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.
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