The effect of implementing self-management plan on selfconcept of family caregivers of multiple sclerosis patients

Abstract

Background and aims: Caring for patients with multiple sclerosis causes family caregivers many problems and challenges. Self-management interventions can facilitate the caring process and increase the quality of patient care. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a self-management program on Self-concept of the family caregivers of multiple sclerosis patients. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2018 at the MS Treatment Center of Shahrekord. The samples were selected through convenience sampling method. First, participants were assigned to two groups of men and women by stratified random sampling, and then men and women were assigned randomly to intervention (n=35) and control (n=35) groups. For the intervention group, the selfmanagement program was implemented twice a week in 8 sessions. Data collection was performed using the Coopersmith self-concept Inventory in two groups before, immediately after, and three months after the intervention. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 16.0. Results: The mean scores of self-concept in the intervention and control groups before the intervention were 72.6±9.1 and 72±10.6, respectively. There was no significant difference between the mean score of self-concept between the intervention and control groups before the intervention (P>0.05). The mean scores of self-concept immediately after the intervention in the two groups were 86.4±9.2 and 73±10.6, and three months after the intervention, they were 103±7.4 and 73.9±10.5, respectively. A significant increase in the scores of self-concept in the intervention group (P<0.001) was observed. Moreover, the independent t test showed a significant difference in the two groups immediately after and three months after the intervention (P<0.001). Conclusion: Self-management program increased the self-concept of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients’ caregivers. Therefore, selfmanagement can play a critical role in improving the quality of life of family caregivers and coping with the physical and psychological stress related to their caring role.

Development and pilot testing of an occupational therapy intervention program based on Occupational Adaptation Model for caregivers of people with multiple sclerosis

“…In the second step after reviewing the sources, 10 articles were included in the study (Banitalebi et al, 2020;Dalvi-Isfahani et al, 2020;Finlayson et al, 2009;Jafari et al,2020;Masoodi et al, 2011Masoodi et al, , 2013Mohseni Takalu et al, 2017;Pahlavanzadeh et al, 2015;Rakhshan et al, 2018;Tompkins et al, 2013) and their intervention program methodologies were extracted. These programs were reviewed in terms of structure, content, theoretical basis or model used, outcomes, relevance to key occupational therapy concepts-especially the OAM-and were matched with the caregivers' occupational challenges in Step 1.…”

“…The focus of the interventions performed (outside the scope of occupational therapy) in caregivers of people with MS (Banitalebi et al, 2020;Jafari et al, 2020;Masoodi et al, 2013Masoodi et al, , 2011Pahlavanzadeh et al, 2015;Rakhshan et al, 2018) has pertained solely to the general health status of caregivers, whereas the processes of adaptation and the performance of caregivers in their daily occupations have not yet been studied. Evidence suggests that occupational therapists have had a limited focus on the occupational nature of caregivers' interventions for caregivers of people with MS (Finlayson et al, 2009).…”

The Lived Experiences of Parents of Young Women With Multiple Sclerosis in Iran

“…Consistent with the present research, Johnson et al (2019) stated that when, as sometimes happens, a positive cystic fibrosis screening result in infants is accompanied by an inconclusive diagnosis, the uncertainty and lack of clear information from health care professionals had an ongoing negative psychological impact on parents. Banitalebi et al (2020) also found that family caregivers of MS patients are severely stressed.…”

Conceptual Analysis of Self-Management in Patients with Hypertension

“…Also, self-management programs improve caregivers' self-concept, change their attitudes and behaviors toward symptoms, and reduce stress. Some studies consider self-management as a broad term that includes therapeutic adjustment, symptom management, and self-motivation [11] , enhancing caregivers' motivation to change caregiving behaviors, improving patients' quality of life, and promoting patients' health [20] . By searching the above definition of self-management, it can be defined as a dynamic and active process that includes selfefficacy, self-monitoring, self-regulation, active communication with healthcare providers, and active access to social support to help patients receive better healthcare interventions and manage their illness.…”

“…Thirdly, self-management is more likely to help patients lower their blood pressure than the standard model of care in healthcare facilities and is widely used in clinical practice [9] . Fourthly, in addition to having a positive impact on patients, self-management improves the self-concept of caregivers with illness, improves the quality of life of family caregivers, and reduces physical and mental stress [20] .…”