Bibliotherapy-Based Psychoeducation for Parents of Children With Special Needs

April 17, 2026 updated by: Rojinda Ucak, Yuzuncu Yil University

The Effects of a Bibliotherapy-Based Psychoeducation Program on the Parenting Perception of Parents of Children With Special Needs

This study aims to investigate the effects of a bibliotherapy-based psychoeducation program on parenting stress and parental stigma among parents of children with special needs. The program is designed to provide emotional support, reduce caregiving-related stress, and decrease feelings of shame or self-blame linked to stigma. We will compare the results of parents who participate in the program with those who do not, to evaluate whether the program improves psychological well-being and parenting perceptions.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Parents of children with special needs often experience high levels of emotional and physical stress due to the unique caregiving demands placed upon them. In addition to this stress, many parents struggle with feelings of shame, self-blame, and social isolation linked to stigma-both from society and internalized beliefs. These challenges can negatively affect their mental health, parenting confidence, and overall well-being.

This study investigates whether a psychoeducation program based on bibliotherapy-a therapeutic approach that uses storytelling and literature to promote emotional healing-can provide meaningful support to parents in these circumstances. The program involves specially selected books and guided discussions that encourage reflection, self-awareness, and emotional expression, helping parents better cope with their experiences.

The study is a single group pre-post test trial conducted with parents of children diagnosed with special needs. Participants are selected based on their voluntary. The program consists of a series of structured sessions that combine reading materials with group discussions and psychoeducational content delivered by trained professionals.

The main outcomes assessed in the study include:

Parenting Stress: The level of stress related specifically to the role of being a parent.

Parental Stigma: Feelings of shame, guilt, or self-judgment related to societal or internalized stigma.

Validated scales and questionnaires are used to measure these outcomes before and after the intervention. The study aims to demonstrate that the bibliotherapy-based approach can reduce stress and stigma while supporting healthier self-perception in parents.

By integrating literature into emotional support, this project seeks to offer a creative, accessible, and culturally adaptable method for improving the well-being of parents of children with special needs.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

10

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Parent or legal guardian of a child diagnosed with special needs (e.g., developmental disability, autism, chronic illness).
  • Aged 18 years or older.
  • Willing to participate in a bibliotherapy-based psychoeducation program.
  • Able to read and understand the language used in the intervention materials.
  • Provides informed consent to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Currently receiving structured psychological therapy for parenting stress or parental stigma.
  • Has a diagnosed severe mental health condition (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder) that may interfere with participation.
  • Inability to attend scheduled intervention sessions.
  • Cognitive impairment that prevents understanding the study materials.
  • Refusal or inability to provide informed consent.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intervention Group - Bibliotherapy-Based Psychoeducation
This arm includes all study participants who receive the bibliotherapy-based psychoeducation program. The intervention consists of a series of structured group sessions facilitated by a trained mental health professional. Each session incorporates selected literary readings (e.g., stories, narratives, reflective texts) followed by guided group discussions, emotional processing activities, and coping strategy exercises. The program aims to reduce parenting stress, lessen internalized stigma, and enhance positive self-perception of parenting. No control or comparison arm is used in this single-group, pretest-posttest design.
Other: Bibliotherapy-Based Psychoeducation Program
This intervention is a structured, bibliotherapy-based psychoeducation program specifically designed for parents of children with special needs. Unlike traditional psychoeducation, this program integrates selected literary materials such as short stories, narratives, and reflective texts to facilitate emotional expression, self-reflection, and shared discussion. The program is delivered in group sessions led by a trained mental health professional and includes guided reading, interactive discussions, and coping strategy exercises. The focus is on reducing parenting stress and internalized stigma while improving self-perception in the parenting role. No pharmacological treatment or standard educational content is included in this intervention, making it distinct from other clinical or therapeutic programs.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Parental Stigma Level
Time Frame: Baseline (Pretest) and immediately after completion of the intervention (Posttest)
Parental stigma, including self-blame and shame related to having a child with special needs, will be measured using a validated instrument (e.g., Parental Stigma Scale or adapted tool). This measure assesses whether the psychoeducation program reduces perceived stigma among participating parents.
Baseline (Pretest) and immediately after completion of the intervention (Posttest)
Parenting Stress Level
Time Frame: Baseline (Pretest) and immediately after completion of the intervention (Posttest)
The level of parenting stress will be measured using a validated scale (e.g., Parenting Stress Index - Short Form) before and after the intervention. The primary goal is to assess whether the bibliotherapy-based psychoeducation program reduces parenting stress among parents of children with special needs.
Baseline (Pretest) and immediately after completion of the intervention (Posttest)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Yuzuncu Yil University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

December 20, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

May 30, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

May 30, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 17, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 17, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

April 24, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 24, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 17, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2024/13-36

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

IPD Plan Description

A decision regarding IPD sharing has not yet been finalized.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Parental Stress

Clinical Trials on Bibliotherapy-Based Psychoeducation Program

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Mongolia

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe