A School-Based Self-Management Program for Youth with Chronic Health Conditions and Their Parents

Abstract

The Self-Management Program was a school-based intervention for 65 school-aged children with a chronic health condition and their parents. Through the peer group process, a cognitive-behavioural intervention was used to promote the child's self-management of the stresses associated with the chronic condition. Groups were also held to support parents in helping the child to use the newly acquired self-management strategies. A pre-and post-test waiting control group design examined treatment effects on therapeutic adherence, child self-responsibility, and child self-efficacy. Children in the intervention group, in comparison to those in the control group, showed significantly higher therapeutic adherence and more self-responsibility in the management of the health condition. By two months, the improvements in self-responsibility had begun to fade as reported by the children, but remained significant as reported by the parents. No significant differences were found on the self-efficacy measure. Goal attainment, child and parent learning, and consumer satisfaction were also found to be evident.