Effectiveness of Planned Teaching Programme on knowledge Regarding Care of Mentally Retarded Children Among Care Givers

 

Mrs. Sheena Bhatia¹, Mrs. Geeta Bhardwaj²

¹Lecturer, Kailash Nursing College, Noida UP

²Demonstrator, Nursing College, Uprimsr, Saifai, Etawah. U. P.

 

ABSTRACT:

INTRODUCTION- Mentally retarded children attain developmental milestone such as walking and talking much later than children in general population. Caregivers play a vital role in the lives of mentally retarded children so the time is not the only thing demanded of them. It is more essential to educate the care givers regarding mental retardation and regarding the care of mentally retarded child, so to help them grow efficiently. METHODOLOGY-A quantitative research approach with one group pre -test and post-test experimental research design was used. 50 samples were selected by convenient sampling technique. Tool was developed to assess knowledge of care givers regarding care of mentally retarded children.  Planned teaching programme was prepared in form of power point presentation keeping the pretest knowledge score in mind. Tool for data collection was questionnaire and interview technique was used. Descriptive and inferential statistics was used. RESULT-Mean and standard deviation of posttest knowledge scores 22 and 1.53 was significantly higher than pre test knowledge score 9 and 1.4 respectively.  Researcher found that there is no association with any of selected demographic variable with knowledge score. The mean post test knowledge scores of the care givers of mentally retarded children were significantly higher than the mean pre test knowledge score. This indicated that planned teaching programme was effective in enhancing the knowledge of care givers regarding the care of mentally retarded children.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Mentally retarded children attain developmental milestone such as walking and talking much later than children in general population. Symptoms of mental retardation may appear at the birth or later in childhood.

The child’s age at onset depends on the suspected cause of the disability. Some cases of mild mental retardation are not diagnosed before the child enters preschool or kindergarten. These children typically have difficulties with social, communication and functional academic skills.¹

Mentally retarded children need to be physically comfortable, feel loved and secure and have opportunities to play that help the body and mind to grow, they need more time to learn and practice skills, they need more praise and encouragement to gain the skills.Caregivers play a vital role in the lives of mentally retarded children so the time is not the only thing demanded of them.²

 

Study by Moudgil (2004) indicated that only a small number of parents are well informed about mental retardation and none of care giver had any formal training to care for mentally retarded children. Further, only 10% care givers had adequate information regarding rehabilitation, therapeutic measures for mental retardation. A report based on the survey of 99 respondents and detailed case studies of 11 patients revealed that majority i.e. 70% of parents of mentally retarded children do not have clear understanding of this condition. If the knowledge of parents is enhanced, then they would develop better attitude toward the management of mentally retarded child.Peshwaria, et al 2011 conducted studies on trends of behavioral problems among mentally retarded children, the findings indicated that there is need of professional workers so as to help out the parents to know how to care for such children efficiently. It is more essential to educate the care givers regarding mental retardation and regarding the care of mentally retarded child, so to help them grow efficiently.

 

METHODOLOGY:

A quantitative research approach with one group pre- test and post-test experimental research design was used with care givers of mentally retarded children in selected institutions of Delhi with objectives to develop a tool to test knowledge and planned teaching programme regarding care of mentally retarded children, to assess pre- test and post test knowledge score and evaluate the effectiveness of planned teaching programme.

 

A formal approval was obtained from institutions and ethical consent was obtained from all study subjects. 50 samples were selected by convenient sampling technique. Tool was developed to assess knowledge of care givers regarding care of mentally retarded children. Planned teaching programme was prepared in form of power point presentation keeping the pre test knowledge score in mind. Tool for data collection wasstructured questionnaire and interview technique was used. Reliability of tool was established by using Kuder Richardson 20 and reliability found was 0.84. Data was analyzed using Microsoft excel for descriptive and inferential statistics ( t test and chi square).

 

 

 

 

RESULTS:

Table no. 1 the demographic variables used were age, sex, education and years of experience in institution. N=50

 

 

Table no. 1 shows majority caregivers 60% were female, majority 50% were under age group of 36-45 years, majority 50% had passed secondary school and majority 90%  had more than 5 years of experience caring mentally retarded children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table no. 2Mean, median and standard deviation of pre test and post test knowledge score                               N=50

KNOWLEDGE SCORE	MEAN	MEDIAN	MEAN DIFFERENCE	STANDARD DEVIATION	t calculated value
PRE-TEST	9	9	11.04	1.53	11.62
POST-TEST	22	22		1.4

At p<0.05 level of significance.

 

Table no. 2 shows -Mean and standard deviation of posttest knowledge scores 22 and 1.53 was significantly higher than pre-test knowledge score 9 and 1.4 respectively. t calculated value 11.62 was found to be significant at 0.05 level than t table value of 1.67, hence accepting H01 and rejecting H0 suggesting the effectiveness of PTP in increasing knowledge score of care givers of mentally retarded children. Researcher found that there is no association with any of selected demographic variable with knowledge score, as calculated chi – square value is less than table value. hence accepting H2 and rejecting H02 suggesting there is noassociation with any of selected demographic variable with knowledge score.

 

DISCUSSION, RESULT AND CONCLUSION:

The mean post test knowledge scores of the care givers of mentally retarded children were significantly higher than the mean pre test knowledge score. This indicated that planned teaching programme was effective in enhancing the knowledge of care givers regarding the care of mentally retarded children. This finding is in agreement with those of Chakraborty 2006 and Narayan 2000. Hence , it is more essential to educate the care givers regarding mental retardation and regarding the care of mentally retarded child, so to help them grow efficiently.

 

REFERENCES:

1.     Stuart. G.W& Laria.M.C., Principles and practice of psychiatric nursing, Mosby publications,2005,8:736-737.

2.     Howard, Barbara J. "Mental Retardation Challenges." Pediatric News 38 (September 2004): 20–1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Received on 10.07.2017          Modified on 28.08.2017

Accepted on  13.03.2018      ©A&V Publications All right reserved