Musculo-skeletal pain, quality of life and depression in mothers of children with cerebral palsy

The effect of cognitive reappraisal on emotion recognition in mothers of children with special needs

Intrinsic family dynamics are an important factor in the development of children with special needs, and mothers' emotion regulation ability influences children's development to some extent. This study examined the intrinsic mechanism of cognitive reappraisal of emotion regulation strategies affecting the emotion recognition ability of mothers of children with special needs. Results indicated that mothers of children with special needs recognized negative emotions significantly faster than typically developing child mothers. After receiving cognitive reappraisal emotion regulation strategies, they significantly improved emotional recognition of surprise and reduced attention bias towards anger. Overall, mothers of children with special needs may have obvious attention bias towards negative emotions, and cognitive reappraisal can target negative emotions to help them to better improve emotional resilience.

Pelvic floor symptoms and symptom-related quality of life in the mothers of children with cerebral palsy: a pilot cross-sectional study

Pelvic floor symptoms may occur in women with low back pain due to dysfunction of the spinal stabilization muscles. Low back pain is the most common musculoskeletal problem experienced by the mothers of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Therefore, our aim in this study was to examine pelvic floor symptoms and symptom-related quality of life in the mothers of children with CP. The study included 48 mothers of children with CP (n = 23) or without neurodevelopmental problems (n = 25). The mothers' pelvic floor symptoms and symptom-related quality of life were evaluated with the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 (PFDI-20) and the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-7 (PFIQ-7). PFDI-20 and PFIQ-7 scores did not differ between the two groups of mothers (p > .05). Additionally, moderately significant positive correlations were found between the age of the child with CP and duration of carrying and the PFDI-20 (r = 0.419, p = .047) and PFIQ-7 (r = 0.427, p = .042) scores. Pelvic floor symptoms and symptom-related quality of life in the mothers of children with CP were similar to those in the mothers of children without neurodevelopmental problems. As the age of the child with CP and duration of carrying increase, the urinary symptoms and urinary and colorectoanal symptoms-related quality of life in their mothers may worsen.

Health-related quality of life and associated factors among primary caregivers of children with cerebral palsy, in Bahir Dar and Gondar cities, Ethiopia, 2022

BACKGROUND

Caring for a child with cerebral palsy (CP) could negatively affect the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) of the mothers who are usually the primary caregivers. To the best of our 'knowledge, there is a dearth of information on the HRQOL of primary caregivers of children with CP in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate caregivers' HRQOL and factors associated with it in Gondar and Bahir Dar Cities, Northwest Ethiopia, 2022.

METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among primary caregivers of Children with CP from April 20 to June 20, 2022, in Gondar and Bahir Dar cities. Convenience sampling was used to get study participants. Data were collected by trained health extension and community-based rehabilitation workers. The collected data were coded, cleaned, entered into EPI data, and exported to Stata-16 for analysis. A generalized linear model was employed to show the relationship between dependent and independent variables. A P-value≤0.05 was considered statistically significant at a 95% confidence interval.

RESULT

In this study, HRQOL among primary caregivers of children with CP was 28.72(±13.38) and 23.26(±12.37) in the physical summary score (PSC) and mental summary score (MSC) respectively. Age 17-30yeas (p-value = 0.03), unable to read and write (p = 0.01), privately employed (p = 0.01) and government employed (p = 0.02), monthly income<1000 Ethiopian Birr (ETB) (p = 0.01), insufficient sleeping (p = 0.001), others relationship(p = 0.001), have three and above children (p = 0.001), others house composition (p = 0.003), have no helpers (p = 0.001) and third birth order of child (p = 0.03) were all factors associated with HRQOL in PSC. On the other hand, income<1000ETB (p = 0.05), insufficient sleeping (p = 0.001), others in relation to the child (p = 0.001), others in house composition (p = 0.03), dyskinetic CP (p = 0.01) and ataxic CP (p = 0.001) were all factors associated with HRQOL of caregivers in MSC components.

CONCLUSION

The HRQOL among primary caregivers of children with CP in Bahir Dar and Gondar cities was low. Age, monthly income, educational status, sleeping status, relationship and house composition, number of living children, birth order of child, helpers, and type of CP were all significantly associated with HRQOL of primary caregivers of children with CP.

The effect of low back and neck pain on posture, burnout, and quality of life in formal caregivers of children with disabilities and the elderly

BACKGROUND

Caregiving, which is often described as a stressful job due to the patience and dedication it requires, affects the physical and mental health of the employees of the profession due to various factors.

AIMS

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of lower back and neck pain on posture, burnout level, and quality of life of the formal caregivers of children with disability and the elderly.

METHODS

The study included 64 formal caregivers of children with disability and the elderly. The socio-demographic characteristics of the participants were recorded. The Oswestry Disability Index, the Neck Disability Index, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and the Short Form-36 were used to evaluate low back pain, neck pain, burnout levels, and quality of life, respectively. Participants' spinal posture values were measured with the Spinal Mouse device.

RESULTS

When the groups were combined and examined, it was found that neck pain caused changes in the spinal posture (p < 0.05) and that low back pain did not affect spinal posture (p > 0.05). Also, low back and neck pain had an increasing effect on emotional burnout and desensitization and a decreasing effect on the quality of life (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, it was observed that low back and neck pain experience has negative effects on individuals' posture, burnout levels, and quality of life.

Factors associated with caregiver burden among family caregivers of children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To identify caregiver and children factors associated with caregiver burden on primary caregivers of children with cerebral palsy (CP).

DESIGN

Systematic review DATA SOURCES: Seven electronic databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL and Embase, were systematically searched up to 1 February 2023.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Original observational studies reporting caregiver burden and related factors among caregivers of children with CP.

DATA ABSTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Two reviewers independently screened results and assessed the quality of studies. Title, abstract, full-text screening and data abstraction were done independently by two reviewers. Risk of bias was assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies. The quality of evidence for factors was rated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.

