Detail Cantuman

ABSTRACT
Introduction: The condition of the child during hospitalization can experience
stress due to environmental changes. Child coping mechanism is very
supportive of the adaptation process. The purpose of this study was to analyze
the effect of family support system on coping mechanisms during
hospitalisation.
Methods: It was quasi-experimental with pre-test post-test with control group
design. The study population was preschool children who were treated in the
Hospital of Bangkalan, East Java Province, Indonesia. Total sample was 60
respondents in treatment and control group and obtained consecutive
sampling. The variables were family support system and coping mechanism.
Data collection used Children’s Coping Behavior questionnaire and tested by
paired t-test.
Results: The treatment group showed the coping mechanism was mostly
maladaptive (mean=34.07) and after the intervention most of them had
adaptive coping (mean=46.87). Whereas in the control group before the
intervention, the coping mechanism was mostly maladaptive (mean=36.22) and
after the intervention most of the coping groups had maladaptive coping
(mean=36.74).
Conclusion: Family support systems play an important role in improving the
adaptive coping of preschool children during hospitalisation. Nurses should
maximise family support as a strategy in interacting with children to enhance
coping mechanisms to reduce the stress of hospitalisation.