Abstract:

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of functional levels and extremity distributions of children with Cerebral Palsy on parental stress levels. Material and Methods: The study included 73 children with spastic cerebral palsy between the ages of 4-12 years and their parents. Gross Motor Classification System, Hand Skills Classification System, Communication Skills Classification System were used to evaluate children. The clinical features and accompanying problems of children were taken from the hospital files. IQs were evaluated according to International Classification of Diseas-10. Parents' Stress Index Short Form was applied to the parents. Results: A significant difference was found between the stress level of the mothers and the child's extremity distribution, functional evaluation results and age of mothers (p˂0.05). A significant difference was found between the level of stress between mothers and fathers (p˂0.05). No significant difference was found depending on education level, caregiver support and marital status (p> 0.05). Conclusions: Parenting stress levels of mothers with children with spastic cerebral palsy are affected by the functional levels of the children and the extremity distributions. Since the success of rehabilitation is based on a successful partnership with families, it is important to draw attention to parental stress in the rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy.

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