Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to characterize and classify families of KT recipients and to identify family adaptability and cohesion, as family function, by the Circumplex model. A Cross-sectional survey approach was employed for this research project. The data was collected by the questionnaire method in 3 general hospitals in Seoul and Kyonggi-do, Korea. The Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales III was used. By Convenient sampling, a total of 190 subjects (Male 117, Female 73) with an average age of 39.7 years (range: 18-62 yrs.) participated. The mean age at transplantation was 36.8 yrs. (SD: 9.4 yrs.). On an average, the patients had received transplants 39.9 months previously. The data was analyzed by percentage of frequency, t-test, and one-way ANOVA by the SPSS program. The results were as follows: 1. The mean family adaptability score was 30.26(SD: 6.6, range: 12-49) and the mean family cohesion score was 34.96(SD: 6.5, range: 15-48). 2. All of 16 distinct types of family system were identified. Among them, 'Flexibly connected types' (32 families, 16.8%) were the most common and 'chaotically disengaged types' (2 families, 1.1%) were the least common. 3. Dividing the 16 unit typology into 3 basic groups of types, 'Balanced types' composed 88 families (46.3%), 'Mid-range types' composed 76 families (40.0%), and 'extreme types' composed 26 families (13.7%). 4. The family adaptation differed according to age, education level, marital status, the diagnostic age of CRF, and level of recipient's perception of the family's importance. The family cohesion differed according to age, employment status, number of kid, and level of recipient's perception of the family's importance. In conclusion, by providing nursing intervention designed to increase family adaptability and cohesion, considering the socio-demographic factors of recipient and family, nurses may improve the recipient's family function and health, and also the recipient's health and quality of life.

• Keywords: Kidney; Transplantation; Family; The circumplex model