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Open research questions in Family Support in Illness

110 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 1,214 Family Support in Illness papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • Expand qualitative research on family experiences and parenting processes. Develop developmentally responsive support for children exposed to domestic violence.

    Domestic violence and child well-being: parenting self-efficacy as a developmental pathway · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper highlights the gap in understanding how domestic violence affects child well-being through parenting self-efficacy. It calls for more qualitative research to understand family experiences.

    Domestic violence and child well-being: parenting self-efficacy as a developmental pathway · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need to understand the variations in youth's PTSS responses to COVID-19. The study identifies a gap in the literature regarding the role of caregiving features and parasympathetic nervous system regulation in influencing PTSS responses.

    A longitudinal investigation of caregiving and adolescent post-traumatic stress symptoms during COVID-19: evidence for high resting RSA as a susceptibility factor · 2024 · DOI

  • interaction evaluating Rudd, K. L., Alkon, A., & Yates, T. M. (2017). Prospective relations between intrusive parenting and child behavior problems: Differential moderation by parasympathetic nervous system regulation and child sex. Physiology & Behavior, 180, 120–130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.08.014 Rudd, K. L., & Yates, T. M. (2018). The implications of sympathetic and para- sympathetic regulatory coordination for understanding child adjustment. Developmental Psychobiology, 60(8), 1023–1036. https://doi.org/10.1002/ dev.21784 Rudd, K. L., & Yates, T. M. (2020). A latent change score approach to under- standing dynamic autonomic coordination. Psychophysiology, 57(11), e13648. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.13648 Schore, J. R., & Schore, A. N. (2008). Modern attachment theory: The central role of affect regulation in development and treatment. Clinical Social Work Journal, 36(1), 9–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-007-0111-7 Selçuk, E. B., Demir, AÇ, Erbay, L. G., Özcan, ÖÖ, Gürer, H., & Dönmez, Y. E. (2021). Anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in adolescents during the COVID-19 outbreak and associated factors. International Journal of Clinical Practice, 75(11), e14880. https://doi.org/ 10.1111/ijcp.14880 Target, M., Fonagy, P., & Shmueli-Goetz, Y. (2003). Attachment representa- tions in school-age children: The development of the child attachment interview (CAI). Journal of Child Psychotherapy, 29, 171–186. https://doi. org/10.1080/0075417031000138433 Taylor, S. E. (2006). Tend and befriend: Biobehavioral bases of affiliation under stress. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 15, 273–277. https://doi. org/10.1111/j.1467-8721.2006.00451.x Thayer, J. F., & Lane, R. D. (2000). A model of neurovisceral integration in emotion regulation and dysregulation. Journal of Affective Disorders, 61 (3), 201–216. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-0327(00)00338-4 Tibu, F., Hill, J., Sharp, H., Marshall, K., Glover, V., & Pickles, A. (2014). Evidence for sex differences in fetal programming of physiological stress reactivity in infancy. Development and Psychopathology, 26(4pt1), 879– 888. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579414000194 U.S. Census Bureau. (2014). Demographic and Housing Estimates, 2010-2014 American Community Survey 5-year Estimates. Retrieved from https:// data.census.gov/cedsci U.S. Census Bureau. (2016). Housing & household economics statistics division. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/acs/www/data/data-tables-andtools/ data-profiles/2016/ Van der Graaff, J., Meeus, W., de Wied, M., van Boxtel, A., van Lier, P., & Branje, S. (2016). Respiratory sinus arrhythmia moderates the relation between parent-adolescent relationship quality and adolescents’ social Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 44(2), 269–281. adjustment. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-015-9989-7 Voss, A., Bogdanski, M., Langohr, B., Albrecht, R., & Sandbothe, M. (2020). Mindfulness-based student training leads to a reduc

    A longitudinal investigation of caregiving and adolescent post-traumatic stress symptoms during COVID-19: evidence for high resting RSA as a susceptibility factor · 2024 · DOI

  • In particular, the roles of personal adaptive resources, childhood trauma, parental bonding, and morbidity in influencing quality of life, social functioning, and healthcare utilization remain insufficiently understood.

    Growing in the Shadow of Mental Illness: Quality of Life, Health Status, Social Functioning, and Health Care Utilization Among Adults to Parents With Severe Mental Illness · 2026 · DOI

  • INTRODUCTION: Adults who grow up with a parent with severe mental illness are exposed to prolonged developmental adversity, yet little is known about how this experience shapes multidimensional outcomes in adulthood.

