The Effect of Family-Centered Empowerment Model on Anxiety of Mothers of Children with Cancer

Cancer is one of the leading causes of child mortality in the world. Advances in the treatment of the disease have led caregivers to focus on other issues, including efforts to reduce the anxiety of mothers of children with cancer. Paying attention to family-centered care can be effective in achieving these goals. Therefore, the present study was designed to determine the effect of family-centered empowerment model on the anxiety of mothers of children with cancer.

The present study was a quasi-experimental study with pre-post design and a control group. The study was performed in Besat Hospital in Hamadan. Sixty mothers of children with cancer were randomly divided into two groups: control (n=30) and experimental (n=30). At the beginning of the study, the Spielberger Anxiety Inventory was completed by the samples and then in the experimental group, 5 sessions of family-centered empowerment model were performed by the researcher. After 5 weeks, data were collected from two groups and analyzed by SPSS-25 software.

There was no significant difference between the mean scores of state and trait anxiety in the control group before and after the intervention, while after the intervention, the mean score of state and trait anxiety in the experimental group decreased significantly (p<0.05). Also, the mean score of general anxiety before and after the intervention was significantly different in the experimental group (p<0.05).

According to the results of the present study, the family-centered empowerment model can be an important step in improving the anxiety of mothers of children with cancer; therefore, due to the low cost, safety and effectiveness of the family-centered empowerment model, it is suggested to use this model on other variables of nursing care.