Kontakt 2024, 26(1):69-76 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2023.045

Perceived functioning of the family system in professional foster familiesSocial Sciences in Health - Original article

Elena Gažiková¹, Gabriela Šeboková¹, Martina Mojtová¹, Alena Hricová², Michal Kozubík^{1, 3, *}

¹ Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Faculty of Social Sciences and Health Care, Nitra, Slovak Republic

² University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Institute of Social and Special-paedagogical Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

³ University Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Department of Community & Occupational Medicine, Groningen, The Netherlands

Aim: The aim of this study was to analyse the differences in the perception of the functioning of the family system between professional foster parents, their life partners, biological children, and children placed in professional foster families.

Methods: The sample consisted of 401 respondents. The functioning of the family system was measured using the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale - FACES IV. The Family Communication Scale and the Family Satisfaction Scale were administered to assess communication and satisfaction with the family system.

Results: The results of the statistical analyses did not confirm differences in the perception of the functioning of the family system between professional foster parents and their life partners, nor between the biological children of professional foster parents and children placed in professional foster families. Professional foster parents and children placed in professional foster families differed statistically significantly in balanced cohesion. Professional foster parents and their biological children differed statistically significantly in their perception of disengaged cohesion. Partners of professional foster parents and children placed in professional foster families differed in their perception of family adaptability, with children in professional foster families perceiving family functioning as more rigid compared to partners of professional foster parents. The results also indicated that biological children perceived family cohesion as more disengaged than partners of professional foster parents.

Conclusion: Understanding the functioning of the family system of professional families is important in effectively applying a systems approach when working with this target group.

Keywords: Family adaptability; Family cohesion; Family communication; Family system; Olson's circular model; Professional foster family

Grants and funding:

This paper was written as part of the project VEGA No.1/0868/21 "The use of selected elements of the systems approach in the context of professional families".

Conflicts of interest:

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Received: September 12, 2023; Revised: October 27, 2023; Accepted: December 5, 2023; Prepublished online: December 5, 2023; Published: March 15, 2024  Show citation