Bertha L. Davis

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe a Neuman Systems Model–guided study of perceptions of family stressors experienced by adult siblings who share caregiving for their parents and the influence of these stressors on adult siblings’ relationships.Background: The task of providing informal care for disabled parents is often shared by adult siblings. Family stressors experienced as part of caregiving may affect the sibling relationship.Design: A mixed‐method study design was used.Methods: Data were collected during 2013–2014 from 84 adult sibling caregivers. Seventy‐two caregivers provided quantitative data for the Lifespan Sibling Relationship Scale and the Zarit Burden Scale and 79 provided qualitative data for the open‐ended question.Results: Adult siblings experienced mild‐to‐moderate levels of burden from family stressors when they share parental caregiving. The amount of burden from intra‐family stressors was negatively related to the adult sibling relationship. Beneficial and noxious stressors were evident in the participants’ responses to an open‐ended question.Conclusion: The health of the parents affected the lives of adult siblings in both negative and positive ways. Although the majority of the adult siblings expressed a willingness to care for their parent(s) in an attempt to reciprocate the care, they had received from them, challenges emerged from dealing with family stressors.

This exploratory research paper investigated the coping strategies of families of hospitalized psychiatric patients and identified their positive and negative coping strategies. In this paper, the coping strategies of 45 family members were examined using a descriptive, correlational, mixed method research approach. Guided by the Neuman Systems Model and using the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales and semistructured interviews, this paper found that these family members used more emotion-focused coping strategies than problem-focused coping strategies. The common coping strategies used by family members werecommunicating with immediate family, acceptance of their situation, passive appraisal, avoidance, and spirituality. The family members also utilized resources and support systems, such as their immediate families, mental health care professionals, and their churches.