CORRELATION BETWEEN FAMILY CENTERED APPROACH AND MENTAL HEALTH OF PARENTS IN DOMICILIARY THERAPY

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Parents of children with developmental disabilities were at risk of poor mental health subsequently leads to unfavorable outcome in their children rehabilitation. Therefore, this study aims to rule out the association between family centered approach in domiciliary therapies and mental health in parents of children with developmental disabilities. METHODOLOGY A comparative analysis was conducted to determine the relation between family centered approach in domiciliary therapy sessions and parental stress. The data was collected through self-administered questionnaire, shared during the home visit to participants and mother. RESULTS A total number of 100 home-based therapists included in the study consisted of 79 females (78.8%) and 21 males (21.3%). Out of which only 48% of therapist were using family centered approach where the stress level among parents was low where as 52% were not inculcating family centered approach due to some constraints and had high level of stress and anxiety among the parents. Moreover, correlation among family centered approach in domiciliary therapy sessions and parental stress is found negatively correlated (i.e. -0.54). CONCLUSION It was concluded that home-based therapists perceived that parents of children with special needs has affected mental health however therapists strive to overcome these challenges by working on family-focused approaches, provide information and do regular meetings to help parents understand their child and found coping mechanisms to adjust with the disability.