Family coping strategies and impacts on family health: A literature review

Abstract

Introduction: Family health has been a concern for all those working with the family. The way how the family has to face the stressful events and vital process is known as family coping and has impact on family health. The objective of the study was to find family coping strategies and their relationship to family health. Methods: A review of the scientific literature was conducted through the following databases: PubMed / Medline, Scopus, PsycINFO and Dialnet from 2010 to 2016. Results: The initial search strategies identified a total of 1074 results that finally being selected 23 studies. The main stressful family situations were: chronic diseases, Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), mental illness, addictions, accidents and disability, family adjustment, labor and financial problems. And the main family coping strategies were: positive like finding information, search family, social or spiritual support, acceptance and improved self-esteem. And negative like denial, concealment, disconnection, self-blame, emotional detachment, substance use, among others. Conclusions: Stressful events alter the dynamic balance family, hence the importance of the family unit have a good coping strategies. On the other hand, it is important that health professionals know the main stressors, as well as positive family coping strategies, so by promoting health, to prevent problems arising from inadequate family coping.