Saudi Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences (SJHSS)
Volume-9 | Issue-06 | 181-195
Original Research Article
Understanding the State of Research Evidence Involving Parents of Children with Cerebral Palsy in the Arab Contexts: A Scoping Review
Ashwaq Alqahtani, Sumaya Mehelay, Siona Phadke, Danielle Macdonald, Heather Aldersey, Amanda Ross-White, Afolasade Fakolade
Published : June 13, 2024
Abstract
Raising a child with cerebral palsy (CP) can be both rewarding and challenging. Family caregivers, typically parents, play an important role in supporting and caring for children with CP. Research on CP family caregiving is growing, but Arab parental caregiving appears absent from this body of work. The objective was to map the scope of the existing literature about parents of children with CP in Arab contexts to identify gaps in knowledge and guide future research. This scoping review was conducted following the JBI methodology. Five major health-related databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, Global Health, APA Psycinfo) and two general search engines and directories (Google Scholar and Ulrichsweb) were searched. We selected peer-reviewed studies that included parents of children with CP in Arab countries, regardless of publication date or study design. The search included literature published in Arabic and English. We identified ten studies that met our criteria and were published between 2013 and 2022. Across all studies, mothers were the most reported primary caregivers. Four studies reported tasks performed by parental caregivers, including but not limited to transferring, dressing, transportation, and feeding. The included studies explored the financial, social, and information needs of the parents. Studies focused primarily on caregiver burden or other negative consequences of caregiving. Parents in one study only reported increased resilience as a positive consequence. In addition, no studies included interventions. Research on parental caregiving in the Arab context is limited. Further studies are necessary to explore the unique needs and experiences of Arab CP caregivers.