Family Empowerment as a Mediator between Family-Centered Systems of Care and Changes in Child Functioning: Identifying an Important Mechanism of Change

Authors: Graves, Kelly; Shelton, Terri

Source: Journal of Child and Family Studies, Volume 16, Number 4, August 2007 , pp. 556-566(11)

Publisher: Springer

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Abstract:

We investigated the associations among perceived fidelity to family-centered systems of care, family empowerment, and improvements in children's problem behaviors. Participants included 79 families, interviewed at two time points across a one-year period. Paired samples t-tests indicated that problem behaviors decreased significantly across a one-year period. Hierarchical multiple regressions indicated that both fidelity to family-centered systems of care and family empowerment independently predicted positive change in children's problem behavior over a one-year period. However, when family empowerment is entered first in the regression, the relationship between fidelity to family-centered systems of care and change in children's problem behavior drops out, indicating that family empowerment mediates the relationship between family-centered care and positive changes in problem behaviors. Consistent with other literature on help-giving practices, family empowerment appears to be an important mechanism of change within the system of care philosophy of service delivery. Implications for practice and staff training are discussed.

Keywords: System of care; Empowerment; Community mental health; Family-centered care; Child functioning

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10826-006-9106-1

Affiliations: 1: Email: kgraves@bennett.edu

Publication date: 2007-08-01