Psychological characteristics of parents accompanying their children during inpatient neurorehabilitation

Introduction: one of the basic indicators of the effectiveness of rehabilitation measures in children with neurological disorders is the psychological state of their parents, but it remains insuffciently studied in dozens of neurorehabilitation programs.

Study Objective: to conduct a comprehensive psychodiagnostic analysis of anxiety, nosognostic patterns, and parenting competencies in parents of children undergoing neurorehabilitation.

Materials and Methods. The study involved 59 mothers with children aged three months to six years. Standardized, validated, and psychometric instruments were used: Anxiety Scale, the Method for Assessing Attitudes Toward a Child’s Illness, and the Mindful Parenting Test. Additional sociopsychological characteristics were also examined: the child’s disability, the number of children in the family, region of residence, and offcial marital status. The statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and a correlation analysis of the relationships between sociodemographic and psychological indicators.

Results. 42% of families were raising children with disabilities, 33% were large families, and 28% lived in small towns and villages in the region. 76% of mothers were offcially married. The proportion of mothers without the above-mentioned characteristics was 16%. Hyperanxiety was identified in 49% of mothers, nosognostic disorders in 63%, and impaired parenting skills in 23%. The predominant pathological patterns were unruly behavior 40% and poor parenting skills 10%.

Conclusion. Parents of children requiring neurorehabilitation demonstrate a high prevalence of psychoemotional disorders and dysfunctional coping strategies, which justifies the need to include psychological support in rehabilitation protocols.

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