Family management structural model for children with atopic dermatitis

Purpose: To construct a structural model of family management for children with atopic dermatitis. Design and methods: In this cross-sectional study, data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Participants included primary caregivers of children aged 2–12 years who had received a medical diagnosis of atopic dermatitis and had been experiencing the condition for over three months. We used SPSS/WIN 26.0 to analyze the variables and AMOS 23.0 for structural equation modeling. Results: Family functioning resilience, social support, and family coping had significant direct effects on family management. Illness severity, illness duration, and family life difficulty indirectly influenced family management, demonstrating significant total effects. The severity and duration of atopic dermatitis, family life difficulty, family functioning resilience, social support, and family coping explained 78.9% of the model. Conclusions: The final model was suitable for predicting family management for children with atopic dermatitis. By confirming mediating effects, this study contributes to enhancing family management through nursing interventions. These findings offer valuable insights for developing family-centered nursing strategies to improve family management for children with atopic dermatitis. Practice implications: Nursing interventions targeting the alleviation of family management challenges and enhancement of family functioning resilience, social support, and family coping are pivotal for improving the well-being of children with atopic dermatitis. Furthermore, tailored intervention development must take into account not only the severity and illness duration of atopic dermatitis in children but also the characteristics of the family. Improving family nursing through such tailored interventions can help enhance children's health and quality of life.