RESULTS

16 articles were included in the review. All studies were cross-sectional and examined caregiver-reported burden measures. The Zarit Burden Interview was the most commonly used questionnaire. Depression of caregiver and severity of illness in children with CP were moderate quality of evidence for factors contributing to caregiver burden.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher caregiver burden is associated with more depressive feelings and worse life quality of the caregiver, and with more severe physical disability of the children. Future studies should focus on high-quality longitudinal research and appropriate assistance to reduce caregiver burden and improve the quality of caregiving for children with CP.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42021268284.

Musculoskeletal pain and quality of life in mothers of children with microcephaly, due to congenital Zika virus syndrome

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to observe the prevalence and intensity of musculoskeletal pain and the quality of life in mothers of children with microcephaly and also to compare the scores of the quality of life domains between mothers who had or did not have musculoskeletal pain.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study that evaluated mothers of children with a clinical diagnosis of microcephaly, due to congenital Zika virus syndrome, in the state of Pernambuco, northeast region, Brazil. To assess musculoskeletal pain, the Nordic Questionnaire of Musculoskeletal Symptoms was used, pain intensity was assessed by the Visual Analogue Scale and quality of life by the SF-36 Questionnaire.

RESULTS

Of the 63 mothers evaluated, 59 (93.7%) reported currently experiencing musculoskeletal pain. The lumbar spine was the body region with the highest prevalence of pain (77.8%), followed by the thoracic spine (57.1%) and cervical spine (50.8%). Pain intensity was higher in the lumbar spine (6.00 ± 0.47), thoracic spine (4.44 ± 0.52) and shoulders (3.81 ± 0.51). The domains that presented the lowest scores in the quality of life assessment were general health status (49.0 ± 3.19), emotional aspects (49.7 ± 5.88) and pain (49.7 ± 2.50). Mothers who had musculoskeletal pain had lower scores in all domains of quality of life assessment compared to mothers who did not have pain, demonstrating significant differences for functional capacity (P = 0.035), physical aspects (P = 0.047) and pain (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

A high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain was observed in mothers of children with microcephaly, with a higher prevalence and intensity in the lumbar spine. The domains related to physical and emotional health presented the worst scores in the quality of life of the evaluated mothers and the presence of musculoskeletal pain reduced the quality of life of the mothers of children with microcephaly in this study.

Effects of a Family Caregiver Care Programme in Musculoskeletal Pain and Disability in the Shoulder-Neck Region-A Randomised Clinical Trial

Life expectancy in Spain has increased and older people need more health care to improve their quality of life. The high demands of the population sometimes collapse health services, making them insufficient to cover their needs, which leads to the development of “non-professional caregivers”. These caregivers have suffered musculoskeletal injuries of the cervical spine and shoulders and should be guided and assessed on ergonomics, biomechanics, or kinesiotherapy. However, there are no interventions to help them care for themselves. This study presents the application of a physical exercise programme to prevent these disorders in women caregivers of dependent patients. It consists of a randomised controlled clinical trial with two groups: both received a family caregiver care programme, and the intervention group also received a physical therapeutic exercise programme for 12 weeks. A total of 62 caregivers completed the study, who were mostly daughters or wives of dependents. Of these, 70.97% presented a “moderate” pain intensity and a cervical disability of 13.72 ± 7.64 points in the NDI questionnaire in the initial evaluation. In the intervention group of caregivers, there was a significant decrease in the pain intensity and a significant increase (p < 0.05) in all cervical joint amplitude movements. Caregivers present a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders. The physical exercise programme was effective in reducing the intensity of pain, lumbar disability, and cervical disability of the family caregivers.

Musculoskeletal Pain in Family Caregivers: Does a Therapeutic Physical Program in Primary Care Work? A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Family caregivers play a crucial role in the overall healthcare system and in our society. The elderly population is significantly increasing, which creates a high demand for family caregivers. Few studies have investigated the impact of caregiving on musculoskeletal pain or proposed an active approach for dealing with it. Objectives: To determine and characterize musculoskeletal pain in female family caregivers (FFCs) and assess the effects of adding a therapeutic exercise program to a family caregiver care program (FCCP) on the quality of life, physical conditions, and psychological well-being of FFCs. Methods: A multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted with 68 FFCs recruited in two public healthcare areas. The intervention and control groups received the same conventional FCCP for 6 h across 4 sessions. The intervention group received an additional 36 sessions of physical therapeutic exercise (PTE) program over 12 weeks. Results: All caregivers reported having pain in particular locations. Lower back pain and neck pain were the locations most frequently cited, with a prevalence of 69.4% and 56.7%, respectively. In total, 80% of participants presented moderate pain intensity. The intervention group showed a significant decrease in the intensity of the pain (p < 0.001), as well as in anxiety, depression, subjective burden perception (p < 0.01), and quality-of-life variables, including MCS (mental component summary) (p < 0.05) and PCS (physical component summary) (p < 0.001). Conclusions: A PTE program improved the musculoskeletal pain of FFCs in a clinically relevant way. The caregivers who improved the most were those who initially presented the most intense pain, had the greatest levels of disability, and had the lowest quality of life.

The French EVAL-PLH cohort of persons with polyhandicap

Polyhandicap is characterized by a combination of profound intellectual disability and serious motor deficit, resulting in the extreme restriction of autonomy and communication. The aim of the EVAL-PLH (EVALuation PoLyHandicap) study is to identify the impact of socioeconomic, environmental, and epidemiological determinants on the health status of the persons with polyhandicap and the daily lives of their caregivers. EVAL-PLH is a prospective cohort study. The study involved persons with severe polyhandicap (who were cared for at reeducation centers, residential facilities, and one specialized pediatric/neurological department of a university hospital), their familial caregivers and the institutional caregivers. Data collection included sociodemographics, heath status, and psychocomportemental information. Data have been collected at 2 points (2015-2016 and 2020-2021). The French EVAL-PLH cohort is the first cohort study focusing on persons with polyhandicap, their families, and the health care workers caring for them. The sustainability of the device is essential to assist patients, families, clinicians, and health decision-making authorities in the optimization of care management.

