Family Functioning and Health Status

Abstract

This study examined the proposition that the adequacy of family functioning is related to the health status of its members. The hypotheses stated that the functioning of a person's family is less adequate, (1) the poorer the person's physical condition as assessed by objective indicators; (2) the less favorable the person's self-assessment of health; and (3) the poorer the person's psychological adjustment. Findings included: (1) families of most patients functioned fairly well; (2) patients perceived their general health as moderate; (3) distinctly elevated mean scores on the MMPI scales of Depression, Hypochondriasis, and Hysteria, but not on Welsh's Anxiety Scale, indicated psychological problems; (4) the first two hypotheses were unsupported, in that family functioning was unrelated to health status as determined by objective indicators or self-perception; and (5) adequacy of family functioning was unrelated to Depression, Hypochondriasis, and Hysteria, but was negatively related to extent of Anxiety. Failure to support the hypotheses was discussed in terms of limitations of method and theory. Suggestions for future research were offered.

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