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

Abstract

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.

Caregiver burden versus intensity of anxiety and depression symptoms in parents of children with cerebral palsy as well as factors potentially differentiating the level of burden: a cross-sectional study (Poland)

“…Due to the specificity of the Caregiver Burden Scale (CBS) as a research tool, caregiver burden was not assessed in the parents of healthy children. 12 …”

“…Such excessive care-related responsibilities may adversely affect the parents' physical and mental health, as well as their social, cultural and professional life. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] In the literature excessive caregiver burden is presented as a multidimensional problem, or a combination of objective and subjective characteristics. These include physical issues-mainly linked with the affected child's functional condition; mental aspects-connected with the parent's ability to cope with a stressful situation of managing a child with a disorder; social problems-reflected in the parent's relations with other people and financial difficulties-linked to the parent's discontinued employment, as well as costs of the child's treatment and rehabilitation.…”

“…Due to the specificity of the Caregiver Burden Scale (CBS) as a research tool, caregiver burden was not assessed in the parents of healthy children. 12 The study involved 190 parents of children with CP, that is, 138 women and 52 men, and was conducted from May 2013 to June 2016. The participants were recruited among families of children receiving specialist services in regional rehabilitation centres.…”

Relationships among parenting stress, health‐promoting behaviors, and health‐related quality of life in Korean mothers of children with cerebral palsy

“…For example, comparative research between Canadian parents who do or do not care for a child with CP found that caregiving was associated with more chronic conditions, including back problems, migraines/headaches, and stomach/intestinal ulcers (Brehaut et al, 2004). Other researchers have suggested that parents who care for a child with CP experiences significantly more psychological problems, such as increased stress and depression, than parents of typically developing children (Butcher et al, 2008; Gugała et al, 2019).…”

Análise Da Sarcopenia, Fragilidade E Desempenho Funcional De Indivíduos Com Dor Crônica

“…de participação em eventos sociais, falta de apoio do cônjuge e da família, estresse, dificuldades de conciliar o trabalho fora de casa e sobrecarga financeira relacionada aos gastos com medicamentos, transporte e equipamentos, porém, além somente dos sentimentos negativos, algumas mães relataram também uma maior capacidade de aceitação referente ao diagnóstico. Já em relação as barreiras encontradas, foram comuns as queixas relacionadas a carência de acessibilidade para pessoas com deficiências, principalmente a falta de transportes e locais públicos acessíveis e inclusivos.Ao comparar os níveis de sobrecarga e depressão em pais de crianças com PC e pais de crianças saudáveis,Gugala et al (2019) verificaram que esses níveis foram significativamente maiores no grupo de pais de crianças com PC. Os preditores de ansiedade QV dos cuidadores, sugerindo possíveis ações de atenção voltadas para essa população, porém, ainda há poucos estudos que retratem sobre essas ações.…”