The effect of tele-education provided to parents of children with hydrocephalus and ventriculoperitoneal shunt on their anxiety and self-efficacy

This study was conducted to determine the effect of tele-education provided to parents of children diagnosed with hydrocephalus and who underwent Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement on their anxiety levels and self-efficacy perceptions. The study was designed as a randomized controlled experimental research with a pre-test and post-test model. It was carried out with parents of children who had received a VP shunt and were treated in the Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit of Pamukkale University Hospital. Data were collected between February 2024 and February 2025. The sample consisted of 59 parents of children with VP shunts (intervention group = 29, control group = 30). Data were collected using the Parental Knowledge Test, General Self-Efficacy Scale, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The intervention group received a total of 6 hours of online training over 2 weeks via a communication application, followed by a 3-month counseling period. No intervention was applied to the control group. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (number, percentage, mean, standard deviation), chi-square test, and mixed-measures ANOVA. According to the findings, the group*time interaction in the pre-test and post-test scores of the Parental Knowledge Test, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and General Self-Efficacy Scale was statistically significant (p<0.05). The post-test mean score of the Parental Knowledge Test in the intervention group (13.69±0.60) was significantly higher than that of the control group (10.70±1.56) (p<0.05). The trait anxiety score of the intervention group (43.24±2.82) was significantly lower than that of the control group (45.37±4.94) (p<0.05). Additionally, the General Self-Efficacy Scale score of the intervention group (68.28±9.06) was found to be significantly higher than that of the control group (64.77±11.90) (p<0.05). These findings indicate that tele-education is effective in increasing parents' knowledge levels, reducing their anxiety, and strengthening their perceptions of self-efficacy. It is suggested that tele-education can contribute to improving parents' quality of life and enable them to make more informed and confident decisions regarding the care of their children.