Indian Journal of Clinical Psychology
  • Year: 2016
  • Volume: 43
  • Issue: 1

Efficacy of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) in Depression for Parents of Children with Mental Retardation

  • Author:
  • Gannavaram Srikrishna1,, S.R. Joshi2, B. Surya Prakasam3
  • Total Page Count: 8
  • Page Number: 65 to 72

1Faculty in Rehabilitation Psychology, National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped, Seunderabad, AP, (India)

2Consultant Rehabilitation Psychologist, Deptt. of Rehabilitation Psychology, National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped, Seunderabad, AP, (India)

3Statistician, National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped, Seunderabad, AP, (India)

*Corresponding Author: Gannavaram Srikrishna, Email: lookbeyondthesky@gmail.com, Email: lookbeyondthesky@gmail.com

Online published on 24 January, 2017.

Abstract

Rearing a child with disability is a lifelong activity. Parents undergo through very difficult situations as they are forced to readdress their priorities; compromise their personal space; and in number of cases rather unprepared. The costs are not only economical but also psychological and many parents undergo depression as a result. Parents having a child with mental retardation experience a variety of stressors and stress reactions related to the child's disability. The feeling of depression is common, particularly when realization of the child's retardation is recent.

The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy of cognitive behavior therapy in depression for parents of children with mental retardation.

It was pre-post comparative experimental design with control group. Experimental and control groups consisted of 24 individual in each group with depression, diagnosed as per ICD-10. Baseline assessment was carried out with the tool of Beck Depression Inventory. The experimental group received cognitive behavior therapy. They received 12 sessions for the period of 3 months. Therapy was conducted in one session per a week with the duration of 1 hour 30 min. Assessment was repeated after 3 months in the last session of therapy program to investigate effectiveness of cognitive behavior therapy. The data were analysed by using appropriate statistical measures.

CBT was considerably more effective in depression for parents of children with mental retardation.

Keywords

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Depression, Parents, Mental Retardation, BDI