title: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Izmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nurullah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bolat
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kayi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eliacik
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Izmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Enis
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sargin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kanik
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Neurology, Izmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Figen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baydan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Neurology, Izmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Berrak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sarioglu
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D062485:Breath Holding; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult