Effect of a Social Support Program for Mothers of Children with Precocious Puberty: A Preliminary Quasi-Experimental Study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a social support program on the stress, anxiety, guilt, and life satisfaction levels among Korean mothers of children with precocious puberty.
Design and Methods: A non-equivalent control group and a non-synchronized design were used in this quasi-experiment study. Thirty-four mothers (divided into equal-sized experimental and control groups), 32-47 years of age, with children aged 6-11 years old, were recruited from a pediatric outpatient department at a national university hospital. The experimental group was involved in four sessions of a 4-week social support program. Descriptive statistics were used for demographic characteristics. Chi-square tests and t-tests were used to evaluate group differences.
Results: The program significantly reduced mothers' stress and guilt and significantly increased their life satisfaction. No significant differences in changes in anxiety were reported between the groups.
Conclusions: This study confirms that the social support program was a useful nursing intervention for Korean mothers of children with precocious puberty, which can be extensively applied to help mothers in similar situations.
Practice Implications: The preliminary study findings may inform healthcare professionals to develop effective interventions to promote psychosocial well-being of mothers of children with precocious puberty through strengthening their social support and to further improve the quality of life of children with precocious puberty and their families.
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