EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR SELF-MANAGEMENT ON ADO-LESCENTS WITH SPINA BIFIDA: WHAT DO YOUTHS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS HAVE TO SAY?

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate an educational program and its effects on self-management skills, from the perspective of youths and their parents/caregivers.Method: The present study conducted interviews in focus groups with 51 youths with spina bifida (10-18 years old) who participated in the program and 30 parents/caregivers. Results: Improvements were observed in the youths’ self-management skills, who displayed greater responsibility, proactivity, confidence, problem-solving skills and autonomy. In terms of the psy-choeducational strategies used in the program, emphasis goes to the problem-solving technique, role-playing, videos, peer mentorship, and modeling (lay led model).Conclusion: The results of the program showed that the youths built skills that fostered their auto-nomy. The changes observed in the youths on taking on the role of mentors point to the effective-ness of this strategy and its potential for children with chronic conditions

Keywords

• Program
• Education
• Adolescents
• Chronic Illness
• Self-Management