Effect of Counselling Services on Parental Management of Children with Cerebral Palsy in Enugu State, Nigeria

Authors

  • Vitalis Ugochukwu Eke Department of Special Education, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
  • Stella Uchechukwu Okeke Institute of Education, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
  • Edet Effiong Okon Department of Business, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
  • Margaret Uchenna Chukwura Department of Curriculum and Teaching, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
  • Godwin Beshibeshebe Ushie Department of Continue Education, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
  • Emeka Samuel Nnaji Department of Educational Management, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
  • Odim Otu Offem Department of Political Science and Economic Education, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
  • Bernard Atrogor Oko Department of Curriculum and Teaching, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
  • Ann Emani Dijeh Department of Home Economics Education, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
  • Agnes Lawrence Okute Department of Business, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
  • Maria Bisong Onabe Department of Agric Education, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
  • Patricia Akwaya Olom Department of Business, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
  • Helen Chinyere Dede Department of Public Administration, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
  • Musa Moses Egaga Department of Special Education, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/2292-2598.2025.13.02.2

Keywords:

Counselling services, Parental management, Children with cerebral palsy, family counseling, emotional counseling

Abstract

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological disorder affecting movement, muscle tone, and posture. It is often caused by damage to the developing brain, usually before, during, or shortly after birth. The condition can have a significant emotional, physical, financial, and social impact on parents. This study investigated the effect of counseling services on the parental management of children with CP in Enugu State.

Methods: A pre-test and post-test quasi-experimental design was adopted. A validated self-developed Parent of Cerebral Palsy Management Self-Report Scale (PCPMSS, r-0.78) was used for data collection. The Counseling Treatment Package (CTP) was used as the intervention in the study. Parents of children with Cerebral palsy were exposed to eight weeks of counseling sessions. The data collected were statistically analyzed using a pairwise t-test to measure the effectiveness of the intervention. One sample t-test was also used to test self-report intervention effectiveness and satisfaction with the intervention.

Results: The results indicate that parents exposed to family counseling improved significantly in handling family-oriented challenges. Counseling intervention improved the emotional stability of parents of children with CP.

Conclusion: It was recommended, among other things, that counseling services and other evidence-based interventions be provided for parents of children with CP to equip them with relevant coping skills and resources needed to support their children’s development.

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Published

2025-07-05

How to Cite

Eke, V. U. ., Okeke, S. U. ., Okon, E. E. ., Chukwura, M. U. ., Ushie, G. B. ., Nnaji, E. S. ., Offem, O. O. ., Oko, B. A. ., Dijeh, A. E. ., Okute, A. L. ., Onabe, M. B. ., Olom, P. A. ., Dede, H. C. ., & Egaga, M. M. . (2025). Effect of Counselling Services on Parental Management of Children with Cerebral Palsy in Enugu State, Nigeria. Journal of Intellectual Disability - Diagnosis and Treatment, 13(2), 120–127. https://doi.org/10.6000/2292-2598.2025.13.02.2

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 2 (2025)

Section

General Articles
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