Effect of an Empowerment Program on Self-Efficacy of Epileptic Child's Mothers in Psychological Adaptation, Gaining Support and Receiving Information

Aims: Epilepsy is one of the most prevalent childhood neurological disorders. As the primary caregivers, the mothers of epileptic children undergo different psychological pressures. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of empowerment on the self-efficacy of the mothers of the epileptic children, concerning psychological adaptation, gaining support, and receiving information.
In the controlled two-group random clinical trial with pretest and posttest steps, 100 mothers of epileptic children hospitalized in the Neurology Ward of Ghaem Hospital of Mashhad were studied in 2014. The subjects, selected via convenience sampling method, were randomly divided into two groups including experimental (n=50) and control (n=50) groups. Data was collected using the caregiver’s self-efficacy questionnaire. Only experimental group received the empowerment program, and no intervention was conducted in control group. The mothers’ self-efficacy was measured before and after the intervention in both groups. Data was analyzed by SPSS 11.5 software using independent T, paired T, Chi-square, Fisher’s exact, and covariance tests.
Findings: The mean scores of self-efficacy, including psychological adjustment, gain a support, and receiving information, were not significantly different between the groups before the intervention (p>0.05). Nevertheless, the groups were significantly different after the intervention (p The empowerment program enhances the self-efficacy of the mothers of the epileptic children in psychological adjustment, gain a support, and receiving information.