Parents living with a child or adolescent with a chronic condition experience wide-ranging demands and an increased risk of health problems. Their social support resources serve as a protective factor and can help to moderate the health effects of stressful situations associated with caregiving. This intervention study tested the impact of a 12-week telephone peer support group intervention for parents in a randomized trial. The support group parents described their experiences and perceptions of the impact of the intervention in weekly diaries and in interviews at three points over the 6 months following the intervention. Parents described increased social support, enhanced coping, increased sense of confidence, and changed outlook, family activities and relationships, and health care encounters. The vast majority were satisfied with the support groups. The telephone support groups tested in this study may improve the day-to-day quality of life for parents and diminish the risk of long-term negative health effects of caregiving.
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