DefinePK

Abstract

Background:   Psychological health of the primary caregivers has an impact on the outcome of the behaviour of the children with ADHD, CD and ODD. Parents and caregivers often faced conflict between family members, high irritability and poor self-efficacy.  The reviewed literature indicated that parent mediated intervention helps in balancing their wellbeing.
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the impact of life skill training on self –efficacy of the caregivers with behavioral disorder children.  
Methods: A randomized control trial was conducted in the year 2022 to 2023 at two tertiary care hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal.  Hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance. One hundred and twenty caregivers attending Child guidance clinic of psychiatric outpatient department of the tertiary care hospitals were recruited in a single blind randomized control trial and randomly allocated in experimental and control group. Life skill training (LST) administered to 60 caregivers in 4 sessions at an interval of two weeks along with standard mental health care. Each session consisted of 2 hours. Control group received the available standard mental health care services. The outcome variable is measured by translated and validated standardized general self –efficacy questionnaire at baseline, immediately, 1 months and 2 months after the completion of intervention respectively.
Result: Among the caregiver’s majority of them belonged to 31 – 40 years age group.  In experimental and control group, 36.65 and 35 percentages of them had secondary education respectively. Majority of them are female and home makers. 50 % of the children belongs to age group of 8-11 yrs in experimental group and 46.67 % of the control group belongs to 8-11 yrs age group. Majority of them diagnosed with ADHD. Mean self –efficacy of the experimental group is 23.01(±3.58) and control group is 22.9 (±5.24) at baseline. And significantly differ from control group at 0.001level of significance after intervention. The improvement of the caregivers self efficacy is sustained in consecutive measurement. So life skill training has positive impact on caregivers’ self- efficacy.
Conclusion: Family care givers of the children having behavioural disorder develops inadequate self-efficacy and has impact on their well being. They are in need of guidance and support from the health care providers. Proper education and training on life skill intervention can be the resource of increasing abilities to combat the demand of care giving among care givers and helps in prevention of diseases. Integration of life skill training as a comprehensive approach in multidisciplinary health care services is beneficial for the caregivers.