Abstract
Objectives: Many parents of children with developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit disorders, experience poor well-being and increased anxiety and depression. Very few interventions directly target parents’ needs. The peer-delivered HOPE Programme was designed to address this with six weekly group sessions focusing on self-management skills, including goal setting and expressing gratitude. Methods: This pre-post study aimed to examine changes in anxiety, depression, well-being, hope and gratitude, and to explore associations between changes in anxiety and depression and changes in gratitude and hope. Validated measures of depression, anxiety, positive well-being, gratitude and hope were used. Parents of children with a range of developmental disabilities, most commonly autism spectrum disorders, were recruited. Results: Of 137 (86.9% female) recruited, 108 parents completed the course and post-course data. Parents’ depression, anxiety, well-being, gratitude and hope all significantly improved between baseline and post-course. Hope and gratitude correlated significantly with depression, anxiety and well-being. Baseline depression, baseline gratitude, post-course hope and gratitude explained 50% of the variance in post-course depression. Reduced work hours, and baseline and post-course hope and gratitude explained 40% of the variance in post-course well-being. Anxiety was not associated to hope nor gratitude at either time point. Conclusions: This study provides initial support for feasibility and potential effect of the peer delivered self-management intervention on parental anxiety and depression. Changes in gratitude and hope account for some change in depression, but not anxiety. A randomised controlled trial is needed to establish efficacy and explore mechanisms of change in-depth.
DOI
10.1007/s10826-018-01308-1
Publication Date
2019-04-01
Publication Title
Journal of Child and Family Studies
Volume
28
Issue
4
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
ISSN
1573-2843
Embargo Period
2024-11-19
First Page
980
Last Page
992
Recommended Citation
Martin, F., Clyne, W., Pearce, G., & Turner, A. (2019) 'Self-Management Support Intervention for Parents of Children with Developmental Disorders: The Role of Gratitude and Hope', Journal of Child and Family Studies, 28(4), pp. 980-992. Springer Science and Business Media LLC: Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-018-01308-1
