Outcomes of the Empowerment Training for the Families of Children Diagnosed with Down Syndrome in the 0-6 Age Group

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this research is to test the effectiveness of the empowerment training given to families with children diagnosed with Down syndrome. Material and Method: The study was conducted between February 2019 and January 2020 in three special education and rehabilitation centers in Izmir. In the empowerment training, information was given about the diagnosis of Down Syndrome, its causes, supportive treatment methods, and the rights of children diagnosed with Down Syndrome and their parents. The training time is approximately 90 minutes. The research data were collected through face-to-face interviews with the mothers of 14 children aged 0-6 years with a diagnosis of Down Syndrome. Family Information Form developed by the researchers and the Family Strengthening Scale developed by Koren, DeChillo and Friesen in 1992 and adapted to Turkish by Karakul et al. in 2018 were used to collect the data. Results: The average age of the mothers in the study was 34.85±5.99 years (min.26; max.45), the mean age of the fathers was 38.57±5.55 years (min.29; max.48), and the average age of the children was 4.57±1.01 years (min.3; max.6). Before the family empowerment training, the average score of the parents’ family empowerment scale was 115.07±16.76. After the training, the average posttest score increased to 122.35±21.30 and was statistically significant (z = -2.136; p = 0.033). Conclusion: It was concluded that family empowerment training given to parents is effective. It is recommended that parents with children diagnosed with Down Syndrome should be empowered by giving individualized training and by repeating the training periodically.

Keywords

• Down syndrome
• empowerment
• training
• family
• children

0-6 Yaş Grubu Down Sendromu Tanısı Olan Çocukların Ailelerine Yönelik Güçlendirme Eğitiminin Sonuçları

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, Down Sendromu tanısı olan çocukların ailelerine verilen güçlendirme eğitiminin etkinliğinin belirlenmesidir. Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışma, Şubat 2019-Ocak 2020 tarihleri arasında İzmir ilinde bulunan üç özel eğitim ve rehabilitasyon merkezinde yürütülmüştür. Güçlendirme eğitiminde Down Sendromu tanısının ne olduğu, nedenleri, destekleyici tedavi yöntemleri, Down Sendromu tanısı olan çocukların ve ebeveynlerinin hakları ile ilgili annelere bilgilendirme yapılmıştır. Eğitim süresi yaklaşık 90 dakikadır. Araştırma verileri, 0-6 yaş arası Down Sendromu tanısı olan 14 çocuğun annesi ile yüz yüze görüşülerek toplanmıştır. Verilerin toplanmasında araştırmacılar tarafından oluşturulan “Aile Bilgi Formu” ve Koren, DeChillo & Friesen tarafından 1992 yılında geliştirilen, Karakul ve arkadaşları tarafından 2018 yılında Türkçe’ye uyarlanan ve geçerlik güvenirliği yapılan “Aile Güçlendirme Ölçeği” kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Çalışmada yer alan annelerin yaş ortalamaları 34,85±5,99 yıl (min. 26; maks. 45), babaların yaş ortalamaları 38,57±5,55 yıl (min. 29; maks. 48), ve çocukların yaş ortalaması ise 4,57±1,01 yıldır (min. 3; maks. 6). Aile güçlendirme eğitimi öncesinde ebeveynlerin Aile Güçlendirme Ölçeği ön test puan ortalamasının 115,07±16,76 olduğu, eğitim sonrası ise son test puan ortalamasının 122,35±21,30’a yükselmiş olduğu saptanmış ve istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bulunmuştur (z=-2,136; p=0,033). Sonuç: Aile güçlendirme eğitiminin, 0-6 yaş grubu Down Sendromu tanısı olan çocuğa sahip ebeveynler için etkin olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Down Sendromu tanısı olan çocukların ailelerinin bireyselleştirilmiş eğitimler verilerek güçlendirilmesi ve verilen eğitimlerin belirli periyodlarla tekrarlanması önerilmektedir.

Keywords

• Down sendromu
• Güçlendirme
• eğitim
• aile
• çocuk

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