Psychological and Social Challenges Parents of Children With Strabismus Face in Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Strabismus or squint is when one eye is misaligned or looking in a different direction. Some people consider strabismus as a cosmetic problem, causing patients in this condition to be mishandled, especially children, which might affect their vision and their quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the psychological and social challenges faced by parents of children with strabismus during the years 2020-2021. Subjects and methodsThis is a cross-sectional study conducted among parents who have children with strabismus onset from birth till the age of 16 years. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among parents during their visits to the vision eye specialist center. The questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics of patients with strabismus and a 12-item questionnaire to measure the psychological impact on the parents of children with strabismus. ResultsOut of the 105 respondents, 65.7% were fathers, and 55.2% had children aged six years old or less. The most prominent strabismus type was esotropia (where the eye turns inward; 38.1%), while the most common nature of strabismus was intermittent (76.2%). The mean total score of psychological impact was 36.2 (SD=8.15) out of 60 points, with 62.9% considered as having an average psychological impact. Moreover, 77.1% of the respondents believed that strabismus could be treated and improved. ConclusionThere was a moderate psychosocial challenge among parents of children with strabismus. Out of all the subjects, mothers who had prior visits to government hospitals were noticed to be greatly affected psychologically as compared to other subjects.

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“…Children hold a special place in the hearts of their parents, so witnessing their child in distress can have a profound emotional impact on the parent. Althiabi et al [32] found that mothers of children with strabismus experienced higher levels of psychological impact compared to fathers. In Taiwanese society, mothers may require additional support, as they often bear the primary responsibility for child healthcare and medical assistance, in uenced by traditional gender roles [33].…”