The psychological impact of pediatric movement disorders on families: brief report

Pediatric movement disorders impose substantial physical, emotional, and psychological stress on affected children and their families. Despite growing recognition of caregiver strain in chronic pediatric conditions, the unique burdens of movement disorders remain underexplored. To our knowledge, no prior study has comprehensively examined these impacts psychologically on families.

To evaluate the psychological impact of pediatric movement disorders on caregivers and families and highlight evidence-based coping strategies and systemic support mechanisms.

A narrative review was conducted using PubMed and Scopus databases up to January 2026, focusing on studies addressing caregiver burden, family impact, and coping in pediatric movement disorders and similar chronic conditions.

Caregivers commonly experience chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and physical health strain. Supportive factors-such as peer networks, multidisciplinary care, psychological counseling, and community integration-help mitigate these negative effects. Findings also highlight the influence of sociocultural and religious contexts in the Gulf region on caregiving experiences and coping patterns, underscoring the need for tailored, family-centered assessment approaches. A family-centered questionnaire designed to capture movement type-specific challenges and caregiver experiences is currently under development, with formal psychometric validation planned in future studies.