A PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR MOTHERS OF ADOLESCENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

The diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) in a child affects the family system, causes severe emotional distress and a decrease in the quality of life of parents. Insufficient knowledge of the specifics of parenting adolescents with MS justifies the need to develop specialized psychological support programs for parents, including informing about the nature of the disease, providing professional psychological assistance and organizing social interaction among families who are faced with pediatric MS. Aim to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a psychological assistance program for mothers raising adolescents with MS. Materials and Methods: The study included two groups of mothers: an experimental group (EG) (10 mothers of adolescents with MS who took a course of psychological assistance in a program of 10 group classes); a comparison group (СG) (10 mothers of adolescents with MS on the waiting list who attended one psychoeducational lecture). The average age of EG mothers was 40.5 4.97 years, and that of СG mothers was 45.2 2.78 years. The primary and final examination of mothers of adolescents with MS was conducted using methods for assessing symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress levels: the Beck Depression Inventory; the Family Anxiety Analysis (FAA). Statistical analysis of the results was performed using the SPSS23 program, using nonparametric analysis using the Mann-Whitney criterion. Results: A program for providing psychological support to mothers raising adolescents with MS has been developed, consisting of several phases: an initial assessment, group sessions (including an educational component and skill-building activities), and a final evaluation of progress. The aim of this program is to enhance the adaptive capabilities of mothers, stabilize their emotional well-being, and develop effective stress management skills. The program has proven to be effective. The re-evaluation data revealed a statistically significant decrease in symptoms of depression (22.03%, p=0.002), a decrease in indicators of general family anxiety (22.39%, p=0.024), guilt (27.03%, p=0.006), and tension (14.29%, p=0.014) among mothers in the experimental group. There was no statistically significant difference between the results before and after the intervention in the control group. Conclusions: The evaluation of the proposed group program of psychological support to mothers of adolescents with MS confirmed its effectiveness. Thus, it is advisable to use the presented program in practice and to further improve it.