Effectiveness of family centered psychosocial intervention programme for primary caregivers of the children with cerebral palsy

Abstract

Cerebral palsy is one of the multiple disabilities affecting 2 to 2.5 per thousand new born babies in India. It usually affects both individual and families. Though care giving is a normal part of being the parent of a child, caring a child with special needs takes on an entirely different life perspective when a child with disabilities, and especially one with multiple disabilities like cerebral palsy which have an effect on long-term dependence. The task of rearing and caring for a child with complex disabilities like cerebral palsy at home might be a great challenge for parents. The aim of the study is to determine the effectiveness of family centered psychosocial intervention programe for the primary caregivers of children with cerebral palsy. Objectives are to assess anxiety, stress, family burden and perceived social support, and to determine the newlineeffectiveness of family centered psycho social intervention programme on primary caregivers of the children with cerebral palsy. The study followed before and after research experimental research design without control group. The sample of this study consisted of thirty five mothers of the children with cerebral palsy. The heterogeneous socio demographic background was drawn for the present study. The results revealed that extent of psycho social problem was present in the domains of anxiety, stress, family burden and perceived social support among mothers. It also revealed newlinethat the extent of psycho social problems was significantly reduced in the domains of newlineanxiety, stress and family burden and increased perceived social support after family centered psycho social intervention programme. It is indicated that the family centered viji psychosocial intervention is effective in psychosocial domains of the primary caregivers of the children with cerebral palsy. newline