Author: Amjad Daoud
The study aimed to investigate the social and psychological stress among parents of children with chronic diseases and its impact on their family cohesion at Jerusalem Governorate. The study approached the literature as a multi-dimensional phenomenon, which addressed both theoretical and applied research. The significance of this recent study is the first, which dealt with this theme, to the author knowledge, which in turn encourages other researchers to work on further research on this important issue.
To achieve this end, the study adopted the quantitative research approach using the sampling survey method. The questionnaire is appropriate for the exploratory nature of the research. A 39-item questionnaire was formulated which was divided into three sub-scales as follows: the general information of the participants; the second section dealt with the social and psychological stress scale (29 items); and the third section included a family cohesion scale (10 items). The convenience sample method was utilized which comprised of a sample size of (115) male and female respondents among parents of children with chronic diseases in Jerusalem Governorate. The collected data was statistically analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS).
The findings revealed that the parents of children with chronic diseases experienced a moderate level of social and psychological stress, and a high level of family cohesion. The mean scores and standard deviation were (M 3.10 SD 0.91; M 3.01 SD 0.87; M 3.71 SD 0.87) respectively. The study revealed the determinant impact of social and psychological stress on decreasing family cohesion among parents of children with chronic diseases at Jerusalem Governorate. It was found that when social and psychological stress increases, family cohesion decreasing and vice versa. However, no statistically significant differences were found in social, psychological stress and the family cohesion among parents of children with chronic diseases at Jerusalem Governorates.
These findings confirm the value of social and psychological stress in decreasing family cohesion in the Palestinian society in general, and among parents of children with chronic diseases at Jerusalem Governorate in particular. and recommend the need of coordination between the Palestinian institutions in East Jerusalem to provide psychological support programs to the parents of children with chronic diseases through holding psychological relief workshops, and further research is essential in the area of the social, psychological stress and family cohesion among parents of children with chronic diseases using the qualitative research design.
Keywords: Social and psychological stresses, family cohesion, chronic diseases, East Jerusalem.
Amjad Daoud, MA. Social Worker, Faculty of Social Sciences, Al-Quds Open University, Ramallah, Palestine. Independent Researcher, East Jerusalem. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
