Investigation of Stress and Distress Experienced by Guardians of Children with Strabismus and/or Amblyopia.

Purpose: To investigate the stress experienced by the guardians of children with strabismus and/or amblyopia.Patients and Method: This study included 98 guardians of children with strabismus and/or amblyopia. First, guardians were asked to complete an independent questionnaire and the K6 screening scale. We analyzed stress associated with caring for their child. Second, we examined the responses to the free description questions of the consultation contents and benefits acquired from treatments.

Results

A relationship between the attitudes of children regarding treatment and the receptive psychology of their guardians was established. Since strabismus and amblyopia treatments require practice and wearing glasses or patches in everyday living, guardians of affected children desired explanation regarding better and more specific treatments to improve the daily lives of their children. On the other hand, they had a feeling of anxiety about the future of their children. In addition, the stress-free guardians mentioned the importance of support, indicating that receiving support contributed to reducing their stress levels.

Conclusion

Creating an environment that allows affected children to actively engage in their own treatment, while providing guardians with relevant information on the course of treatment and their children's future, may help reduce stress in guardians of affected children.