Bone Abstracts

Aim: To investigate the effect of psychoeducation program in families with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI).

Methods: Sixteen family members of OI patients were included in the program. The research was designed as a semi structural, semi experimental pre and post test. The scales used were; Introductory Information Form, Burden Interview (BI), Coping Strategies Scale (CSS), Problem Solving Inventory (PSI), and Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS). A ten session psycho education program was conducted between September and December 2012 with the caregivers of OI patients. SPSS 16 package program was used for the statistical analyses.

Results: The mean age of the caregivers’ was 35.25±6.79 years. In the pre education period the participants described OI as; fragile bones (100%) and the emotional impression was described as ‘very bad, damn’. After psychoeducation these changed to ‘a decrease in collagen’ (68.8%) and a disease that effects a family lifelong without a definite cure. The psychological effects of the disease decreased with education. Anger from 43.8 to 6.3%, sadness from 93.8 to 6.3%, anxiety from 68.8 to 31.3%, stress from 81.3 to 6.3%, and intimidation from 50 to 0%. Similarly social isolation decreased from 50 to 18%, social scantiness from 87.5 to 12.5%, protective behavior from 93.5 to 12.5%. Besides all of these the participants reported a decrease; in neglecting the healthy child, channeling the anger to the other child or to the spouse and feeling of anger. The ambiguity in the progress of the disease decreased from 100 to 56.3%, lack of information from 75 to 6.3%, and the cosmetic anxiety from 18.8 to 6.3%. After psychoeducation 75% of the participants stated positive modifications in their lives. In variance analyses the differences before and after psychoeducation was significant in burden interview scale; compliance subscale of coping strategies scale; orientation, professional surrounding, social surrounding and psychosocial adjustment subscales of PAIS-SR (P<0.05).

Conclusion: With the psychoeducation as their knowledge increased about OI, the feeling of anxiety have decreased. Positive modifications have been stated in social area and their family relations. With this education program the participants had the chance of evaluating their lives and making changes in their psychosocial environment.