Efficacy of a Brief Psychoeducational Intervention for Mothers of Children with Breath-Holding Spells: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

Abstract

Objective Mothers of individuals with breath-holding spells (BHS) suffer more often from anxiety and experience more stressors in their everyday life. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of psychoeducational intervention in reducing BHS and coping with these spells.

Participants and Methods Mothers who have children with BHS were randomly assigned to one of the two groups: an intervention group receiving psychoeducational therapy in addition to the routine follow-up (n = 31) and a control group who did not receive psychoeducation in their routine follow-up (n = 28). The data collected at the beginning of the study and at the end of 3rd and 6th months about the frequency of the spells per month, maternal anxiety, and depression levels and mothers' perceived self-knowledge about coping BHS of both groups were compared.

Results Mothers in psychoeducation group, compared with controls, improved significantly on state anxiety, depression, perceived anticipation anxiety level for BHS of their children and self-knowledge about coping with the spells.

Conclusion The intervention program had a positive effect on anxiety-depression levels of the mothers and the frequency of BHS among the children. The possible link between emotional and autonomic dysregulation in children with BHS and maternal mental health were discussed.

Keywords

breath-holding spells - maternal anxiety - psychoeducation

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