A cross sectional survey on physical fitness, mental health and associated factors in mothers of children with special needs

Mothers are the primary caregivers of a child. While caring for a special needs child, workload of caring increases by manifold and taking care of these children increases physical & mental overload. There is a dearth of studies that have objectively evaluated mental health and fitness of this group. To study status of physical fitness, mental health and associated factors in mothers of special needs children a cross-sectional survey done on 100 mothers of special needs children from special schools in the Gurugram District, Haryana, India. The Harvard Step test was used to evaluate cardiac fitness. Standard tests were used to evaluate different components of musculoskeletal fitness. Depression was assessed by Beck Depression Inventory. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. The Karl Pearson correlation test was used to identify correlations between mental health and fitness components and sociodemographic characteristics. Mean age and body mass index of mothers was 36.15±2.56 years and 27.4±3.25 kg/m2, respectively. 50% of the subjects were overweight, 89% scored poor in cardiopulmonary fitness, 63% had very poor muscle endurance, and 69% had average muscular flexibility. 81% of the mothers had symptoms of clinical depression. Inverse and significant correlation was present between depression and cardiorespiratory fitness (r=-0.197), strength (r=-0.242), and endurance (r=0.209). Income, total number of children and duration of care giving were inversely correlated with depression. Positive correlation was found between type of disability and depression. There was an overall decrement in cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal fitness. Mental health was found to be poor with a large percentage of participants showing symptoms of depression.

Validity of the Friedrich Short Form of the Questionnaire on Resources and Stress in Parents of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

There is insufficient knowledge about the psychometric properties of the Friedrich short form of the Questionnaire on Resources and Stress (QRS-F) used to measure the caregiving burden of caregivers of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present study, therefore, aimed to confirm the validity of the QRS-F. The data selected using the systematic sampling method were analyzed to verify the factor structure of the QRS-F on parents of individuals with ASD. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were employed to confirm the validity and the factor structure of the scale. The Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated to verify the relation with other measures. The original factor model was not appropriate to assess the caregiving burden on parents of individuals with ASD because the models did not show adequate fit indices. The evaluation of results based on a total score was explored, which demonstrated the expected association between depression severity and caregiving time. Overall, this study supports the use of the QRS-F for measuring the caregiving burden of parents of individuals with ASD by comparing the total score with other related variables.

Prevalence of depression and quality of life in primary caregiver of children with cerebral palsy

OBJECTIVE

Study the correlation of depression and quality of life (QoL) in primary caregivers (mothers) of children with cerebral palsy (CP).

METHODS

An observational cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 203 primary caregivers (mothers) of children with CP. The depression and QoL in the caregivers were assessed using the Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale and World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument (WHOQOL-BREF) (physical, psychological, social and environmental domains), respectively. The child's gross motor function level was determined using the Gross Motor Functional Classification System-Expanded and Revised (GMFCS-ER). The association of depression and QoL in mothers to functional limitation in children were assessed. For statistical methods, P < 0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

The severity of the depression showed a statistically significant negative correlation with the physical domain (r = -0.498, P < 0.0001), psychological domains (r = -0.486, P < 0.0001), social relationships (r = -0.165, P = 0.019) and environmental domains (r = -0.195, P = 0.005). The mean QoL domains scores showed a decreasing trend with increasing motor dysfunction of the child, with a statistical association for physical (r = -0.327, P < 0.0001) and psychological domains (r = -0.440, P < 0.0001). Out of all the baseline demographic factors, the child's age was a significant risk factor affecting the mother's QoL (P = 0.041).

CONCLUSION

CP, being a debilitating disease, requires around-the-clock caregiving for the child. However, caregiving causes a significant impact on the QoL with increasing severity of depression among the mothers.

Self-Rated Health and Pain Problems in Mothers of Healthy Children or Children Requiring Outpatient Observation or Hospitalisation: A Pilot Cross-Sectional Study

A child's illness or disability is a considerable stressor for the mother and a risk factor for many psychological problems and somatic diseases. The purpose of the study was to (1) assess the prevalence of poor SRH and pain, (2) compare self-rated health and pain, (3) and identify the determinants of SRH and pain in mothers of healthy children and children requiring ambulatory observation or hospitalization. The study covered 234 mothers of both healthy and unhealthy children who required outpatient observation or treatment at an intensive care unit, neonatal intensive care unit, or oncology department. To analyse the variables obtained, the following tools were used: Self-Rated Health, Numerical Rating, Interpersonal Support Evaluation List, Peritraumatic Distress Inventory, Modified Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Impact of Effects Scale-Revised. The self-assessment of health in mothers of healthy children and those in need of outpatient observation or hospitalization at units with various specialities differed in a statistically significant way. The severity of the average and maximum pain among mothers of healthy children and those with a history of disease differed statistically significantly. Poor SRH co-occurred with severe maximum pain in all of the examined groups. Both in the control group and the group of mothers of children requiring outpatient observation, poor SRH co-occurred with a high level of anxiety. Only in the control group was a correlation found between the severity of the average and maximum pain and the severity of anxiety and depression symptoms.

The Physical Health of Caregivers of Children With Life-Limiting Conditions: A Systematic Review

CONTEXT

Parental caregiving for a child with a life-limiting condition (LLC) is complex physical and mental work. The impact of this caregiving on parents' physical health is unknown.

OBJECTIVES

(1) To review existing evidence on the physical health of parents caring for a child with a LLC and (2) to determine how physical health of parents is measured.

DATA SOURCES

Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature were searched.

STUDY SELECTION

Peer-reviewed articles were included if they reported primary data on the physical health of a caregiver of a child with a LLC. Studies were excluded if they described only the caregiver's mental health or if the caregivers were bereaved at the time of data collection.

DATA EXTRACTION

Of 69 335 unique citations, 81 studies were included in the review.

RESULTS

Caregiver health was negatively impacted in 84% of studies. Pain and sleep disturbance were the most common problems. Ways of measuring the physical health of caregiver varied widely. We found an absence of in-depth explorations of the social and economic contexts, which could potentially mitigate the impact of caregiving. Furthermore, we find health interventions tailored to this group remain largely unexplored.

LIMITATIONS

Studies were heterogenous in methodology, making comparisons of results across studies difficult.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings support the need for improving access to interventions aimed at improving physical health in this population. The rate of health-seeking behaviors, preventive health care access and screening for health conditions is understudied and represent important directions for further research.

