Effect of Spiritual Care on Anxiety and Care Burden in Mothers of Children With Cancer

Abstract

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effect of spiritual care based on the sound heart model on anxiety and care burden in mothers of children with cancer. Methods: Eighty-six mothers of children with cancer participated in this quasi-experimental study. Sequential sampling was used, and participants were allocated into intervention (n=43) and control (n=43) groups. Spiritual care was provided to the intervention group over eight consecutive days within one week. Both groups completed the questionnaire before, after, and one month after the intervention. The Beck anxiety questionnaire and the Zarit burden of care questionnaire were utilized for data collection. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test, independent t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA. Results: No significant difference was found in the mean scores of anxiety (P=0.68) and burden of care (P=0.94) between the two groups before the intervention. However, there was a statistically significant difference in the mean scores of anxiety (P<0.001) and burden of care (P=0.003) between the two groups after the intervention and one month later. Conclusion: Spiritual care based on the sound heart model reduced the mean scores of anxiety and burden of care in mothers of children with cancer. However, there was a statistically significant difference in the mean scores of anxiety (P<0.001) and the burden of care (P=0.003) between the two groups after the intervention and one month later.

Keywords

• anxiety
• caregiver burden
• spirituality
• neoplasms
• child