The Efficacy of Quality-of-Life Therapy Training on the Psychological Burden of Mothers of Children with Cancer: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

Background: Cancer in children, due to its unpredictable and progressive nature, causes a psychological burden and reduces the quality of life for mothers. The present study aimed to examine the effect of quality-of-life therapy (QOLT) training on the psychological burden of mothers of children with cancer. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted with mothers of children with cancer who visited the chemotherapy departments of Ali Ibn Abi Talib Hospital in Zahedan in 2023. The sample consisted of 80 participants who were randomly divided into two groups: An intervention group and a control group, each containing 40 members. The mothers in the intervention group attended eight group counseling sessions based on QOLT every other day. Data were collected before the intervention and eight weeks after the intervention using the Zarit Burden interview (ZBI). The collected data were analyzed using SPSS-27 software with independent samples t-tests, paired samples t-tests, chi-square tests, Fisher’s exact tests, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). A significance level of less than 0.05 (P < 0.05) was set for data analysis. Findings: There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the mean psychological burden score before the intervention (P = 0.97). However, the results of the ANCOVA, controlling for the variables of mothers' age, number of children, duration of illness, and pre-test scores, showed that the mean psychological burden score for mothers in the intervention group (27.22 ± 12.82) was significantly lower than that of mothers in the control group (41.20 ± 11.50) after the QOLT training intervention (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The QOLT intervention in this study had a positive and significant effect on reducing the psychological burden of mothers of children with cancer. Therefore, healthcare providers and medical staff are encouraged to utilize this counseling technique to enhance the well-being and psychological health of mothers and to promote the quality of life for both mothers and their children.