The Effect of Touch and Massage Techniques Applied to Children on Parental Role Perception and Perceived Stress

Year 2024, Issue: 23, 722 - 736, 31.08.2024

Beyza Aslı Bilsel , Barış Metin

Abstract

Aim: The study examined the effects of tactile and massage techniques on the occupational therapist’s perspective on the role perception and stress levels of parents and the changes in children’s sensory processing.
Method: A total of 30 children, (18 females and 12 males), aged 3-6, with normal development, and their parents were included in the study. A diverse community sample of mothers (M=33.6±5.521 years) and their preschool-aged children (M=4.5±1.2 years) participated in the study. The following instruments were employed: Parental Stress Index, Self-Perception Scale for Parenting Role, and Sensory Profile Test. Parents were instructed in a number of touch and massage techniques devised by the Occupational Therapist within the framework of Sensory Integration Theory. Following the 15-minute and 20-session implementation period, the parents were then tested. After the sessions were completed, the tests were repeated.
Results: The findings indicated that at the end of the study, there was a decrease in parental stress levels, and an increase in parental role perception and children's sensory processing skills (p <0.05). The study demonstrated that touch and massage techniques can positively impact parent-child interaction.
Conclusion: Studies examining the potential enduring effects of positive parental touch on stress levels and parental role perception rarely extend beyond infancy. It is believed that research with a larger sample size on this topic would contribute significantly to the existing literature.

Keywords

Occupational therapy, tactile sense, proprioception, massage, stress, parenting role, sensory processing

Çocuklara Uygulanan Dokunma ve Masaj Tekniklerinin Ebeveynlik Rolü Algısı ve Algılanan Stresi Üzerine Etkisi

Abstract

Amaç: Araştırma ergoterapist bakış açısıyla planlanan dokunma ve masaj tekniklerinin ebeveyn üzerindeki rol algısı ve algılanan stres üzerindeki etkilerini ve duyusal işlemleme açısından çocuktaki değişimi incelemek için yapılmıştır.
Yöntem: Uygulamaya normal gelişim gösteren 3-6 yaş aralığında 18’i kız, 12’si erkek toplam 30 çocuk ve ebeveynleri dahil edilmiştir. Araştırmaya annelerden (33,6±5,521 yaş) ve onların okul öncesi çağındaki çocuklarından (4,5±1,2 yaş) oluşan çeşitli bir topluluk örneği katılmıştır. Ebeveyn Stres İndeksi, Ebeveynlik Rolüne İlişkin Kendilik Algısı Ölçeği ve Duyu Profili Testi kullanılmıştır. Ebeveynlere ergoterapist tarafından Duyu Bütünleme Teorisi çerçevesinde planlanmış birtakım dokunma ve masaj teknikleri öğretilmiştir. Ebeveynlerce uygulanan günlük 15 dakikalık ve 20 seanslık uygulama süreci takip edilmiştir. Seanslar tamamlanınca testler tekrar uygulanmıştır.
Bulgular: Bulgulara göre uygulamanın sonunda ebeveyn stres düzeyinde düşüş, ebeveynlik rol algısı ve çocukların duyusal işlemleme becerilerinde artış görülmüştür (p<0.05). Çalışma, dokunma ve masaj tekniklerinin ebeveyn çocuk etkileşimine katkı sağladığını göstermiştir.
Sonuç: Olumlu ebeveyn dokunuşunun stres düzeyi ve ebeveynlik rol algısı üzerindeki olası devam eden etkisini inceleyen çalışmaların bebeklik döneminin ötesine nadiren uzandığı bilinmektedir. Daha büyük örneklem grubu ile ilgili konuda yapılacak çalışmaların literatüre katkı sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir.

Keywords

Ergoterapi, dokunma duyusu, propriyosepsiyon, masaj, stres, ebeveynlik rolü, duyusal ı̇şlemleme

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