Experiences of a touch therapy programme for parents of children with disabilities

Objective

The purpose of our study was to develop and evaluate a training package designed to equip parents with a touch therapy skill for use at home with their children with disabilities.

Materials and methods

Seventy-five parents and their children completed the study. A pre-/post-test design was adopted with quantitative data collected by self-administered questionnaires mailed to parents at: baseline (immediately pre-programme), immediately post-programme and 16 weeks from baseline. Parents were assessed on anxiety, depression and self-efficacy, and rated children’s sleeping, eating and mobility.

Results

The majority of parents were mothers (85%), married or living with partner (85%) and had a mean age of 37 years (SD 7; range 23–65). Children presented with a diverse range of disabilities including cerebral palsy, autistic spectrum disorders, developmental delay, epilepsy, Down’s syndrome and rare conditions and syndromes.

Comparison of study variables immediately pre-programme and immediately post-programme showed significant improvements in parental self-efficacy for giving touch therapy (P = 0.002) and their ability to manage children’s psychosocial well-being (P = 0.01), in parental perceptions of children’s sleeping (P = 0.04) and eating (P = 0.01) and in parental levels of anxiety (p = 0.03). The percentage of parents at risk of clinical anxiety and depressed mood (i.e. scores ≥ 8) were 64% and 39% at baseline, and 56% and 35% immediately post-programme and 58% and 36% at 16-week follow up.

Comparison of study variables of post-programme and 16-week follow-up found no significant differences, indicating no change (i.e. improvements were maintained).

Conclusion

Training parents in the art of touch therapy in a supportive environment appears to have the potential to have a positive effect for parents and children.