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Family functioning and psychological distress in a sample of mental health outpatients: Implications for routine examination and screening
Author(s) -
Tramonti Francesco,
Petrozzi Angela,
Burgalassi Annalisa,
Milanfranchi Alessandro,
Socci Cristina,
Belviso Cristina,
Mainardi Cecilia,
Albanesi Giorgio,
Guglielmi Paola
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of evaluation in clinical practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.737
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1365-2753
pISSN - 1356-1294
DOI - 10.1111/jep.13253
Subject(s) - disengagement theory , mental health , psychology , clinical psychology , psychological distress , distress , psychiatry , medicine , gerontology
Rationale, aims, and objectives Clinical and research evidence suggests that family functioning is an important variable in shaping psychological well‐being, despite being often overlooked in the prevailing approaches to mental health. The aim of the present study is to examine the associations between psychological distress and family functioning in a sample of patients accessing a public mental health service. Method CORE‐OM and FACES IV questionnaires were administered to 112 patients, and all the correlations between the scales and subscales were calculated. Descriptive statistics concerning family typologies and satisfaction with family communication or relationships were also evaluated. Results The results showed significant associations between family functioning and psychological well‐being. Positive aspects of family functioning, such as balanced cohesion and flexibility, were associated with lower distress, while negative aspects such as disengagement were associated with poorer mental health. According to the Circumplex model, most of the families were described as balanced in their functioning; however, the communication and family satisfaction scores revealed that many patients had concerns about their family relationships. Conclusions This study confirms that family functioning is significantly associated with psychological distress, also in the absence of clear and conspicuous signs of structural imbalances within family relationships.