Family stress and its coping strategies related to children with cerebral palsy at Azadi Teaching Hospital in Kirkuk City

The study objective is to assess levels of stress and coping strategies of family members with cerebral palsy child, to find out the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and levels of stress and coping strategies, and find out the relationship between levels of stress and levels coping strategies for family members with cerebral palsy child. A Descriptive (Cross sectional) study. Data were collected from rehabilitation units for children with disabilities including children with cerebral palsy at Azadi teaching hospital in Kirkuk city. Majority of cerebral palsy children are males, their age ranged between (1-4) years. They have duration of illness (1-4) years, most of these children are at 3^rd level of disability. Most of the caregivers age between (27-40) years, the caregivers have moderate level of total stress the total mean of their response is (2.17) and moderate level of coping with the problem at grand mean 2.28. The study indicated that the most coping strategies utilize by caregivers are acceptance and the less coping strategies use are substance use, Humour, and denial.