Clinical Trial: Effectiveness of a Training Intervention on Mental Health of Parents for Intellectually Disabled Children in Malawi

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: A Mixed Methods Study to Design and Test Effectiveness of a Psycho-social Training Intervention on Psychological Health of Parents for Intellectually Disabled Children in Malawi

Brief Summary:

Background: It is asserted that 85% of disabled children live in resource poor countries with few available disability services. Measurements have shown an increase in disability prevalence from 2% to 4% over the past three decades in Malawi. A recent prevalence study in Mzuzu city, found 19.7% disability prevalence with associated social and psychological burden of care; marriage disruptions and divorces among parents of disabled children due to stigma and cultural misconceptions about disability.

Studies have shown a link between parenting children with intellectual disabilities and parental psychological health problems and overall Quality of life. However, with interventions, these negative impacts are not as severe as once thought.

Research Objectives: This study aims to design a Malawi specific Psychosocial Training Intervention for parents with intellectually disabled children and assess the impact of the Intervention in reducing psychological distress among these parents in Malawi.

Methodology: This study will use mixed methods design. It will employ an explanatory sequential design, where by qualitative data collection and analysis builds to quantitative data collection and analysis; and final interpretation.

The study will be conducted within catchment areas of two disability organisations that are operating in Mzuzu and Lilongwe.

On sample size for the quantitative part, calculation using 5% level of statistical significance, power of 90% and effect size of 0.4 [effect size found in recent meta-analysis for similar intervention, gives 81 participants in each arm of the intervention. Questionnaire with social-demographic data in section one; and "Self-Reported

Detailed Summary:

Background Information and Introduction:

It is argued that 85% of children with disability live in resource poor countries where there are few available disability services. A majority of these children, including their carers, suffer the double burden of disability and its associated stigmatization, leading to a marginalized life.

There has been an increase in disability prevalence in Malawi over the past three decades A 1983 National Statistical Office Survey of Handicapped Persons in Malawi, using head count and snowball sampling placed the rate of disability in the population at 2.9% and 10 years later it was estimated at 2%. However in a recent prevalence study in Mzuzu city, it was found that 154 out of the 780 children sampled (aged 0-18 years) have at least some kind of disability according to the Ten Question Questionnaire (a screening tool for disability in low income settings comprising five questions on cognitive development; two questions on motor development; and one question each regarding vision, hearing and seizures), representing 19.7% prevalence. The low prevalence in the earlier surveys may not have addressed multiple disabilities unlike in this study where a variety of disabilities including physical, intellectual and self-care were studied. In Mzuzu a significant burden of care was found among guardians of these children. Much of this related to stigma and cultural misconceptions about disability and its causes. Physical, social and psychological burdens were reported leading to children being locked up for fear of carrying heavy weight on the back as well as stigma; marriage disruptions and divorces between carers ; and general distress as a result of having a disabled child.

It is also clear therefore that in addition to the high burden of disease fr
Sponsor: St John of God, Malawi

Current Primary Outcome: Psychological distress (Self reported Questionnaire {SRQ}) [ Time Frame: 1 year ]

Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome:

Original Secondary Outcome:

Information By: St John of God, Malawi

Dates:
Date Received: May 17, 2016
Date Started: December 2014
Date Completion:
Last Updated: July 6, 2016
Last Verified: July 2016