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NAME:PhD defence R.W. Wong Chung
METHOD:PUBLISH
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART:20250922T154500
DTEND:20250922T171500
DTSTAMP:20250922T154500
UID:2025/phd-defence-r-w-wong-chun@8F96275E-9F55-4B3F-A143-836282E12573
CREATED:20250904T003340
LOCATION:(1st floor) Auditorium, Main building De Boelelaan 1105 1081 HV Amsterdam
SUMMARY:PhD defence R.W. Wong Chung
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One, two, three, toward
s autonomy?!
Most parents want not “self” but “
together”: Research shows what parents and professionals consider i
mportant in the care of children with a chronic condition
If we support parents of children with a chronic condition more
effectively in organizing care, this could contribute to greater well
-being, less stress in families, and a more sustainable healthcare sy
stem. This is shown by research from pediatric physiotherapist and ed
ucationalist Ruud Wong Chung. Together with parents and child healthc
are professionals, he developed practical tools to improve collaborat
ion and empower parents for more autonomy— as it belongs.
In
his study, Wong Chung looked at the experiences, views, and needs of
both parents and healthcare professionals regarding self-manageme
nt — in other words, how parents themselves (or together with
professionals) organize the care for their child. He explored whether
self-management is self-evident, or whether it requires more coordin
ation and support.
Not “self” but “together”-ma
nagement
Both parents and professionals see self-manag
ement as important, but often define it differently. Many parents exp
erience the term self-management as one-sided; they prefer t
o speak of together-management, where they are supported and
coached by involved professionals. Especially during stressful perio
ds, parents need extra support. They want to be taken seriously, to b
e trusted, and to be able to communicate openly.
Professionals,
in turn, do want to support parents, but sometimes struggle to find
the right balance between being in control and letting go. They also
emphasize that good communication and mutual trust are essential, but
admit that they sometimes lack the skills to truly coach parents eff
ectively.
What is needed?
According to W
ong Chung, healthcare professionals must learn to better align with t
he unique situation of each parent — which also changes over time.
This requires:
- Active listening and empathy
- As
king focused questions
- Giving and receiving constr
uctive feedback
- Reflecting on their own values, assumptions
, and expectations
To support professionals in this, Wong
Chung developed two practical tools:
- The S-scan
- Parental self-management Support
A self-reflection too
l that allows professionals to examine their own vision, attitude, an
d behavior regarding support for parental self-management. -
An interactive media platform
A digital tool that
facilitates communication between parents and professionals, for exa
mple through videos or photos of daily care situations.
<
strong>Why supporting parents matters
Parents caring f
or a child with a chronic condition experience a major impact on thei
r family life. As a society, it is essential that we support these pa
rents in their role, so they can take ownership themselves. This requ
ires close collaboration with healthcare professionals who have the a
ppropriate tools and skills. Wong Chung’s research provides valuabl
e guidance to achieve this.
More information on the thesis<
/a>
DESCRIPTION: Most parents want not “self” but “toget
her”: Research shows what parents and professionals consider import
ant in the care of children with a chronic condition
If
we support parents of children with a chronic condition more effecti
vely in organizing care, this could contribute to greater well-being,
less stress in families, and a more sustainable healthcare system. T
his is shown by research from pediatric physiotherapist and education
alist Ruud Wong Chung. Together with parents and child healthcare pro
fessionals, he developed practical tools to improve collaboration and
empower parents for more autonomy— as it belongs. In his study, Wo
ng Chung looked at the experiences, views, and needs of both parents
and healthcare professionals regarding self-management — i
n other words, how parents themselves (or together with professionals
) organize the care for their child. He explored whether self-managem
ent is self-evident, or whether it requires more coordination and sup
port. Not “self” but “together”-management B
oth parents and professionals see self-management as important, but o
ften define it differently. Many parents experience the term self
-management as one-sided; they prefer to speak of together-m
anagement, where they are supported and coached by involved prof
essionals. Especially during stressful periods, parents need extra su
pport. They want to be taken seriously, to be trusted, and to be able
to communicate openly. Professionals, in turn, do want to support pa
rents, but sometimes struggle to find the right balance between being
in control and letting go. They also emphasize that good communicati
on and mutual trust are essential, but admit that they sometimes lack
the skills to truly coach parents effectively. What is neede
d? According to Wong Chung, healthcare professionals must le
arn to better align with the unique situation of each parent — whic
h also changes over time. This requires: - Active listening a
nd empathy
- Asking focused questions
- Giving an
d receiving constructive feedback
- Reflecting on their
own values, assumptions, and expectations
To support profes
sionals in this, Wong Chung developed two practical tools: -
The S-scan - Parental self-management Support
A s
elf-reflection tool that allows professionals to examine their own vi
sion, attitude, and behavior regarding support for parental self-mana
gement. - An interactive media platform
A
digital tool that facilitates communication between parents and prof
essionals, for example through videos or photos of daily care situati
ons.
Why supporting parents matters Parent
s caring for a child with a chronic condition experience a major impa
ct on their family life. As a society, it is essential that we suppor
t these parents in their role, so they can take ownership themselves.
This requires close collaboration with healthcare professionals who
have the appropriate tools and skills. Wong Chung’s research provid
es valuable guidance to achieve this. More information on the One, two, three, towards autonomy?!
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