The Effectiveness of a Stress Management Program Combined with the Social Support Concept on Caregiving Behaviors of Caregivers of Children with Asthma in Khon Kaen Province

Abstract

This quasi-experimental research aimed to examine the effectiveness of a stress management program combined with the concept of social support on caregiving behaviors among caregivers of children with asthma in Khon Kaen Province, Thailand. The sample consisted of caregivers of pediatric asthma patients receiving services at Khao Suan Kwang Hospital in 2025 (B.E. 2568). The sample size was determined using the G*Power program, yielding a total of 44 participants, with 22 caregivers assigned to the experimental group and 22 to the control group. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using a caregiver stress questionnaire and a caregiving behavior questionnaire for children with asthma. The reliability coefficients (Cronbach’s alpha) of the instruments were 0.86 and 0.92, respectively. Data were analyzed using the Paired t-test and the Mann–Whitney U test. The results found that stress levels in the experimental group after the intervention were significantly lower than before the intervention at p < 0.001. In contrast, the control group showed no statistically significant difference between post-test and pre-test scores p = 0.142. Regarding caregiving behaviors, the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher post-intervention scores compared to pre-intervention scores at p < 0.001. The control group showed no statistically significant difference between post-test and pre-test scores p = 0.067. Between-group comparisons indicated that prior to the intervention, stress levels between the experimental and control groups were not significantly different (p = 0.832). However, after the intervention, the experimental group had significantly lower stress levels than the control group (p < 0.001). Similarly, caregiving behaviors between the two groups did not differ significantly at baseline (p = 0.226), whereas after the intervention, the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher caregiving behavior scores than the control group (p < 0.008). Conclusion, the stress management program integrated with the social support concept effectively reduced caregivers’ stress levels and improved caregiving behaviors among caregivers of children with asthma.