Parents' Perception of Self-Management Behaviors for Their Children With Spina Bifida in South Korea: A Qualitative Study

Purpose This study aimed to explore parents' perceptions of self-management behaviors for their children with spina bifida (SB). Design Qualitative method. Methods In-depth interviews were conducted with nine Korean parents of children with SB. The data were analyzed using the content analysis method. Findings Parental perceptions of the experiences of self-management behaviors in children with SB were classified into risk factors that hinder self-management behaviors and protective factors that accelerate them. Each category of factors was then further classified into child-, parent-, and school-related factors. Conclusions To promote self-management behaviors in children with SB, reducing risk factors and promoting protective factors considering child, family, and school dimensions based on cultural differences are necessary. Clinical Relevance Rehabilitation nurses should be considered essential healthcare providers who can offer stepwise guidance to achieve self-management behaviors in children with SB according to their stage of development.