Exploring the process of health in mothers of children with cerebral palsy: Changing “clinical reasoning”

Introduction

The issue of the health status of mothers of children with disability is one that is beginning to be addressed more fully. This study aimed to explore the process of health in mothers during caregiving of children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Method

A qualitative research method with a grounded theory approach was used, including purposive and theoretical sampling. A constant comparative analysis method was adopted, and data were gathered from 15 mothers with CP children through interviews.

Results

The results were grouped into six main categories: Self-neglecting of their health, facing challenges in caring their children, physical and psychosocial damages, perceiving threat of health problems from concern to action, trying to regain their health, and caring in a complex context. “Facing challenges in caring” was extracted as a core concept.

Conclusion

Results showed an urgent need to establish family-centered services in clinical settings and change the “way of thinking” of the health provider system.

Validity and Reliability of the Caregiving Difficulty Scale in Mothers of Children with Cerebral Palsy

This study was conducted to determine the construct validity and reliability of the Caregiving Difficulty Scale, a tool developed to measure difficulties experienced by parents of children with cerebral palsy. To this end, a survey was conducted with 215 mothers of children with cerebral palsy, and the resultant data were analyzed. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed to verify the construct validity of this scale, and the intra-item fit value was calculated for reliability analysis. Validity analysis confirmed that a bi-factor model comprising four sub-factors, Concern for the Child, Impact on Self, Support for Caregiving, and Social and Economic Strain, was suitable for the Caregiving Difficulty Scale. In addition, the reliability analysis results showed that the reliability coefficients of three of these areas, excluding Social and Economic Strain, and the reliability of the entire scale were acceptable. Therefore, the Caregiving Difficulty Scale is an appropriate tool to measure the burden of caregiving for children with cerebral palsy, and the findings emphasize the need to improve its reliability by comparing sub-factors’ reliability.

Effects of clinical Pilates on the fitness in people with children with disabilities: a randomized controlled trial

Aim: This study aimed to examine the effects of Clinical Pilates Exercises (CPE) on Health-Related Physical Fitness in Primary Caregivers. Patients & methods: Fifty-five participants were randomly divided into the CPE group and the Control group. Individuals in the CPE group performed CPE two-times a week for 8 weeks. Results: The intergroup comparisons showed that there were significant differences in favor of the CPE group in the sit-up test, body extension endurance, body flexion endurance, side bridge (right), squat test and flexibility tests (p < 0.05). The intragroup comparisons revealed significant differences in the CPE group in the sit-up test, body flexion endurance, side bridge (both sides), squat test and flexibility tests (p < 0.05). Conclusion: CPEs are effective on improvement of health-related fitness parameters in the primary caregivers of children with disabilities. Clinical trial registration number: NCT03729466.

Pain and Communication in Children with Cerebral Palsy: Influence on Parents' Perception of Family Impact and Healthcare Satisfaction

Cerebral palsy (CP) is an impacting chronic condition. Concomitant comorbidities such as pain and speech inability may further affect parents’ perception of the pathology impact in the family quality of life and the provided care. The objective of this cross-sectional descriptive correlational study was to compare parental reports on family impact and healthcare satisfaction in children with CP with and without chronic pain and with and without speech ability. Parents of 59 children with CP (age range = 4–18 years) completed several questions about pain and speech ability and two modules of the Pediatric Quality of Life Measurement Model: The PedsQLTM 2.0 Family Impact Module and the PedsQLTM Healthcare Satisfaction Generic Module. Our findings revealed that children’s pain slightly impacted family physical health, social health and worry. In children without pain, speech inability increased the perceived health impact. Parents’ healthcare satisfaction was barely affected by pain or speech inability, both increasing parents’ satisfaction in the professional technical skills and inclusion of family domains on the care plan. In conclusion, pain and speech inability in children with CP can impact family health but not healthcare satisfaction. Regular assessment and intervention in family health is essential for the design of family-centred programs for children with CP.

Home nursing for children with home mechanical ventilation in the United States: Key informant perspectives

OBJECTIVES & HYPOTHESIS

Children with home mechanical ventilation (HMV) require skilled care by trained caregivers, and their families feel the impacts of ubiquitous home nursing shortages. It is unknown which factors determine allocation; no standards for private duty nursing intensity exist. We sought to characterize provider experiences with and opinions on home nursing for children with HMV, hypothesizing providers would describe frequent home nursing gaps across clinical scenarios.

METHODS

Purposeful and snowball sampling identified key informant clinical providers. Survey topics included hours of home nursing received across clinical and family scenarios. Close-ended responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and open-ended questions coded with iterative modification for major theme agreement.

RESULTS

A total of 59 respondents represented care of patients from 44 states; 49.2% physicians, 37.3% nurses, 10.2% respiratory therapists, and 3.4% case managers. Nearly all (97%) believed that families should receive more hours during initial home transition, yet less than half (47%) do. The majority (80.7%) thought the presence of other children in the home should influence nursing hours, yet only three (5.3%) reported other children have influence. Across hypothetical medical technology scenarios, providers consistently described children receiving fewer nursing hours than the providers' ideal practice. A third (31.7%) described discharging patients without any home nursing arranged.

CONCLUSIONS

This HMV provider sample highlights pervasive deficiency in home nursing provision with heterogenous interpretation of what constitutes ideal home care. Family and social contextual factors are infrequently considered in nursing allocations. Provider, community health, and family stakeholders must collaborate to generate national community practice standards for children with HMV.

Physical workload during caregiving activities and related factors among the caregivers of children with cerebral palsy

BACKGROUND

Caregiving demands contribute to both psychological and physical health of caregivers. Physical workload (PW) can be an important cause of musculoskeletal disorders in caregivers of children with cerebral palsy (CP).

AIMS

To investigate PW during caregiving activities and related factors among caregivers of children with CP.

METHODS

Children with CP (n = 291) and their caregivers (n = 291) were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Caregivers were categorized as their child has presence of intellectual disability (ID) and independent walking ability. Gross motor function was assessed using the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) in children. PW; presence and distribution of musculoskeletal pain sites; levels of disability of neck, low back, arm, and leg; levels of depressive symptoms; and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) were assessed in caregivers.

