Medical College of Rzeszów University, 35-959 Rzeszow, Poland.
Center for Innovative Research in Medical and Natural Sciences, University of Rzeszów, 35-959 Rzeszow, Poland.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Oct 29;16(21):4173. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16214173.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
照顾脑瘫(CP)患儿的父母可能会对其身心健康产生不良影响。导致与育儿相关的焦虑和抑郁症状的原因仍不完全清楚。
评估脑瘫患儿父母与对照组相比的焦虑和抑郁症状强度,并确定选择的心理健康预测因素。
从 301 名受访者中收集数据,包括 190 名脑瘫患儿的父母(研究组)和 111 名照顾正常发育儿童的父母(对照组)。使用医院焦虑和抑郁量表(HADS)评估焦虑和抑郁强度。使用脑瘫粗大运动功能分类系统(GMFCS)、心理韧性量表(SOC-29)、柏林支持社会量表(BSSS)和专门设计的问卷评估预测因素。研究变量包括儿童和父母的特征以及环境因素。分析应用 Spearman 等级相关系数、M(SD)和多元回归。
脑瘫患儿父母的焦虑和抑郁水平明显更高——研究组和对照组的焦虑和抑郁平均水平分别为 8.1 比 4.7 和 6.8 比 3.7。与脑瘫患儿父母焦虑和抑郁强度相关的因素包括社会支持不足,主要是感知和获得的支持、父母健康状况不佳、家庭经济状况较差以及生活条件困难、心理韧性、孤独感、父母性别和孩子的智力残疾。
识别出显著的焦虑和抑郁预测因素,理解为可改变的因素,应在确定和规划脑瘫儿童及其主要父母照顾者的综合支持时加以考虑。