This article is based on a survey aimed at validating the theoretical model "Trying to preserve the integrity of the family unit" by applying it to the situation of families living through the experience of having a child undergoing heart surgery. Data was collected through interviews with six family members who had gone through that experience. The questions were laid out according to the model, focusing on the family experience during the time of heart surgery. The data was analyzed according to the Grounded Theory. Results showed that it is possible to validate the theoretical model for the experience of families who had a child undergoing heart surgery through the comparative analysis of the results of both studies. Because of the specific nature of the experience, two new themes emerged: living a lonely experience and overco-ming a phase, thus widening the original theoretical model.
Validity; Family relations; Attitude to health; Cardiovascular surgery procedures