A pre-test and post-test study of the physical and psychological effects of out-of-home respite care on caregivers of children with life-threatening conditions

Background:Respite services are recommended as an important support for caregivers of children with life-threatening conditions. However, the benefits of respite have not been convincingly demonstrated through quantitative research.Aim:To determine the impact of out-of home respite care on levels of fatigue, psychological adjustment, quality of life and relationship satisfaction among caregivers of children with life-threatening conditions.Design:A mixed-methods, pre-test and post-test studySetting/participants:A consecutive sample of 58 parental caregivers whose children were admitted to a children’s hospice for out-of-home respite over an average of 4 days.Results:Caregivers had below-standard levels of quality of life compared to normative populations. Paired t-tests demonstrated that caregivers’ average psychological adjustment scores significantly improved from pre-respite (mean = 13.9, standard error = 0.71) to post-respite (mean = 10.7, standard error = 1); p < 0.001, 95% confidence interval: 1.25–...