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Lamia P. Barakat, Melissa A. Alderfer, Introduction to Special Issue: Advancing the Science of Family Assessment in Pediatric Psychology, Journal of Pediatric Psychology, Volume 36, Issue 5, June 2011, Pages 489–493, https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsq110
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For children with chronic medical conditions, as with typically developing children, family is of central importance (Kazak, 2008; Schumm, 1982). Consistent with the Burmese proverb, “In times of test, family is best” (Hla Pe, 1985), numerous studies have demonstrated the role of the family as a potential protective factor in the adaptation of children with chronic medical conditions and as a key to successful disease management at home (see Alderfer & Stanley, in press, for a brief review). In turn, families are greatly impacted by childhood illness; they experience increased stress, must expand definitions of their roles (e.g., “parent”), and learn to communicate and work together to meet medical demands (Kazak, 2001; Radcliffe, Barakat, & Boyd, 2006). Thus, reliable and valid family assessments are critical to pediatric psychology: (a) for research that aims to further outline the various aspects of family functioning that are impacted by medical conditions in childhood and influence child and family adaptation and quality of life over time, and (b) for clinical practice, to inform the direction of clinical interventions and serve as an evaluation of clinical outcomes (Cook & Kenny, 2004).
