Background. Family functioning is important to run effectively in dealing with cervical cancer. Patients and family as caregivers can experience stress due to the characteristic of illness and the long process of medical treatment. Family functioning is related to daily function as a family in daily routine and when dealing with life changing situation, such as when dealing with cervical cancer disease. Family plays role in maintaining the condition and quality of life each of their family members, not only the cervical patient but also the family caregiver. From the first examination, getting the diagnosis until getting treatment, those are stressful experiences for cervical cancer patients. On the other hand, the diagnosis also may cause family into stress because there are some changes and adjustment that must be done by the family since there is a family member who is ill. While performing their duties, family caregiver can feel exhaustion, sleep disturbance, stress, depression, and less private time to do social activity with others which related to her quality of life. In Indonesia, family plays an important role and very expected in caregiving. Therefore, this research is aim to examine the correlation between family functioning and quality of life among family caregiver of cervical cancer patients.

Methods. This research is a quantitative research which aim to examine the correlation between family functioning and quality of life. The measuring instrument that is used to measure family functioning is Family Assessment Device (FAD) and WHOQOL-BREF to measure quality of life. FAD consists of 6 dimensions and general functioning. The six dimensions are problem solving, communication, roles, affective responsiveness, affective involvement, dan behavior control.  Respondents are family caregivers of cervical cancer patients in age between 20-65 years old, has been caregiving for at least three months, and be able to read and understand the questionnaire. Data retrieval is conducted directly and personally by using questionnaire and informal interview. Data obtained by 30 respondents. Furthermore, the data will be processed using Pearson correlation analysis.

Results. The main result of this research shows that there is a correlation between family functioning and quality of life among family caregiver of cervical cancer patients. Specifically, the correlation is found in some dimension of family functioning, such as roles (α = 0,469, p<0,05), affective responsiveness (α = 0,406, p<0,05), dan behavior control (α = 0,385, p<0,05).

Conclusion. There is a correlation between family functioning and quality of life among family caregiver of cervical cancer patients in roles, affective responsiveness, and behavior control dimension. Between these three variables, roles dimension has the biggest correlation with quality of life. The correlation between the roles dimension and quality of life can be explained because clear responsibility and tasks in the family helps the effectiveness of task execution, so caregivers have the flexibility to manage their lives to maintain their quality of life. The correlation between the affective responsiveness dimension and quality of life can be explained that the appropriate responses from the family makes caregiver’s stress perception of caregiving activities is decreased. They do not perceive their caregiving routine as a psychologically stressful activity. This changing perception is related with improvement of quality of life. The correlation between the behavior control dimension and quality of life can be explained by the existence of rules of behavior in the family to make them know what to do when dealing with certain situations and to perform their respective roles. It minimizes the possibility of caregivers in the condition of uncertainty and stressful related to the quality of her life.

Added-Values. The results of this study can provide a more comprehensive knowledge related to the correlation between family functioning and family caregiver quality of life of cervical cancer patients in Indonesia. The value that family as primary caregivers, may add to improving patient outcomes. A better understading of cancer illness and caregivers situation may provide targets for intervention for both patients and their caregivers.

Contribution to the society. The information and data from this study could be used in preparing psychological services for family caregiver to help maintaining their quality of life. Furthermore, it can give an evidence as source information for family to maintain their family functioning, specifically family who is dealing with cervical cancer disease.

Keywords: Family functioning; quality of life; family caregiver; cervical cancer