Determining the caregiving burden and psychological needs of caregiver mothers

This study aimed to determine the caregiving burden and psychological needs of accompanying mothers. The population of the study consisted of accompanying mothers of patients receiving treatment in the Pediatric Service of Şahinbey Application and Research Hospital. The Personal Data Form, Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), and Basic Psychological Needs Scale (BPNS) were used to collect data. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. In the analysis of the data, the independent samples t-test was used for parametric data with normal distribution in binary group analyses, and the one-way ANOVA test was used for more than two variables. Pearson correlation test was used to determine the relationship between the scales. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to predict the effect. The mean ZBI score of accompanying mothers was 40.6 ± 7.0, and the mean BPNS score was 94.9 ± 14.2. It was determined that 42.16% of the companions had a mild caregiving burden and 57.84% had a moderate level of caregiving burden according to the ZBI score. A negative (inverse) weak correlation was found between the ZBI scale scores of the companions and the BPNS fun subscale score (r = -0.229; p = 0.021). As a result of the multiple linear regression analysis conducted to examine the situations predicting the total BPNS score of accompanying mothers, it was determined that the model was statistically significant at the 95% confidence level (F = 5.118; p < 0.01). Accordingly, it was determined that income level and perceiving social support as adequate had a positive effect on the BPNS scale score (p = 0.037; p = 0.030, respectively), while the age of the accompanying mothers had a negative effect on the BPNS scale score (p = 0.038). In addition, it was determined that the effect of the independent variables in the model on the dependent variable was R2 = 0.174.