Psychosocial Burden and its Relationship to Quality of Life for Cerebral Palsy Children: A Mothers Feedback

Objectives: To investigate the psychosocial burden among mothers and its relationship to quality of life for cerebral palsy children in Babylon Province/ Iraq. Methods: A descriptive correlational study was conducted on a sample of 150 mothers who had child with cerebral palsy. A non-probability sampling strategy was used to choose a purposive sample of 150 mothers. According to the Babel Health Directorate, this sample was given to two hospitals, including (Imam AL-Sadiq Hospital and Babylon Rehabilitation Centre).  The reliability of the questionnaire was achieved through a pilot study and then presented to experts to prove its validity. The total number of items included in the questionnaire was 20-items. The data was collected by using the semi-structured interview and analyzed by the application of descriptive and inferential statistical data analysis approach. Results: According to the findings, (49.3%) of mothers experienced a high level of psychological burden, (68.7%) experienced a high level of social burden, and (92%) of mothers experienced a low quality of life for their cerebral palsy children. The quality of life for cerebral palsy children was significantly correlated (reverse) with psychosocial burden mothers (r=-0.142; p=0.012). Discussion: Mothers expressed a high level of psychological burden as being a risk for psychiatric morbidity Because of the burden of care, which leads to a relative reduction or induction of parents' demands, mothers' psychosocial burdens have been found to be highly connected with their children's quality of life. More research is needed to assess the requirements and concerns of families with children who have CP.