RESULTS

Significant differences were observed in PW, low back pain-related disability, depressive symptoms, and HRQOL between caregivers of children with and without an ID (p < 0.05). All study variables were significantly different between caregivers of children who can and cannot independently walk (p < 0.05). PW was correlated with caregiver's age, body mass index, lower extremity dysfunction, depressive symptoms, and child's GMFCS level (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Caregivers of a child having an ID and walking disability had higher PW. These caregivers had more problems related to musculoskeletal disorders, higher depressive symptoms, and lower HRQOL. Higher PW was associated with lower level of gross motor function of child and older age, higher body mass index, higher level of lower extremity disfunction and low back pain disability, and lower HRQOL of caregivers.

Impact of severe polyhandicap cared for at home on French informal caregivers' burden: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

Polyhandicap (PLH), defined by a combination of profound intellectual impairment and serious motor deficits, is a severe condition with complex disabilities. In France, care of the large majority of PLH individuals is managed in specialised rehabilitation centres or residential facilities, but some of PLH individuals are cared for at home. The aims of this study were to assess the self-perceived burden among informal caregivers of PLH individuals and to identify potential determinants of this burden.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study (Neuropaediatric Department, Trousseau Hospital, Paris, France).

SETTINGS

PLH children were recruited from a specialised paediatric/neurological department.

PARTICIPANTS

The selection criteria of caregivers were age above 18 years and being the PLH individual's next of kin.

OUTCOMES MEASURES

From March 2015 to December 2016, data were collected from the caregivers, including sociodemographical data, health status, psycho-behavioural data (quality of life, mood disorders and coping) and self-perceived burden. In addition, the health status of the PLH individual was collected. Relationships between the burden scores and potential determinants were tested (correlations coefficients, Mann-Whitney tests, generalised estimating equations models).

RESULTS

Eighty-four children were eligible; 77 families returned their questionnaire. The informal caregivers of PLH children experienced a high level of perceived burden (scores ranged from 55±20 to 81±12). Eighty per cent of them had more than 5 hours of daily caregiving and 51% of them had to get up more than twice during the night. The main factors associated with caregiver burden were age, financial issues, health status, daily care and coping strategies. The patients' health status was not associated with caregiver burden.

CONCLUSIONS

Some of the caregiver burden determinants might be modifiable. These findings should help healthcare workers and health-decision makers implement specific and appropriate interventions.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02400528.

Assessment of Anxiety and Depression in Polish Primary Parental Caregivers of Children with Cerebral Palsy Compared to a Control Group, as well as Identification of Selected Predictors

Background: Taking care of a child with Cerebral Palsy (CP) may be linked with adverse effects in the parents’ physical and mental health. The causes of anxiety and depression symptoms associated with childcare are still not fully understood. Aim: To assess the intensity of anxiety and depression symptoms in parents of children with CP compared to a control group and to identify selected mental health predictors. Design and Methods: Data were collected from 301 respondents, including 190 parents of children with CP (study group) and 111 parents taking care of children developing normally (control group). Intensity of anxiety and depression was rated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scale. Gross Motor Function Classification System for Cerebral Palsy (GMFCS), Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-29), Berlin Support Social Scales (BSSS) scales and a specially designed questionnaire were used to assess the predictors. The investigated variables included the children’s and the parents’ characteristics, as well as environmental factors. The analyses applied Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, M(SD) as well as multiple regression. Results: The level of anxiety and depression was clearly higher in the parents of children with CP–the mean levels of anxiety and depression in the study group and the controls amounted to 8.1 vs. 4.7 and 6.8 vs. 3.7, respectively. The factors associated with intensity of anxiety and depression in the parents of children with CP included lack of social support, mainly perceived and received support, unsatisfying parental health status, poor economic status of the family, as well as difficult living conditions, sense of coherence, loneliness, the parent’s gender, and the child’s intellectual disability. Conclusions: Identification of significant anxiety and depression predictors, understood as modifiable factors, should be considered in determining and planning comprehensive support for a child with CP and his/her primary parental caregiver.

The Effect of Stabilization Exercises Along With Self-care Training on Transverse Abdominal Activity, Pain, and Disability in Mothers With Low Back Pain Having Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

Many mothers of children with cerebral palsy experience low back pain, so the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of stabilization exercises along with self-care training on transverse abdominal muscle activity, pain, disability, and depression in them.

DESIGN

In this single-blinded randomized clinical trial, 32 mothers with cerebral palsy children were selected were randomly divided into two groups. Both groups received self-care training individually. For the experimental group, in addition to the self-care training, 24 sessions of stabilization exercises were held. Outcome measures included visual analog scale, Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, Persian version of Beck Depression Inventory-II, and ultrasonography.

RESULTS

In the experimental group, the transverse abdominal muscle activity during abdominal hollowing exercises was significantly increased (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in pain, disability, and depression (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Stabilization exercises could improve the voluntary activity of transverse abdominal muscle of mothers of children with cerebral palsy.

A comparative study of socioeconomic status, perceived social support and psychological distress of mothers of children with and without disabilities

Background/Aims

Quality of life has been defined as a measure of a person's physical wellbeing, psychological state, and social relationships. However, comparisons of psychological distress, socioeconomic status, and social support between mothers of children with and without disabilities have been limited, particularly in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study is to comparatively evaluate the socioeconomic status, perceived social support, and psychological distress of mothers of children with and without disabilities.

Methods

The Socio-Demographic Information Form, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales were completed by 200 mothers of children with cerebral palsy or Down's syndrome and 100 mothers of children without disabilities.

Results

Welch's test indicated significant differences between the two groups on the total Depression Anxiety Stress Scales and all its subscales (<0.01) and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Friends subscale (0.02).

Conclusions

Mothers of children with disabilities perceived high levels of overall social support, which might have reduced their psychological distress. It is recommended for rehabilitation centres to organise support groups for family members. It will also be beneficial for families of children with disabilities, if heath sector policy makers can review and develop effective socioeconomic policies to improve their standards of living.

Oral health-related quality of life in caregivers of individuals with Cerebral Palsy: a case-control study

AIM

The object of this study is to evaluate the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of caregivers of individuals with Cerebral Palsy (CP).

