Coaching-in-Context With Informal Maternal Care Partners of Children With Spinal Cord Injury

Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil, 2022 · DOI: 10.46292/sci21-00045 · Published: January 1, 2022

Spinal Cord Injury Pediatrics Rehabilitation

Simple Explanation

Coaching-in-Context (CinC) is a conversation-based process that uses positive psychology and coaching techniques to help clients thrive in desired roles and activities. This study explores the potential of CinC to support informal maternal care partners of children with spinal cord injury (SCI), focusing on improving parent and child outcomes. The CinC framework involves three components: connect, discover, and plan, which are interwoven to build trust, foster clarity, and establish solution-focused actions.

Study Duration

10 weeks

Participants

9 informal maternal care partners (mothers, grandmothers) of children with spinal cord injury (SCI)

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
After coaching, mean COPM performance scores increased by 2.48, mean COPM satisfaction scores increased by 2.81, and PMoP self scores increased.
2
Participants reported spending significant time caring for their child with SCI, with limited hours for leisure and socializing.
3
There was a statistically significant increase in participation-self scores after coaching.

Research Summary

This study provides preliminary support for CinC with informal care partners of children with SCI, highlighting factors like mode of delivery and time commitment. The study found clinically significant improvements in performance and satisfaction scores after coaching, particularly in leisure-related goals. The research emphasizes the potential of CinC to address unmet needs by using problem-solving and fostering new behaviors and insights for caregivers.

Practical Implications

Improve Informal Caregiving

CinC has the potential to support the prosocial nature of informal caregiving by fostering new behaviors and insights, expanding perspectives and thinking, and identifying resources that allow caregivers to engage in activities that mitigate adverse outcomes.

Address Unmet Needs

CinC can address unmet needs of informal care partners and their children with SCI by using problem-solving, which is an approach that has been identified as highly relevant for care partners with SCI.

Mode of Delivery

Coaching via phone or video-conferencing addresses time requirements needed for travel to face-to-face sessions and may provide greater access, especially for caregivers living in rural areas or at long distances from regional health care systems.

Study Limitations

1
Recruitment was challenging due to the study design, which led to small sample size.
2
The coaches in this study were novices.
3
The fidelity measure was used to monitor, not measure, adherence to coaching principles, as it has recently been developed and the psychometric properties are not fully developed.

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