DefinePK

Research Objective

To assess the effectiveness of an integrated home-based psychological intervention in managing psychological problems among individuals living with physical disabilities.

Methodology

A total of 60 participants with physical disabilities were enrolled from a Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) program. Participants received comprehensive rehabilitation services (physical and occupational therapy) integrated with a structured home-based psychological intervention based on Problem Management Plus (PM+) principles. The study duration was 5 months, including follow-up sessions. Data was collected using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), WHO Disability Assessment Scale (WHODAS 2.0), and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) at baseline, post-intervention, and at a 3-month follow-up. Repeated measures ANOVA was used for data analysis.

Methodology Flowchart

                        graph TD
    A[Participant Recruitment N=60] --> B[Baseline Assessment: GHQ-12, WHODAS 2.0, DASS-21]
    B --> C[Integrated Intervention Delivery5 sessions/week for 5 months]
    C --> D[Post-Intervention Assessment]
    D --> E[3-Month Follow-up Assessment]
    E --> F[Data Analysis Repeated Measures ANOVA]
    F --> G[Conclusion on Intervention Effectiveness]                    

Discussion

The study supports the efficacy of integrated home-based psychological interventions for individuals with physical disabilities, addressing the challenges of limited access to psychological support and mobility issues in Pakistan. The PM+ intervention, tailored to individual needs, demonstrated effectiveness in improving functioning and emotional well-being, aligning with WHO recommendations for low-resource settings. The intervention also enhanced sociability and community engagement.

Key Findings

The integrated home-based psychological intervention led to significant improvements from pre-treatment to post-treatment in psychosocial disabilities, emotional problems, depression, anxiety, and stress. Specifically, the main effects for these measures were statistically significant (p<.001). Improvements were sustained at the 3-month follow-up.

Conclusion

The integration of a home-based psychological intervention with rehabilitation services is an effective approach for individuals living with physical disabilities, significantly reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety and improving community integration.

Fact Check

1. Participant Count: The study enrolled a total of 60 participants. (Confirmed in Abstract and Method section).
2. Intervention Duration: The study duration was 5 months, including follow-up sessions. (Confirmed in Abstract and Method section).
3. Statistical Significance: The main effects for psychosocial disabilities, emotional problems, depression, anxiety, and stress were reported as significant with p<.001. (Confirmed in Abstract and Results section).

Mind Map