Effects of activity groups, in which art activities are used, on resilience and related factors in families with disabled children

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: It is found that studies on strengthening mothers with disabled children are inadequate in literature and that support groups, in which art activities are used, were not established previously. Aim of the study is to examine the effects of activity groups using art activities on resilience and related factors (life satisfaction, general health, perceived caregiver burden, dysfunctional beliefs of personality) in mothers with disabled children. MATHERIAL AND METHOD: The study is a mixed method study (quantitative with experimental design and randomized control) and 33 mothers (18 control – 15 intervention group) with children attending a special education school were included in the study. Intervention group participated in art therapy sessions (16 weeks) while no interventions were made to the control group. The Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), General Health Questionary (GHQ12) and Personality Belief Questionnaire (PBQ-STF) were applied in the quantitative section of the study. Analyses of the group evaluation sections were carried out and themes and sub-themes were formed in the qualitative section. FINDINGS: Examination of the quantitative results of the study indicated a statistically significant difference between the mean points of the pretest-posttest in RSA, SWLS, ZBI and GHQ12 for the groups participating in the art activities while no significant differences were found between the scale points in the control group. Qualitative results were examined in three sections, consisting of start, development and outcome sessions. Statements of the mothers were examined under the themes of "anxiety" and "defense" in the starting sessions, "awareness" and "expression" in the development sessions, and "motivation" and "well-being" themes in the outcome sessions. CONCLUSION: In conclusion; activity groups, in which art activities were used, increased the resilience, life satisfaction and general health levels, and reduced the perceived caregiver burden. Furthermore, it was found that the participants did not participate in the therapeutic process and denied the problems they faced in the starting sessions, shared their problems readily in the development sessions, in which an environment of trust was established, and both the psychological and physical well-being of the mothers improved in the outcome sessions.