Managing Stress Levels of Parents of Children with Developmental Disabilities: A Meta‐Analytic Review of Interventions

Abstract

Parents of children diagnosed with disabilities often experience elevated levels of stress compared to those parenting children without disabilities (Baker‐Ericzén, Brookman‐Frazee, & Stahmer, 2005; Tomanik, Harris, & Hawkins, 2004). This increase in stress can have a negative impact on parent well‐being (Trute & Hiebert‐Murphy, 2002) resulting in a stress‐induced dysregulation of the immune system. In their article in this issue, Gouin, da Estrela, Desmarais, and Baker found that increased levels of social support served as protection against this dysregulation. In the current study, we examined the nature and beneficial components of formal support services targeted at reducing the stress levels of parental caregivers of children with developmental disabilities. With this meta‐analytic review we attempt to examine the efficacy of these interventions and potential moderators to their effects by reviewing comparison group studies conducted in North America with parent stress interventions and stress outcome measures. Six studies were identified that met this review's criteria, reporting an overall effect of d = 0.51. In sum, stress management interventions were found to effectively reduce the reported stress of parents caring for children with developmental disabilities. A significant issue identified was the limited number of comparison group studies that examined stress management interventions for this population. Implications of these findings and need for further exploration are discussed.

Psychological interventions in reducing stress, depression and anxiety among parents of children and adolescents with developmental disabilities: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…The meta‐analysis of 11 studies revealed a small significant effect, favouring psychological interventions in reducing parental stress at postintervention. This finding was consistent with a previous review comprising six quasi‐experimental studies (Lindo, Kliemann, Combes, & Frank, ), which evaluated the effects of stress management interventions and other psychological interventions on stress faced by parents of children with developmental disabilities. The interventions were found to have positive effects on parental stress.…”

Cascading Resilience: Leverage Points in Promoting Parent and Child Well‐Being

“…Children in the intervention groups had higher attachment to caregivers, improved behavior, and more typical neurobiological responses to stress than did control groups (Fisher, Gunnar, Dozier, Bruce, & Pears, ). Other prevention research on behavioral parent‐training programs found parental reductions of stress among those caring for children with developmental disabilities (Lindo, Kliemann, Combes, & Frank, ). These studies suggest that the positive effects of parenting interventions may spill over to the biological systems of individuals (Ha & Granger, ).…”

The Likely Impact of Congenital Zika Syndrome on Families: Considerations for Family Supports and Services

“…Recent reviews make it clear that stress is a pervasive problem for almost all families of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 27,28 Families of children with medical complexity, such as is the case of children with classic CZS, are at even greater risk for extreme levels of stress and caregiving burdens. 10 The cumulative effect of these and other factors creates elevated risk for a variety of adverse mental health outcomes for families (anxiety, depression, stress, anger, and fatigue), all of which can affect parents' emotional well-being and ultimately have a debilitating effect on hope, optimism, physical health, and quality of life.…”

“…4,9 As such, the primary focus of these interventions is on reducing parent stress and enhancing quality of life. Major approaches include attempts to strengthen informal support networks, parent support groups, counseling to reduce marital strain, coping and stress management skills, and mindfulness training, 28,41 all of which have been demonstrated to have positive effects for some parents under some circumstances.…”