Experiences of Parents of Children With Cerebral Palsy Participating in an Online Parenting Course Grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Abstract

Background: To understand the experiences of parents of children with cerebral palsy (CP) participating in an online parenting course grounded in acceptance and commitment therapy (PACT) from an implementation perspective. Method: Fifty-five parents from 50 families of children with CP (GMFCS I = 21, II = 15, III = 8, IV = 8, V = 3) participated in this mixed methods study. Families were drawn from 67 families participating in an RCT of PACT. Parents participated in a qualitative interview and gave additional feedback on 10-point Likert scales and open-ended questions via the course platform. The implementation analysis consisted of a thematic analysis as well as descriptive statistics, t-tests and ANOVAs to examine the impact of child age and motor functioning as potential barriers. Results: Parents reported that they liked both the ACT content and the online format, and the modules were rated highly in the course feedback (7–9 on 10-point Likert scales). Parents reported positive changes for both them and their child. Parents of younger (2–5 years) children rated the videos from Module One Living a Meaningful Life more highly than parents of older (6–10 years) children. There were no other effects of child age or motor functioning. Conclusion: Overall, parental response to PACT was positive, and child age and motor functioning level were not barriers. The online format of the programme and ACT content were well suited to the needs of this population. In particular, the ACT components of values and mindfulness were found to be particularly relevant. Implementation should focus on understanding that ACT can be psychologically challenging, ensuring that parents who need individualised support for intervention adaptation receive it, providing good support to address technological difficulties and building effective reminders into the intervention protocol. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12616000351415.