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 w...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
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2020
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/142367 |
| _version_ | 1826122173320790016 |
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| author | Ho, Andy Hau Yan Dutta, Oindrila Tan-Ho, Geraldine Choo, Ping Ying Low, Casuarine Xinyi Chong, Poh Heng Ng, Carolyn Ganapathy, Sashikumar |
| author2 | School of Social Sciences |
| author_facet | School of Social Sciences Ho, Andy Hau Yan Dutta, Oindrila Tan-Ho, Geraldine Choo, Ping Ying Low, Casuarine Xinyi Chong, Poh Heng Ng, Carolyn Ganapathy, Sashikumar |
| author_sort | Ho, Andy Hau Yan |
| collection | NTU |
| 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-10-01T05:44:09Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | ntu-10356/142367 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-10-01T05:44:09Z |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/1423672020-06-19T07:35:11Z Thematic analysis of spousal interaction patterns among Asian parents of children with chronic life-threatening illness Ho, Andy Hau Yan Dutta, Oindrila Tan-Ho, Geraldine Choo, Ping Ying Low, Casuarine Xinyi Chong, Poh Heng Ng, Carolyn Ganapathy, Sashikumar School of Social Sciences Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) Centre for Population Health Sciences (CePHaS) Social sciences::Psychology Chronic Life-threatening Illness Thematic Analysis 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. MOE (Min. of Education, S’pore) Published version 2020-06-19T07:35:11Z 2020-06-19T07:35:11Z 2019 Journal Article Ho, A. H. Y., Dutta, O., Tan-Ho, G., Choo, P. Y., Low, C. X., Chong, P. H., . . . Ganapathy, S. (2019). Thematic analysis of spousal interaction patterns among Asian parents of children with chronic life-threatening illness. BMJ Open, 9(11), e032582-. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032582 2044-6055 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/142367 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032582 31748309 2-s2.0-85075301254 11 9 en BMJ Open © 2019 Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. application/pdf |
| spellingShingle | Social sciences::Psychology Chronic Life-threatening Illness Thematic Analysis Ho, Andy Hau Yan Dutta, Oindrila Tan-Ho, Geraldine Choo, Ping Ying Low, Casuarine Xinyi Chong, Poh Heng Ng, Carolyn Ganapathy, Sashikumar Thematic analysis of spousal interaction patterns among Asian parents of children with chronic life-threatening illness |
| 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 |
| topic | Social sciences::Psychology Chronic Life-threatening Illness Thematic Analysis |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/142367 |
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