Abstract
Aim:
The purpose of this pilot intervention study was to measure the fathers ‘perspective of a brief theory based family therapeutic conversation intervention for families of children and adolescents with asthma.
Method:
Of the fathers (N=11) that participated in the study, 6 fathers were in the experimental group (EG) and 5 fathers in the control group (CG). They answered a questionnaire about their perception of the quality of life of their child with asthma, before and after a two session therapeutic conversation intervention. Data were collected in the summer and in the fall of 2009.
Findings:
The main finding indicated that fathers of children with asthma in the EG reported significantly lower perception on their children's QOL after the intervention compared to before the intervention. However, fathers in the EG were found to be less worried about their child's asthma after the intervention compared to the fathers in the CG. That is, the fathers in the intervention group were less worried about their children's asthma, the asthma treatment, the side effects of asthma medication, and they perceived asthma symptoms of the children to be less serious.
Conclusion:
Advanced nurse practitioners may want to use the content of the short term family nursing intervention to help fathers and their families manage asthma treatment of their child or adolescent, and to offer support and asthma education.