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Influences affecting and impacting on the health and wellbeing of children
Published in Jackie Musgrave, Health and Wellbeing for Babies and Children, 2022
The family that a child is born into has a profound influence on children's health. As humans, we all have basic needs that must be met, these include nutrition, sleep, rest, exercise and so on, such basic needs are the foundation for good physical and mental health. Babies and young children need adults who can provide the daily routines that include opportunities for them to receive the physical basic needs. Demonstrating love and affection helps to promote attachment and the development of positive relationships that are the foundation of good wellbeing and positive mental health. For many children, the family is where they will receive the daily routine care that is the foundation of good physical and mental health. However, some families are unable to provide a routine that meets their children's, and some families live in ‘household chaos’ which is defined by Khatiwada et al. (2018) as ‘chaotic living due to high levels of disorganization, over crowdedness, noise, lack of routine and unpredictability in daily activities’ (p. 6). Khatiwada et al go on to state that families living in chaos can make a significant contribution to children's poor health. In particular, their study found that there was an association between chaos and increased weight gain in babies at the age of 12 months.
“He got down on one knee”
Published in Beverley Clough, Jonathan Herring, Disability, Care and Family Law, 2021
Only being able to conduct relationships in the context of social care services can have drawbacks, however, because physical affection may not always be supported or permitted in care services. For example, another participant, Julie said, “[the carer has] told me I can't kiss [my boyfriend], and I already know that, [it is] against the rules.” In response to Julie's comment about being unable to kiss her boyfriend, the support worker who was helping her with the interview said, “Don't mind the odd peck on the cheek […] otherwise, everybody else-.” This care worker cut off before completing their sentence, though the implication, through body language and the context of the rules against physical affection is that if Julie and her boyfriend were to be intimate at the day centre, then this would encourage others to behave in a similar way or provoke other kinds of negative reactions from other service users.
Attachments
Published in Silvia Bonino, Coping with Chronic Illness, 2020
The sociability of the human being is expressed in a privileged way given our relationships of affection: from the family of origin, between a couple and their children, from old friends to more recent ones. With these people we establish relationships of attachment, of trust, of sharing, of mutual help, which can also last a lifetime and are not necessarily based on genetic affinity. In the culture of the last century, above all thanks to psychoanalysis, the conviction had spread that there was a primacy of sexuality and that affective relationships derived from it. Studies on attachment for decades have refused and reversed this position, clarifying that emotional relationships are primary and are sought after by the child, whose well-being they base it on, right from his or her entrance into life. It is necessary to remember this because often in our society, so strongly sexualized, it is difficult to grasp the autonomous value of affective relationships. Thus, there is a tendency to confuse attachment with sex, believing that there are no affective ties exempt from the sexual drive, and to believe that the latter is always primary with respect to attachments that descend from it. In fact, the phylogeny of sex and attachments developed differently; in humans, from birth the development of the attachment bond toward, as a rule, the biological mother, has precise innate bases and is primary in respect to the development of sexuality. Throughout life, the ability to give and receive affection is essential to personal fulfillment and identity development.
Prayer and Mental Health in Later Life: The Role of Positive Emotions
Published in Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 2023
Nirmala Lekhak, Tirth R. Bhatta, Eva Kahana, Jaclene A. Zauszniewski
Compassionate love was independently associated with lower depressive symptoms and anxiety, aligning with previous studies’ findings (Kahana et al., 2021; Lekhak et al., 2023). In addition, it mediated the impacts of prayer on depressive symptoms and anxiety. In other words, those who prayed during the pandemic had fewer depressive symptoms and less anxiety due to a greater feeling of love. Theoretical and empirical evidence has shown the importance of positive emotions, such as love, in building resilience against feelings of despair and promoting psychological well-being (Fredrickson, 2013b; Van Cappellen et al., 2021). In previous studies, the feeling of love has been linked to increased oxytocin levels and improved vagal tone (Fredrickson, 2013a). These physiological changes are associated with better physical and mental health (Fredrickson, 2013a). Caring for patients with compassion and affection may result in improved health outcomes. There is evidence that hope is essential for mental health recovery, which cannot be attained without compassionate practices (Spandler & Stickley, 2011). According to research, patients who experience compassionate care are more likely to have improved mental health and lower stress levels (Post et al., 2014; Spandler & Stickley, 2011). This emphasizes the significance of empathic and compassionate healthcare practices. Moreover, these practices are shown to reduce self-criticism and increase self-compassion among health care professionals themselves (McEwan et al., 2020; Post et al., 2014).
Exploring the Motivations of Family Caregivers Caring for Older Persons in Urban Poor Accra, Ghana
Published in Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 2022
Frank Kyei-Arthur, Deborah Atobrah
Affection was contextualized as love for care recipients. Affection for parents, especially mothers, motivated adult children to provide care. Affection for parents could be attributed to a prior positive parent-child relationship between adult children and their parents. For instance, mothers spend much time with their children due to their reproduction activities, such as child upbringing, which enhance their relationship with their adult children. A middle-aged primary caregiver who provided personal and emotional care to her mother reported that she was motivated by love to provide care. She narrated that: I provide her [mother] care because of the love I have for her.(Female; 45 years; Ussher Town)The love for my mother motivated me to provide care to her.(Female; 66 years; James Town)
The Moderation Role of Neuroticism for Anxiety among Burdened Dementia Caregivers: A Study on Care Giver-Recipient Dyads
Published in Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 2022
Xiaozhao Yousef Yang, Patricia Morton, Fangying Yang, Boye Fang
In an aging society, anxiety disorders among caregivers have important implications for the wellbeing of older adults. As a society ages, the number of geriatric diseases is expected to increase as will the need for caretaking for the older population. Against this backdrop, there is a renewed interest in studying how caregiver burden contributes to mental health issues (Liu et al., 2017; MacNeil et al., 2010; Rosen, 2014; Yan & Kwok, 2011). Literature shows that living with chronic diseases causes anxious affections and may lead to anxiety disorders (Clarke & Currie, 2009; DeJean et al., 2013). Caregiving for older adults can be a major stressor, characterized by consistently high demand for both physical labor and emotional engagement (Norberg et al., 2008). These unique challenges may place caregivers at a higher risk for anxiety disorders, particularly if the caregivers are family members with little formal training. A recent review found that approximately 25% of dementia caregivers manifest clinically significant symptoms of anxiety (Cooper et al., 2007). A study using the Mini-Mental State Exam and Cognitive Examination found dementia caregivers scored significantly worse on mental and cognitive functioning (Stagg & Larner, 2015).