Factors Affecting the Level of Stress Felt by Mothers Caring for Cerebral Palsy Children at Home

뇌성마비 아동의 가정치료에 있어서 어머니의 스트레스에 영향을 미치는 요인

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors affecting on the home treatment stress in the CP (cerebral palsy) children's mothers. Direct interviews were conducted from March 17 with April 4, 2003 with 97 mothers of CP children. The average level of stress from home treatment felt by mothers with CP children was $16.97{\pm}4.04$. Stress-levels were especially high in mothers who were not satisfied with the treatment outcome (p<.05) and whose acceptance of disability was low (p<.01). Stress felt by mothers was low when their health status was high (p<.05). A physical burden was shown to have a significant correlation with the stress of the mothers during the home treatment (p<.01). Mothers with a child of Level 2 disability had lower levels of stress than those with a child of Level 4 or 5 disability (p<.01). The level of stress was higher in mothers who lagged in acquiring technical sufficiency (p<.05). Multiple regression analysis showed that one factor affecting the stress felt by mothers with CP children was the degree of acceptance of the disability (p<.01). Programs that can reduce the stress levels of mothers with CP children through home treatment and secure social systems such as professional help and economic compensation, need to be developed. Active policies should be established and executed for these mothers since stress felt by mothers significantly affects the consistency and effectiveness of treatment provided at home.