The Effect of Support Group Intervention on Various Adaptations of Primary Family Caregivers Caring for Cerebro-Vascular Accident Patients

Kim, Bok Lang

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to examine the effect of support group intervention on the various adaptations of primary family caregivers caring for Cerebro-Vascular Accident patients. The nonequivalent control group pretest- posttest design within the framework of Lazarus & Folkman's stress-adaptation model was used for this experimental study. The subjects were 86 primary family caregivers caring for Cerebro-Vascular Accident patients at K hospital in Taegu, D herbal hospital in Kyung Ju, H hospital in Pohang from March, 1998 to July, 1998. Among 86 subjects, 43 were placed in an experimental group and 43 in a control group. The experimental group was treated by researcher who administered informational and emotional support group intervention once a week over a five weeks period. The data were collected through interviews. Collected data was analized by means of a chi-square test, t-test, ANCOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient. The results of this research were as follows: 1. Physical, emotional, and social adaptation scores in the experimental group were revealed to be significantly higher than those of the control group. 2. There was significant positive correlation among physical health, subjective burden, depression and objective burden. Accordingly, it is concluded that informational and emotional support group intervention was a useful nursing intervention on the various adaptations of primary family caregivers caring for Cerebro-Vascular Accident patients.