    Growing in the Shadow of Mental Illness: Quality of Life, Health Status, Social Functioning, and Health Care Utilization Among Adults to Parents With Severe Mental Illness · 2026 · DOI

  • However, the interpersonal mechanisms underlying its association with emotional well-being remain insufficiently understood.

    When caring becomes a burden: childhood parentification and its links to relationship styles, depression, and anxiety in young adults · 2026 · DOI

  • CONCLUSIONS: Trauma narration of offspring caregivers, particularly in online spaces, is an underexplored, but potentially crucial area.

    Trauma narratives and healing of offspring caregivers of breast cancer patients: a mixed qualitative methods study · 2025 · DOI

  • Although breast cancer's psychosocial burden extends to offspring caregivers, their trauma narratives and seeking of social support remain understudied, particularly in China.

    Trauma narratives and healing of offspring caregivers of breast cancer patients: a mixed qualitative methods study · 2025 · DOI

  • The absence of relevant research highlights a significant gap in knowledge regarding the way in which the lived experiences of young carers in early childhood are represented and understood.

    Young Carers in Early Childhood—How Are Young Carers Represented in Broader Literature and What Factors Influence Dominant Representations of Young Carers in Early Childhood in the UK? · 2025 · DOI

  • However, the relationship between family systems and parentification has not yet been explored.

    Parentification and the family system in female adolescents of the second year of high school · 2025 · DOI

  • BACKGROUND: Although the number of children living with complex care needs (CCN) is increasing worldwide, there is limited data on the experience of fathers caring for children with CCN.

    Exploring fathers’ experiences of caring for a child with complex care needs through ethnography and arts-based methodologies · 2024 · DOI

  • The study identifies a gap in the understanding of the relationship between eldest sibling responsibilities and emotional experiences. It highlights the need to consider other factors that affect this relationship, such as family needs and cultural expectations.

    The Role of Ate and Kuya: Eldest Siblings' Responsibilities and Emotional Experiences among Mindanao State University-Sulu Senior High School Students · 2026 · DOI

  • The study offers several recommendations for different stakeholders. Eldest siblings are encouraged to practice self-care, seek support when needed, and openly express their emotions about their responsibilities within the family. Parents, on the other hand, should carefully assess the responsibilities their children undertake at home and recognize and appreciate the efforts of eldest siblings in fulfilling these duties. Guidance counselors and mental health care professionals are advised to conduct workshops or seminars on coping strategies, emotional regulation, and communication skills, while also encouraging students, especially eldest siblings to prioritize self-care. The community is likewise encouraged to provide resources and establish support systems for eldest siblings and their families. Lastly, future researchers are recommended to explore more diverse populations and examine other factors that may influence the experiences of eldest siblings, as well as to conduct qualitative or mixed-method studies to gain deeper insights into their emotional experiences.

    The Role of Ate and Kuya: Eldest Siblings' Responsibilities and Emotional Experiences among Mindanao State University-Sulu Senior High School Students · 2026 · DOI

  • The study had a small sample size, with 185 students and 48 school-based staff participating. The study was limited to six rural schools across three states, which may not be representative of all rural schools. The study did not include a control group, which limits the ability to draw causal inferences.

    Coping Power-Rural: A Pilot Study of the Two-Tiered Preventive Intervention Focused on Addressing Transdiagnostic Needs in Rural Schools · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should aim to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of the Coping Power-Rural program. Future research should explore the potential of the program to be implemented in a variety of settings, including urban and suburban schools. Future research should aim to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of other preventive interventions for rural schools.

    Coping Power-Rural: A Pilot Study of the Two-Tiered Preventive Intervention Focused on Addressing Transdiagnostic Needs in Rural Schools · 2026 · DOI

  • Autistic children and adolescents often experience co-occurring anxiety. Families of autistic children with co-occurring psychiatric conditions such as anxiety disorder report high levels of unmet treatment needs. There are barriers to accessing CBT in clinical settings.

    Facing Your Fears in Schools (FYF-S): Connecting Participant Satisfaction, Caregiver Involvement, and Anxiety Outcomes · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a gap in knowledge about student and caregiver satisfaction with school-based CBT interventions for anxiety among autistic youth. There is a need for more research on the effectiveness of school-based CBT interventions for autistic youth.