METHODS

Ninety-eight caregivers of individuals with CP (SG) and 196 caregivers of individuals without special needs (CG) completed the reduced version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14). In addition, a questionnaire with demographic and socioeconomic questions was used. Groups were matched according to gender, schooling and family income. Fisher's exact tests, Chi square and Mann-Whitney, and bi/multivariate logistic regression were used (p < 0.05).

RESULTS

The impact on OHRQoL was similar for SG and CG (OHIP-14 total score). For SG, the high negative impact was in the following OHIP domains: "Functional limitation", "Physical disability", "Psychological incapacity" and "Disadvantages". For SG, a higher number of caregivers was single, unemployed, received government financial aid. There was a statistically significant association between the number of children a caregiver has and a negative impact on OHRQoL.

CONCLUSIONS

Being a caregiver of children with or without CP had a negative impact of similar magnitude on ORHQoL. The negative impact on OHRQoL of caregivers of children with CP was associated with having a high number of children; the higher the number of children, the greater the negative impact on their OHRQoL.

Assessment of pain, care burden, depression level, sleep quality, fatigue and quality of life in the mothers of children with cerebral palsy

The aim of this study were to evaluate pain, care burden, depression level, sleep quality, fatigue and quality of life (QoL) among a group of mothers of children with cerebral palsy (CP) and to compare their results with a group of healthy controls. The study involved 101 mothers who had children with CP and 67 mothers who had a healthy child as the control group. Pain, care burden, depression level, sleep quality, fatigue and QoL of all the participants were evaluated by the numerical rating scale, the Zarit care burden scale (ZCBS), the beck depression inventory (BDI), the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), the checklist individual strength (CIS) and the short form-36 (SF-36), respectively. Numerical rating scale value was 3.57 ± 2.96 in the patient group. When the two groups were compared, the CP group showed higher scores for ZCBS, BDI, PSQI, total CIS and SF-36 subscales of general health and vitality whereas the scores for role physical, role emotional, mental health and mental component summary were found to be lower in the patients, compared to the control group. Reducing caregiving burden of the mothers' by other family members and increasing psychosocial supports may help improve the mother's health status.

Depression and anxiety in parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Although caring for a child with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can have positive outcomes, parents may be at a greater risk of depression and anxiety, due to a number of associated stressors, such as increased caregiver demands and financial strain. This systematic review updates previous data, exploring the relationship between parenting a child with IDD and parental depression and anxiety.

METHODS

Five electronic databases were searched for eligible English-language articles, published between January 2004 and July 2018. All epidemiological study designs were eligible, provided the level of depression and/or anxiety was compared between parents of children (aged <18) with and without IDD. No limit was placed on geographic location. The proportion of positive associations between parenting a child with IDD and depression/anxiety were disaggregated by disability type, geographic region, and sample size. The percentage of parents at risk of moderate depression or anxiety were calculated using recognised clinical cut-off scores for each screening tool. Meta-analyses, in which pooled effect sizes of elevated depression and anxiety symptoms were calculated, were conducted across two IDD conditions, autism and cerebral palsy.

RESULTS

Of the 5,839 unique records screened, 19 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The majority of studies were conducted in high-income (n = 8, 42%) or upper-middle income countries (n = 10, 53%). Of the 19 studies, 69% focused on parents of children with cerebral palsy (n = 7, 37%) or autism (n = 6, 32%). Nearly all studies found a positive association between parenting a child with IDD and depression (n = 18, 95%) and anxiety (n = 9, 90%) symptoms. Factors associated with higher levels of depression symptoms amongst parents of children with IDD included disability severity (n = 8, 78%) and lower household income (n = 4, 80%). Approximately one third (31%) of parents of children with IDD reach the clinical cut-off score for moderate depression, compared with 7% of parents of children without IDD. 31% of parents of children with IDD reach the cut-off score for moderate anxiety, compared with 14% of parents of children without IDD. The meta-analyses demonstrated moderate effect sizes for elevated depression amongst parents of children with autism and cerebral palsy.

CONCLUSIONS

Results indicate elevated levels of depressive symptoms amongst parents of children with IDD. Quality concerns amongst the existing literature support the need for further research, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

Impact of severe polyhandicap on parents' quality of life: A large French cross-sectional study

Background

Polyhandicap (PLH) is a condition of severe and complex disabilities and is defined by a combination of profound intellectual impairment and serious motor deficits. Parents of PLH individuals are chronically confronted with stressful situations. The aims of this study are i) to assess and compare the quality of life (QoL) of a large panel of parents of PLH individuals with age- and gender-matched controls and ii) to identify potential determinants of parents’ QoL.

Method

We conducted a cross-sectional study. Parents were recruited from 4 specialized rehabilitation centres, 9 residential facilities, and a specialized paediatric/neurological department. The selection criteria were age above 18 years and being the mother/father of a PLH individual. The data collected from the parents included sociodemographic, health status, and psycho-behavioural data (including QoL); additionally, the health status of the PLH individuals was collected.

Results

The QoL scores of all dimensions were significantly lower for parents than for controls. The main factors modulating parents’ QoL were financial issues, health status, and coping strategies. The PLH individuals’ health status was not associated with parents’ QoL.

Conclusions

Some QoL determinants might be amenable. These findings should help health care workers and health decision makers to implement specific and appropriate interventions.

Determinants of Health-related Quality of Life Among Mothers of Children With Cerebral Palsy

PURPOSE

Caring for a child with cerebral palsy (CP) can impact both the physical and mental health of parents. However, determinants associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in these parents have yet to be adequately examined. The study aims were to identify the determinants affecting HRQOL among mothers of children with CP.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Participants in this cross-sectional study (N = 180) were mothers of children with CP recruited from clinical and school-based settings in Korea. Variables examined were characteristics of child (demographic factors and disability parameter), mother (demographic factors, number of chronic conditions, health-promoting behaviors (HPB), and parenting stress), and environmental factors (use of personal assistant care, leisure time and social support). Multivariate regression analysis was performed to examine the child, mother, and environmental factors associated with HRQOL.

