Abstract

MEDELLIN FONTES, Martha M et al. Family functioning and their relationship with social support networks in a sample of families in the city of Morelia, Mexico. Salud Ment [online]. 2012, vol.35, n.2, pp.147-154. ISSN 0185-3325.

This study was conducted with the objective of evaluating whether a relationship between family functioning and social support networks exists in a sample of parents from the city of Morelia, Michoacán. Methods A total of 192 adults participated; 17% were men and 83% were women with a mean of age of 42 years. They answered two self-administered questionnaires: the adapted Nava Network Quality and the FACES II scale. ANOVA with the Bonferroni post hoc test and Spearman's correlation were applied. Results Only 12 out of 16 types of families proposed by Olson were found. The family functioning types that were found are 29% connected-chaotic, 20% emmeshed-chaotic, 19% connected-flexible, and in the remaining 32% all the other types of family functioning. Family support networks followed by friend networks provide the most support to the majority of family types. Statistically significant differences were found in the variance analysis among the different family types and their perception of family support networks with an F(11.180)= 8.573, p<.001, and the perceived lack of support from social networks with an F(11.180)= 4.501, p<0.001. The correlations between family functioning and social support networks were significant, but low in most of the cases. Conclusions Family support networks, followed by friend support networks, were found to provide the greatest support to the majority of family types. However, this pattern changes depending on the typology and level of family functioning. The chaotic-connected followed by enmeshed-chaotic were family functioning types frequently found in this sample. Significant and low, differences were found in the correlations of the different levels of family functioning and their social support networks. The characterization of family functioning in relation to the perception of support provided by social networks is useful for the identification of resources and specific strategies for clinical and psychosocial interventions with families.

Keywords : Family functioning; social support networks; FACES II and Scale Network Quality; Morelia.