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Read an Article with SEE (An Example)

Paper Source: Szabat, M. (2023). Parental agency in pediatric palliative care. Nursing Inquiry, Wiley Online Library.

Quality Evaluation of this Article:

According to Scimago, Nursing Inquity is a Q1 peer-reviewed Journal founded in UK and in 1994. The H-index is about 62 (as of May 1, 2024). H-index is a measure of the impact and significance within the academic community. The number 62 indicates that the journal has published at least 62 papers that have each been cited at least 62 times, which is quite high.

SEE Scholar Danty Yin gained access to the article through the Web of Science, which is a quality database for research in more than 200 academic disciplines. Generally speaking, this is another way to say this paper is a credible article to read.

The Abstract of Szabat (2023):

“The study discusses a new approach to parental agency in pediatric palliative care based on an active form of caregiving. It also explores the possibility of a positive conceptualization of parental agency in its relational context. The paper begins with an illustrative case study based on a clinical situation. This is followed by an analysis of various aspects of parental agency based on empirical studies that disclose the insufficiencies of the traditional approach to parental agency. In the next step, parental agency is analyzed from a reality‐based perspective as an activity focused on relationships and the cognitive capacity of parents vis‐a‐vis their seriously ill children. The paper also considers the importance of the cultural and social contexts in which parental agency and decision‐making take place. This agency is addressed not as individualistic in form, and nor is it exercised in terms of fixed choices. Rather, the focus is on its dynamic and future‐oriented aspects. Consequently, parental agency should be comprehended not only as a form of proxy agency representing the child’s best interests but also as a complex decision‐making process in which the parents learn from their child how to become good, compassionate caregivers and at the same time good parents.” (Szabat, 2023)

The SEE Scholar Note of Reading Szabat (2023):

This article presents a case study of parents with a life-threatening illness. It addresses aspects of relational autonomy and parental relational agency. The author argues that being a parent involves both autonomous agency (acting and thinking on one’s own behalf) and making decisions for one’s children (p.2). The author defines parental agency as “intentional capacity to act according to parents’ values and beliefs (p.2), with constituent aspects like parental permission, authority, and decision-making. This article is a great example to show parental agency in difficult life situation: parents of children in life-threatening medical condition. Parental agency is well articulated in this paper. The discussion and suggested audience of this article seems to be health care providers.

In this paper, the author explains the concept of parental agency in a few ways, such as parental agency in cultural and social contexts; parental agency is not individualistic nor exercised in terms of fixed choices; parental agency is a complex activity focused on relationships; the nature of parental agency contains future oriented aspects.

Some Quotes to Read and Cite in Writing:

“Hence, parental agency can be understood as a form of parental relational agency due to a complex decision‐making process in which the parents are constantly required to educate both themselves and others, live a life devoted to others, as well as because of the beliefs, values, and emotions involved when parents make decisions for themselves and for their children, learning from others and applying this knowledge in the decision‐making process.” (Szabat, 2023, p.7)

“The complex nature of parental agency reveals several important aspects of decision‐making, such as the possession of suitable knowledge based on professional and organizational help, personal faith, religious and spiritual beliefs, hopes, values such as trust and mutual understanding, and strong family relationships. Parental agency can be relational in form, especially when parents make decisions as a couple. In the present case, parental agency was expressed in the refusal to follow a geneticist’s recommendations, as well as in the parents’ decision not to terminate the pregnancy and learn more about trisomy 13. The relational aspect of parental agency was also evident in the parents’ active search for professional support, which shaped their agency and increased their knowledge and awareness. As a consequence of being willing to accept other people’s help and accept their support the parents adopted a more careful planning approach, enabling them to develop useful skills as caregivers. When it comes to caregiving, parental agency is focused on relationships.” (Szabat, 2023, p.8)

Paper Source and Access: Szabat, M. (2023). Parental agency in pediatric palliative care. Nursing Inquiry, Wiley Online Library. Link. [Note: to gain access to the full article, you can request it from the library of your research institution.]