Learning Objective #1: Examine the effects of an intervention on families with pediatric chronic illness or disability

Learning Objective #2: Appreciate the uses of a pre-experimental design in a program of research

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Objective: Examine the effects of an intervention on Hawaiian American siblings and caregivers of children with chronic illness or disability. Design: Using a pretest-posttest design, sibling outcomes were: knowledge, attitude, mood, social support, self-esteem, and behavior problems; tools with good psychometric properties were used: Parental covariates also were measured: the Knowledge Test, FACES II, and POMS. The cognitive-psychosocial-respite intervention description was sent in a letter to parents along with the consent forms. Included five siblings [7-15 years old] and 5 caregivers of children with cancer [2], asthma [2], and developmental disabilities. Outcomes, Siblings: Mean Scores and Ranges [in parentheses], Before and After Intervention showed: Knowledge of Illness Test [18; 18], [24.33; 24-25]—the knowledge increase was statistically significant, t=19, p<.001. All other outcomes showed improvement. On the Benefits of the intervention, all reported “10” [on a single-item 10-point scale]. Outcomes, Caregivers: Mean Scores and Ranges were: on the Knowledge Test [43; 40-47], [45.8; 43-47]—the knowledge increase was significant,t=1.53; p<.10. On the Sibling Needs subscale, the knowledge increase from Before [13.4] to After [16.4] was statistically significant, t=19.8, p=.05. On the Benefits of the intervention [on a single-item, 10-point scale], one parent wrote a “9”, and the rest of the parents, ‘10' each, for Self and for the Sibling. Conclusion: The intervention was beneficial to the families. Implication: A larger study would extend generalizability of findings.