Sense of Competence, Religious Coping and Post-Traumatic Growth in mothers of children with Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

Objectives: The present study aimed to determine relationship of parenting sense of competence and religious coping with post-traumatic growth in mothers of children with cerebral palsy (CP) after controlling for covariates.

Method: Cross-sectional research design was used. Sample consisted of 74 mothers, aged 20-45 years, whose children were diagnosed with CP with age range from 2 to 9 years, was collected through purposive sampling from different physiotherapy centers and special education schools, Lahore. Parenting sense of competence scale, brief RCOPE and post-traumatic growth inventory were used to measure sense of competence, religious coping and post traumatic growth respectively.

Results: Hierarchical multiple regression showed that mother’s education(p<.01) positively predicted appreciation of life. Monthly income(p<.05) negatively predicted post traumatic growth and its subscales (spiritual change and appreciation of life). Religious inclination(p<.001) positively predicted spiritual change. Results also revealed that skills subscale of parenting sense of competence(p<.05) positively predicted personal strength. Moreover, positive religious coping(p<.001) positively predicted post-traumatic growth(p<.001) and its subscales [relating to others(p<.05), personal strength(p<.01), spiritual change(p<.001) and appreciation of life(p<.001)] after controlling covariates. However, negative religious coping negatively predicted personal strength(p<.01) after controlling covariates.

Conclusion: Literate mothers who had high religious inclination and perceived themselves as effective parents experienced more growth, as an outcome of dealing with their child’s special needs. Moreover, mothers who employed positive religious coping strategies to cope with challenges posed by disability of their child reported more post-traumatic growth and mothers who reported use of negative religious coping strategies reported less post traumatic growth.