian parents of children with chronic life-threatening illness |
| title_short | Thematic analysis of spousal interaction patterns among Asian parents of children with chronic life-threatening illness |
| title_sort | thematic analysis of spousal interaction patterns among asian parents of children with chronic life threatening illness |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/11/e032582.full |
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