Angela Crettenden

Time Demands of Caring for Children with Autism: What Are the Implications for Maternal Mental Health?.

This study examined the relationship between maternal mental health problems and both caregiving time and experience of time pressure for 216 mothers of children with autism. Data describing caregiving time was obtained using 24-h time-diaries. Standard questionnaires were used to assess time pressure, social support, children’s emotional and behavioural problems, and maternal mental health problems. After adjusting for the effect of children’s age, maternal social support, and children’s behaviour problems, time pressure but not hours of caregiving, had a significant positive relationship with maternal mental health problems. Findings suggest that the quality of home-based care for children with autism may be adversely affected if time pressure experienced by caregivers compromises their mental health and well being.

Psychological adjustment of families of children and adolescents treated for leukemia.

This report describes a follow-up study in which the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems in a group of 42 children and adolescents treated for leukemia is compared with the prevalence of problems in a matched control group selected from the general population. The prevalence of problems among the siblings of the two groups, and the adjustment of the two groups of families, are also examined. The Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist, for completion by parents, and the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist and Rutter B2 Behavioural Scale, for completion by teachers, are used to identify both social competence and behavioral problems. In addition, the Family Concept Inventory is used to evaluate the adjustment of families. The leukemic children and adolescents were found to have significantly more problems and less social competence, particularly in school-related activities, than either the control group or their own siblings. There was no difference in the prevalence of problems between the two groups of siblings, nor between the two groups of families. It is suggested that careful prospective studies are needed to identify the cause of the problems experienced by the leukemic children and adolescents so that programs may be developed to prevent their emergence.

Time demands of caring for children with cerebral palsy: what are the implications for maternal mental health?

Aim  To examine the relationship between maternal mental health problems and the time required by mothers to care for children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Recurrent abdominal pain in childhood. Relationship to psychological adjustment of children and families: A preliminary study

Abstract The study investigated the prevalence of emotional and behavioural problems in children with recurrent abdominal pain (RAP), the sensitivity of RAP children to a painful stimulus, and the attitudes shown by RAP mothers to issues of health and illness. Three groups of children were compared including two groups with RAP, one in which an organic cause for the pain was found, and one where no organic cause was identified. The third group consisted of pain‐free children from the general community. No consistent patterns of differences was identified between the groups on the measures used. Possible reasons for the findings are discussed and recommendations made for further research in this area.

Fatigue is a major issue for children and adolescents with physical disabilities

This study aimed to investigate fatigue, and its correlates, in children and adolescents with physical disabilities.

Mothers caring for children and young people with developmental disabilities: intent to work, patterns of participation in paid employment and the experience of workplace flexibility

Caring alters plans to return to work and changes career trajectories for many primary caregivers of children with disabilities, most of whom are mothers. The Juggling Work & Care study was a South Australian cross-sectional mail-out and online survey for carers of children and young adults with developmental disabilities aged 0–25 years, which investigated work participation, work–life balance and psychological well-being. This study shows that mothers who were in a couple relationship and primary caregivers for their child (n = 287) were less likely to be in paid employment and worked fewer hours than mothers in the general population, regardless of age of child. Work participation was shown to be strongly related to the severity of child disability. Impacts of caring for mothers were significant. Over a quarter of mothers who had intended to work after the birth of their child had not done so. As well, many mothers who had returned to work reported reduced job opportunities and career progression. Of concern, 9 out of 10 mothers were unaware of their right to request a change in working arrangements to assist them to care. Changes in workplace support for carers, for example, awareness of legislation and flexible leave entitlements, as well as increased community supports such as appropriate and accessible (child)care, could improve the financial and social circumstances of families and result in significant benefits to Australias economy.

Dads care too! Participation in paid employment and experiences of workplace flexibility for Australian fathers caring for children and young adults with disabilities

This study uses Australian survey data to explore whether caring for children and young people with disabilities affects paid employment participation of fathers who identify as the secondary caregiver. More fathers in the study were in full-time employment than those in the general Australian population, but they worked fewer hours, often in jobs they did not enjoy or roles with less responsibility. Over one third of fathers reported that caring had impacted on their job opportunities or career progression, particularly those whose children had more severe disabilities. The financial costs of raising a child with disabilities and their caring obligations informed many of the decisions fathers made in relation to employment. Fixed hours of work, lack of understanding from their employer, an income tied to hours worked and staff resources were cited as reasons why almost half of the fathers felt they were unable to access flexible working conditions to assist with their child’s care. Self-employment was seen by many fathers as desirable, but the perceived increase in flexibility may be accompanied by an increase in work hours. Implications for paternal well-being are discussed, along with the lifelong implications of caring on employment and financial security for families in the Australian context.

Barriers and facilitators to physical activity participation for children with physical disability: comparing and contrasting the views of children, young people, and their clinicians

Abstract Purpose: Existing research has explored the barriers and facilitators of physical activity participation for young people with disability from the perspective of young people and their families. However, little research has investigated the views of clinicians who facilitate access to physical activity programs and compared this with their child client’s perspectives. Method: Interviews were conducted with six allied health and sports development professionals associated with a programme which supports access to recreation and sporting activities. Interviews explored facilitators and barriers to physical activity experienced by their clients. Open-ended survey questions investigating barriers and facilitators of physical activity participation were also completed by 28 young people with disability aged 10–17 years who were clients of this programme. Results: The most salient facilitator of participation described by clinicians was “planning programs to promote success and inclusion.” Young people described two main facilitators; “the right people make physical activity fun!” and, similar to clinicians, “appropriate and inclusive opportunities to be active.” The most salient barriers identified by clinicians were “practical limitations” and “time constraints and priorities,” and a novel barrier raised was “whose choice?” The “lack of accessible and inclusive opportunities” was the most pertinent barrier for young people. Conclusions: Clinicians should determine both parent and young person commitment to a physical activity before enrolment. Lack of commitment can act as a barrier to physical activity and a more appropriate intervention could focus on increasing awareness of the benefits of being active, drawing on a Stages of Change based model of service delivery. Implications for rehabilitation Rehabilitation professionals seeking to increase physical activity participation for young people with physical disability should discuss readiness and motivation to change prior to any activity/sports referral. Different behaviour change processes are required for young people and for their parents and both are important to achieve physical activity participation. Regular monitoring is important to identify on-going physical and psychological barriers to participation, even for those who were already active. Clinicians should be aware that teenagers may be more ready to be active as they develop greater independence and should raise awareness of the benefits of physical activity.