RESULTS

The HRQOL results revealed that the physical HRQOL was higher than mental HRQOL in the sample. Longer length of disability of children and lower number of chronic conditions of mothers were significant factors of higher physical HRQOL. Lower parenting stress, more leisure time, engagement in HPB, and greater social support were significantly associated with higher mental HRQOL.

CONCLUSIONS

The levels of HRQOL of mothers of children with CP were very low and our findings suggest modifiable factors. Decreasing parenting stress, engaging in HPB, and providing social support should be considered when developing psychosocial intervention for this population.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Study results may inform programs aimed at health promotion, stress reduction, and QOL improvement among parents of children with disabilities.

Comparison of musculoskeletal pain distribution, quality of life and hopelessness level in mothers with disabled children in different ambulation levels

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to compare the musculoskeletal pain distribution, quality of life, and the hopelessness level in mothers with disabled children in different ambulation levels.

METHODS

This study included a total of 177 mothers (mean age: 36.1 ± 6.5 years) of children with disabilities. The mothers were divided into 3 different groups according to the ambulation level of their disabled children: Ambulatory children (Group 1), partially ambulatory children (Group 2) and non-ambulatory children (Group 3). Musculoskeletal pain distribution (body diagram) and pain intensity (The Visual Analogue Scale), four quality of life parameters (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Health-Related Quality of Life -4 Questionnaire) and hopelessness level (Beck Hopelessness Scale) were evaluated in all mothers.

RESULTS

The results of our study showed that musculoskeletal pain was most common (79.1%) in the mothers of disabled children. The frequency and severity of back, shoulder and elbow pain in the mothers, number of activity limitation days and hopelessness level were found to increase significantly as the ambulation level in the child decreased (p< 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of musculoskeletal pain, participation in daily life and hopelessness level in the mothers increased as the ambulation level of the disabled children decreased.

Quality of life of primary caregivers of children with cerebral palsy: a comparison between mother and grandmother caregivers in Anhui province of China

BACKGROUND

The aims of the study are to evaluate the quality of life of mother and grandmother primary caregivers of children with cerebral palsy (CP) and to compare the difference between these two groups of caregivers.

METHODS

We recruited 125 mother and 52 grandmother primary caregivers of children with CP. All the primary caregivers were interviewed with the short-form 36 (SF-36) health survey version 2.0 and with researcher-designed questionnaires for family background. As for the children, social-demographic characteristics, medical history and the result of a physical examination performed by a paediatric specialist in neurological rehabilitation were also collected.

RESULTS

Mother and grandmother caregivers scored lower than their counterparts in the general population in both summary scores. Grandmother caregivers had lower scores than mother caregivers in all eight domains and in the two summary scores, with all differences being statistically significant (P < 0.05), except for the domain of the mental component summary score (P = 0.618). The differences were found particularly remarkable in the domains of physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain and also the physical component summary score (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The quality of life is significantly unsatisfactory in both mother and grandmother primary caregivers of children with CP; this research provides evidence for the need of the monitoring of these caregivers.

A critical evaluation of the effectiveness of interventions for improving the well-being of caregivers of children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review protocol

BACKGROUND

Over the years, family-centered care has evolved as the "gold standard" model for the provision of healthcare services. With the advent of family-centered approach to care comes the inherent need to provide support services to caregivers in addition to meeting the functional needs of children with physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy (CP). Provision of care for a child with CP is invariably associated with poor health outcomes in caregivers. As such, there has been a surge in the development and implementation of interventions for improving the health and well-being of these caregivers. However, there is a paucity of the collective, empirical evidence of the efficacy of these interventions. Therefore, the broad objective of this review is to systematically review the literature on the effectiveness of interventions designed to improve caregivers' well-being.

METHODS/DESIGN

This is a systematic review for the evaluation of the effectiveness of interventions designed to improve caregivers' well-being. Two independent, blinded, reviewers will search articles on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, Psych Info, and Africa-Wide Information using a predefined criterion. Thereafter, three independent reviewers will screen the retrieved articles. The methodological quality of studies meeting the selection criterion will be evaluated using the Briggs Institute checklists. Afterwards, two independent researchers will then apply a preset data-extraction form to collect data. We will perform a narrative data analysis of the final sample of studies included for the review.

DISCUSSION

The proposed systematic review will provide the empirical evidence of the efficacy of interventions for improving the well-being of caregivers of children with physical disabilities. This is important given the great need for evidenced-based care and the greater need to improve the health and well-being of caregivers.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42016033975.

An evaluation of psychometric properties of caregiver burden outcome measures used in caregivers of children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review protocol

BACKGROUND

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common, life-long paediatric disability. Taking care of a child with CP often results in caregiver burden/strain in the long run. As caregivers play an essential role in the rehabilitation of these children, it is therefore important to routinely screen for health outcomes in informal caregivers. Consequently, a plethora of caregiver burden outcome measures have been developed; however, there is a dearth of evidence of the most psychometrically sound tools. Therefore, the broad objective of this systematic review is to evaluate the psychometrical properties and clinical utility of tools used to measure caregiver burden in caregivers of children with CP.

METHODS/DESIGN

This is a systematic review for the evaluation of the psychometric properties of caregiver burden outcome tools. Two independent and blinded reviewers will search articles on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsychINFO and Africa-Wide Google Scholar. Information will be analysed using predefined criteria. Thereafter, three independent reviewers will then screen the retrieved articles. The methodological quality of studies on the development and validation of the identified tools will be evaluated using the four point COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist. Finally, the psychometric properties of the tools which were developed and validated from methodological sound studies will then be analysed using predefined criteria.

DISCUSSION

The proposed systematic review will give an extensive review of the psychometrical properties of tools used to measure caregiver burden in caregivers of children with CP. We hope to identify tools that can be used to accurately screen for caregiver burden both in clinical setting and for research purposes.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42015028026.

Factors Associated with Quality of Life in Mothers of Children with Cerebral Palsy in Iran

Objective/Background

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) need more attention and care, especially from their mothers. This can affect the mothers’ quality of life (QOL) adversely. This study aimed to assess the QOL of Iranian mothers who have a child with CP, compared with mothers with a healthy child, focusing on some individual and social underlying factors.

