Mental Health and Health Behaviour Changes for Mothers of Children with a Disability: Effectiveness of a Health and Wellbeing Workshop.
Helen M Bourke-Taylor, Kahli S Joyce, Sarah Grzegorczyn and 1 others
PMID 33728495WHAT IT FOUND
Mothers of children with disabilities reported lower depression, anxiety, and stress scores six weeks after attending a one-day workshop.
They also felt more empowered and reported better wellbeing for themselves and their children, though no changes were seen in family cohesion or community access.
Key findings
01Depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms significantly decreased from pre-workshop to six weeks post-workshop.
02Mothers reported significant improvements in personal wellbeing, health-promoting activities, and empowerment regarding family and services.
03There were no significant changes in family cohesion, child challenging behaviour, or perceptions of community accessibility.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study had no control group, so it is impossible to know if the improvements were due to the workshop, natural fluctuations in mood, or other factors. Attrition was high: 182 mothers participated in the pre-survey, but only 71 completed the post-survey, which may introduce bias if those who dropped out had different outcomes. The follow-up period was short (six weeks), so it is unclear if the benefits lasted longer. The sample was highly educated and predominantly comprised mothers of children with autism, which may limit generalisability to other groups.
Declared interests
The workshops were funded by an Australian Government grant (National Disability Insurance Agency). The first author, an Occupational Therapist, facilitated the workshops.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the workshop caused the improvements. Without a control group, the observed changes in mental health and wellbeing could be due to regression to the mean, natural recovery, or other life events rather than the intervention itself.