• Fatih Yığman, Zeynep Aykın Yığman, and Ece Ünlü Akyüz.
• Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Research and Training Hospital, Psychiatry Clinic, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey. dr.yigman@gmail.com.
• Ir J Med Sci. 2020 Nov 1; 189 (4): 1413-1419.

PurposeThe aim of this study was to investigate the relation between the physical problems of children with CP and caregiving burden and the emotional expression characteristics of caregivers.MethodsThe study included 144 caregivers of child with cerebral palsy and Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) and Expressed Emotion Scale (EES) will be applied to the caregivers who will participate in the study. Disease severity of children with cerebral palsy will be evaluated by the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) in children with cerebral palsy. Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) will be used to examine the communication of children with their families.ResultsAccordingly, a positive, statistically significant, moderate correlation was found between the GMFCS, MACS, and CFCS scores and ZBI scores in patients with cerebral palsy (r ~ 0.50; p < 0.01). In this study, a positive, statistically significant but weak correlation was found between GMFCS, MACS, and CFCS scores and EES scores in patients with cerebral palsy (r ~ 0.30; p < 0.01). A statistically significant, moderate correlation was found between ZBI and EES (r ~ 0.50; p < 0.01).ConclusionAccording to the results of our study, as motor skills and communication skills decrease, especially the burden of caregivers increases and the family's emotional expression processes are related to these variables. We think that in the long-term follow-up of children with CP, it may be useful to provide appropriate psychiatric support by evaluating caregivers appropriately.

18 keywords...

hide…