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Evaluation of a weekend group for parents of children with diabetes
T M Marteau1, C Gillespie, P G Swift
1Psychology Unit, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, London, UK.
Insights
A weekend program for parents of children with diabetes significantly boosted their confidence in managing the illness. This short-term intervention proved efficient for enhancing parental coping skills with childhood chronic illness.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Psychology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Parental support is crucial for managing childhood chronic illnesses like diabetes.
- Effective coping strategies are essential for parents to navigate the challenges of pediatric diabetes care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of a weekend group intervention for parents of children with diabetes.
- To evaluate changes in parental confidence and perceived difficulty in managing pediatric diabetes.
Main Methods:
- A weekend group intervention was conducted for 97 parents of 85 children with diabetes.
- Parental confidence and perceived difficulty were measured before, immediately after, and 3 months post-intervention.
Main Results:
- Parents reported significantly increased confidence in managing their child's diabetes immediately after the weekend.
- Confidence levels further increased at the 3-month follow-up, while perceived difficulty remained unchanged.
- Most parents implemented changes in daily management or coping strategies.
Conclusions:
- Short-term group interventions are efficient for enhancing parental confidence in managing childhood chronic illnesses.
- Targeted educational programs can empower parents, improving their ability to cope with pediatric diabetes.
Abstract:
A weekend group was organized for parents of children with diabetes with the aim of teaching them an approach to identifying and tackling common problems. A total of 97 parents of 85 children participated. The effectiveness of the weekend was evaluated and measures were taken before, immediately following and 3 months afterwards. Parents rated themselves significantly more confident in looking after their child immediately following the weekend. although ratings of perceived difficulty in managing the child's diabetes did not alter. Three months later parents' confidence had further increased, although as before perceived difficulty was unchanged. The majority of parents reported making at least some changes either in daily management or other aspects of coping with their child's diabetes. Participation in such short-term groups represents an efficient approach to increasing the confidence of parents of children with a chronic illness.