Methods

Using a cluster-sampling approach, two groups of eligible mothers having children aged 4–12 years, with and without CP, from Tehran's randomly selected clinics, were chosen in a convenient way and enrolled in a cross-sectional study. A group of mothers with healthy children whose demographics closely matched with the group of mothers having children with CP were selected and recruited in the study. The group with mothers with children with CP was selected randomly from a convenience sample in 14 rehabilitation and occupational therapy clinics in Tehran, Iran. To collect data on characteristics of interest, mothers were interviewed, and the SF-36 Questionnaire was used to measure their QOL. The relationship between each characteristic and the mothers’ level of QOL was assessed, and the crude odds ratios (ORs) and adjusted ORs were measured by logistic regression.

Results

Sixty mothers with CP children, and 60 mothers with healthy children participated in this study. Their mean (±standard deviation) age was 33.79 (±6.02) years, and their children's mean age was 7.11 (±2.71). The two groups were significantly different in QOL mean score (57.35 ± 18.39 vs. 71.7 ± 13.58; p ≤ .001). It was shown that having a child with CP with intellectual disability is significantly related to a worse level of QOL of mothers (adjusted OR = 5.4, p ≤ .001), whereas having full-time jobs is reversely associated with it (adjusted OR = 0.2, p = .02).

Conclusion

Two important factors that lead to a worse QOL of mothers with a CP child are the unemployment of mothers and having a CP child with concurrent intellectual disabilities. To diminish the adverse effects of having a CP child on QOL of mothers, unemployed women who have a CP child with concurrent intellectual disabilities need more psychological support and help.

The occurrence of the cervical pain syndromes in parents of children with physical disability in the population of Poland

BACKGROUND

Pain in the cervical spine area is one of the main health problems of inhabitants of Western Europe. The necessity of parents' taking care of a child with physical disability is connected with parents' exposure to the factors affecting the risk of occurrence of pain in the cervical spine.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to analyze whether there are differences in the occurrence of cervical spine pain between the group of parents of children with physical disability and parents of children without a disability.

METHOD

The research included a group of parents of school-aged children with physical disability (n = 47) and a group of parents of children without disability (n = 69), aged between 29 and 60 years from the Silesian Voivodeship (Poland). The people taking part in the research were asked to complete two questionnaires: Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for the cervical spine and Neck Disability Index (NDI) questionnaire. Means, standard deviations, and ranges to compare scores across groups were calculated.

RESULTS

The mean VAS score among parents of children with physical disability was 4.22 (SD = 3.23) compared to 2.16 (SD = 2.31; p < .001) among parents of children without physical disability. Similarly, mean NDI scores were 19.6 (SD = 15.12) and 9.68 (SD = 8.84; p < .001), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The parents of children with physical disability are to a greater extent exposed to the occurrence of cervical spine pain. Therefore, suitable training as regards ergonomics, especially during lifting, transferring and transporting children might be beneficial to these parents.

Health and well-being in midlife parents of children with special health needs

The objectives of this study were to delineate variation in mental and physical health outcomes over a 10-year period among parents with a child with special health needs as compared to parents of a typically developing child; and evaluate the possible protective effects of parental perceived control and social support. The sample consisted of 646 parents from the longitudinal Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) study. Nearly one-quarter of the sample (n = 128; 22.3%) reported having a child with a special health care need. Cross-sectional analyses indicated that parents of a child with special care needs reported poorer self-rated mental health, greater depressive symptoms, and more restrictions in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Parents of a child with special health care needs had greater increases in depressive symptoms over time and greater declines in instrumental activities of daily living than parents of typically developing children. Perceived control was a robust predictor of all health outcomes over time. The added stressors of parenting a child with special health needs may undermine the long-term health of parents. Behavioral interventions and clinical practices that facilitate parental perceived control may enable resilience and better health.

Measuring exertion during caregiving of children and young adults with cerebral palsy who require assistance for mobility and self-care

Our purpose was to compare objective and subjective measures of energy exertion during caregiving tasks. Participants were primary caregivers (N = 19) of children and young adults (aged 3 -22 years) with cerebral palsy (CP) who require assistance for mobility and self-care (67% classified in level V on the Gross Motor Function Classification System). Measures of exertion were collected during two caregiving tasks: (1) transfers and (2) dressing. Objective measures included volume of oxygen (V02), heart rate (HR), and the subjective measure was a rating of perceived exertion (Borg RPE). Controlling for baseline status, perceived exertion correlated with VO2 (0.43, p < .01) and HR (0.29, p < .01) during the tasks. Caregivers with high baseline HR and VO2, had high Borg RPE scores following a task. Correlations were found between HR and VO2 during caregiving tasks (0.63, p < .01). Patterns of association with caregiver and child characteristics were similar for VO2 and Borg RPE. Subjective measures of exertion appear to capture the strain of caregiving. Understanding a caregiver's perception of exertion can guide therapists in assessing the need for equipment, pharmacological, or respite interventions.

Quality of life and mental health among parents of children with cerebral palsy: the influence of self-efficacy and coping strategies

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To explore the quality of life and mental health of caregivers of children with cerebral palsy and to examine the impact of self-efficacy and coping strategies on these outcomes.

BACKGROUND

Few studies analyse the impact of caring for a child with cerebral palsy on the caregivers' quality of life besides mental health. Also, less attention has been paid to the influence of caregiver's personal resources like self-efficacy or coping strategies on how they adjust to the child's illness and the care situation.

DESIGN

Cross-section correlational design.

METHODS

Sixty two parents of children with cerebral palsy completed measures to assess the quality of life (i.e. physical, environmental and social relationships), mental health (i.e. general mental health, depression and anxiety), self-efficacy and coping strategies.

RESULTS

Parents of children with cerebral palsy had, in general terms, low levels of quality of life and mental health. Self-efficacy was related to most of the outcomes, whereas any of the coping strategies assessed was significantly related to the outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Quality of life and mental health can be affected in caregivers of children with CP. Personal resources like self-efficacy also need attention as they can help in the understanding of the differences in these outcomes and the design of effective interventions. RELEVANCE OF CLINICAL PRACTICE: Self-efficacy should be a key element in interventions addressed to parents of children with CP to elicit a process of empowerment that can improve the well-being of the family as a whole.