Objective

The aim of this study is to examine depression in mothers of children with CP, with hypothesis to have an elevated risk of anxiety and depressive profile among mothers of children with cerebral palsy.

Patients and methods

This study is a descriptive cross-sectional survey conducted at The Physical and Rehability Department of Sahloul Hospital in Tunisia. Where included 62 children with cerebral palsy with their mothers. The inclusion criteria for the study were being the mothers of a child having a CP and aged more than two years. Mothers with history of psychiatric disorder were not included. Seventy-three mothers of normal children, serving as the control group for comparing with case group, filled in the same questionnaires.

Results

This study included 62 children including 45 boys (sex ratio 2.6). An evaluation of the functional status by the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) of the children with CP was done, 27.4% were level II, 20.9% were level IV and 19.4% were level V. Moreover, 58.1% of the children were tetraplegic, and 24.2% were diplegic. Mothers of children were evaluated by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

Mothers had a normal depression score in 29%, a borderline score in 25.8% and an abnormal score in 45.2%. Concerning anxiety, mothers had a normal score in 12.9%, a borderline score in 27.4% and an abnormal score in 59.7%. There were significant differences in the mean depression scores ( P = 0.002) between the two groups. The results also shown that the severity of the GMFCS was not associated with the HADS ( P = 0.230). The clinical presentation of the CP was also not associated with the HADS ( P = 0.129).

Discussion/Conclusion

It seems that having a child with CP is probably associated with higher prevalence and severity of depression in mothers. Caring for children with CP (regardless to the severity of the clinical form) increases considerably the risk of emotional distress among mothers.