    Facing Your Fears in Schools (FYF-S): Connecting Participant Satisfaction, Caregiver Involvement, and Anxiety Outcomes · 2026 · DOI

  • Further research could focus on evaluating the effectiveness of the caregiver coping resource. Research could also explore the development of resources for other pediatric illnesses.

    The Development and Co‐Production of a Caregiver Coping Resource for Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Autoimmune Liver Disease · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of resources focused on caregiver coping in pediatric IBD and AILD. Caregivers of children with IBD and/or AILD have known coping needs.

    The Development and Co‐Production of a Caregiver Coping Resource for Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Autoimmune Liver Disease · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of literature regarding parental support needs specific to the Kenyan context. The study aims to address this gap by exploring the lived experiences of school-age children with rheumatic heart disease and their caregivers at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.

    Experiences and Needs of School Children with Rheumatic Heart Disease and Their Caregivers at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi City County, Kenya · 2026 · DOI

  • 6.1 Reducing Financial Stress A. RHD National Fund: Create financial sources to assist with medications, prophylactic antibiotics, dietary supplements, and travel costs for children with RHD. B. Caregiver Economic Support: Provide vocational training or micro-grants to lessen the financial burden of caring for someone with RHD. 6.2 Increasing Healthcare Capacity A. Primary Care Screening: Add inexpensive echocardiogram/clinical scoring at primary health facilities for early diagnosis and prevention of disease progression. 43 EdinBurg Peer-Reviewed Journals and Books Publishers Journal of Medicine, Nursing and Public Health Vol. 6||Issue 6||pp 32-45||June||2026 Email: [email protected]||ISSN: 3105-3394 B. Postoperative and Transition Care: Develop structured discharge plans, make immediate access to medications available, and schedule follow-up visits to reduce patient abandonment. 6.3 Providing Psychological/Social Support A. Clinic-based Psycho Social Services: Provide counseling to caregivers and families at the time of diagnosis and throughout their ongoing care to help them cope with their trauma and chronic stress. B. Peer Support Networks: Create parent/caregiver support groups to reduce feelings of isolation, to offer practical information, and to reconnect families to the community. 6.4 Use Improving Patient Education and Guidelines A. Standardized RHD Resource for Patients: Produce educational resources to help explain the different phases of treatment and identify milestones, so that patients will have less anxiety when they receive treatment and learn what to expect along the way. B. Employment and School Education Resources: Provide educational resources to employers, educators, and other professionals to create understanding and supportive environments for children living with RHD.

    Experiences and Needs of School Children with Rheumatic Heart Disease and Their Caregivers at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi City County, Kenya · 2026 · DOI

  • Hospitalized children face emotional distress and psychosocial disruption due to unfamiliar environments, invasive procedures, and prolonged separation from caregivers. Parents of hospitalized children endure emotional strain, including anxiety, helplessness, and physical exhaustion. Healthcare professionals need to prioritize family-centered care and culturally responsive support systems in pediatric settings.

    Hope in the hallways: What helps children and parents heal together · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should focus on developing and evaluating the effectiveness of age-appropriate interventions for pediatric patients and their families. Studies should explore the impact of family-centered care and culturally responsive support systems on clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.

    Hope in the hallways: What helps children and parents heal together · 2026 · DOI

  • The findings of this study have important implications for educational practice, family support and healthcare services for learners living with sickle cell disease (SCD). Based on the evidence generated, the following recommendations are proposed. Caregivers should be encouraged to adopt culturally responsive caregiving practices that identity while discouraging harmful misconceptions promote positive cultural surrounding SCD. Families should openly discuss the condition with children, provide accurate information about the disease and actively challenge beliefs that contribute to stigma or discrimination. At the same time, caregivers should continue to integrate positive spiritual practices such as prayer, faith-based encouragement and emotional support with evidence-based medical care. Such an integrated approach can strengthen learners' resilience, emotional well-being and commitment to their education.

    CAREGIVER SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC PROGRESS AMONG LEARNERS WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE IN THE FAKO DIVISION, SOUTH WEST REGION OF CAMEROON · 2026 · DOI

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110 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 1,214 Family Support in Illness papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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