RESEARCH REPORT POSTER DISPLAY

PSYCHOSOCIAL IMPACT OF CHILDHOOD DISABILITY ON FAMILIES OF CHILDREN 0–6 YEARS. Ajagbe O; Brothers of Charity Disability Services, Cork City, Republic of Ireland

PURPOSE: This study seek to examine the Psychosocial Impact of childhood disability on families with children 0-6years. RELEVANCE: The result of this study would assist service providers and policy makers to help families to overcome the difficulty encountered in relation to the birth and care of a child with disability. PARTICIPANTS: Participants involve families (n=68) who have at least a child with intellectual disability whose age range is between 0-6 years. METHODS: A standardised questionnaire ‘Impact of illness on families (Adapted version) developed by Stein and Jessop,(2003)’ was used to determine the Psychosocial Impacts of child’s disability on families. The quality of life of family was measured by ‘The Beach Family Quality of life Scale’. ANALYSIS: The data were subjected to both quantitative and qualitative statistical analysis. The quantitative analysis involves the use of simple descriptive and inferential analysis using Microsoft Excell, 2000 and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to calculate the means, Standard deviation with ANOVA to calculate the level of significance and non significance. The qualitative component was analysed by identifying commom themes in relation to Resources and competencies available for family, the other impact the child’s disability has on family and the form of help needed by family. RESULTS: The result shows no significant difference in the mean scores of the Psychosocial Impact of child’s disability on families in relation to Severity of disability across group for Total Impact, Social Relation, Coping and Finance,(p > 0.05, df 2, 65), however there is a significant difference in the means score for General Impact domain (p < 0.05).In relation to the quality of life of family, the result show no significant difference between the quality of life of Parents in relation to Severity of disability (p > 0.05).Concerning the resources and competencies available for family, the master theme that emerged is Multidisciplinary intervention, Respite care and intervention of social worker. The other theme is that they got help in local pre-school and help with entitlements. In relation to the other Impact the child’s disability has on family, the theme that emerged is that the care of child with disability creates emotional, social, financial and psychological problems.Another theme is that the care of child with disability is stressful,and affects the overall day to day planning of families.Regarding the expected help by families the main theme identified is that family needed home support, involvement of social worker and support group. The other theme is that family needed an improved service and better intervention. CONCLUSIONS: There is no significant difference in both the Psychosocial impact of childhood disabity and quality of life of families in relation to severity of disability. IMPLICATIONS: Service providers and Policy makers are now called to assist family in alleviating the difficulty encountered by family in relation to the care of their child with disability. KEYWORDS: Psychosocial, Disability, Child and Family. FUNDING ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Nil. CONTACT: rotimi04@yahoo.co.uk

ETHICS COMMITTEE: Management of Brothers of Charity services (St. Gabriel’s School)