I would like you to help write Chapter 1 Introduction, Chapter 2 Literature Review and Chapter 3 Methodology. Thank you very much.
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Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 Overview of parents or primary family caregivers of children with disabilities in Hong Kong
* Include statistic abut the number of population
* Definition of disabilities
* Reference regarding this type of caregivers’ stress
* Challenges these caregivers are facing
1.2 Need for Interventions
* The period of COVID-19 has led to a rise in using Zoom or other online platforms to deliver services
* Stress of parents/caregivers
* Scarce/insufficient services to support caregivers
1.3 Goals and Objectives of the Study
1.4 The significance of the study
Chapter 2 Literature Review
2.1 Stress and Stress Management
2.1.1 Definition of Stress
2.1.2 Stress management
2.1.3 Stress and emotion
2.1.4 Stress and self-compassion
2.1.5 Stress and mindfulness
2.1.6 Impacts of parental stress to children with disabilities
2.2 Expressive Arts Therapy
2.2.1 Definition of Expressive Arts Therapy
2.2.1.1 Core Principles
– Intermodal intervention
– low skill high sensitivity
– Aesthetic analysis
– Harvesting
2.2.1.2 Person-centred Expressive Arts Therapy
2.2.2 Expressive Arts Therapy and Stress / Stress management
2.3 Online Psychotherapy
* The application and effectiveness of existing online healthcare programs and psychotherapy services
* The feasibility of online psychotherapy and Expressive Arts therapy services
Chapter 3 Methodology
3.1 Participants
* 3 participants in total, all of them are mothers
* 2 of them in the intervention group, 1 of them in waitlist control group
3.2 Procedures
* Self-administration (all questionnaires)
* One participant from the intervention group attended the pre-group face-to-face meeting a week before the first session and completed the pre-test
* Another participant from the intervention group return the pre-test one day before the first session, and attended the face-to-face meeting after the first session (same day)
* Both participants from the intervention group attended all 6-sessions, and completed the post-test questionnaire after the last session (same day)
* Participants of the waitlist control group complete the pre-test
3.3 Measures
3.3.1 PSS-10
3.3.2 PANAS
3.3.3 SCS-C
3.4 Intervention
* I will write this part (Please skip this one)
3.5 Data Analysis
3.5.1 Quantitative
* SPSS 23
* Due to the relatively small number of data sample, the statistical distribution is assumed to be non-normal. For this reason, non-parametric statistical analysis strategy is adopted, with the use of Wilcoxon signed-rank test as the major means to determine the effectiveness of the expressive arts therapy intervention group on the major perimeters set for the study.
3.5.2 Qualitative – Application of Five-Star Assessment with Individuals in the Group
* Re-examine statistic result
* Understand the therapeutic process
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Name of the Study: The effects of online expressive arts therapy in stress management for the parents or primary family caregivers of children with disabilities in Hong Kong: A pilot study
A) Rationale:
Parents or primary family caregivers of children with disabilities are often responsible for providing support to children with a broad spectrum of financial, physical, psychological, and social elements; this caregiving process is demanding and stressful, which would undoubtedly influence the care condition and quality of life of the caregivers and the children.
Expressive Arts Therapy in a group setting is one way to reduce parents’ stress levels through the art-making process and mutual support network and companionship with group members.
On the other hand, during the pandemic period, parents or primary family caregivers, who likely have to cope with extra stressors, are at a greater risk of mental health issues. Meanwhile, due to the social distancing measures when the pandemic prevails in society, the application of online services becomes more and more prevalent. It is essential to look into the effectiveness of an online expressive arts therapy group.
B) Primary aim of the study:
This study aims to understand the effects of online expressive arts therapy group in:
a. Reducing parents’ perceived stress;
b. Raising their positive affect and alleviating negative affect;
c. Enhancing their self-compassion
C) Study Design and Data Analysis
This proposed pilot study will adopt both quantitative and qualitative frameworks. The quantitative analysis will include an intervention group and a waitlist control group. Participants will be randomized into two groups: an online intervention group, or a waitlist control group. Assessment will occur at baseline (T0) and post-intervention (T1). Between-groups and within-group analyses will be conducted. Statistical analysis will be made using SPSS V.23.0. The qualitative analysis will adopt the framework of the Arts Therapy Five-Point Start Assessment Tool, which helps re-examine the quantitative result and understand the therapeutic process by evaluating participants’ artworks and sharing in each session.
D) Inclusion criteria for participation:
Parents or primary family caregivers will enroll in the study of their own free choice. Participants who (1) age 18 or above; (2) live with the children with disabilities, (3) report experiencing stress in the previous one month, and (4) understand as well as be able to communicate with Cantonese can join the study.
E) Exclusion criteria for participation:
Participants with severe visual impairment, severe hearing impairment, cognitive impairment, and/or mental disorders will be excluded from the study.
F) Recruitment
Participants will be recruited from a local parents/relatives resource centre. The promotion materials will include posters and posts on the centre’s website, public and social media, and promotion boards in the centre, to introduce the goals, duration, length of each session, and research methods of the study. Therefore, potential participants will have an idea about the study when they register to take part in it.
G) Consent
Written consent will be obtained before any screening activities occur. Participants who cannot meet the inclusion criteria will be screened out. Following the screening, participants will be randomized into two groups, and the result will be announced before the pre-group meeting.
H) Procedures
All participants from the two groups will be invited to join the face-to-face pre-group meeting. In the pre-group meeting, the researcher will reiterate the study details and the participants’ rights to opt out of the study at any time without providing any reason. Each participant will be given a pseudonym.
The researcher will collect the participants’ demographics, such as gender, age, marital status, working status, education level, family monthly income, and family composition. All participants have to self-administer the pre-test questionnaire. The researcher will contact participants who are unable to attend the face-to-face pre-group meeting.
Participants in the waitlist control group can continue to receive regular services from the centre. Besides, they can join the intervention group in the next quarter after the intervention group has completed the research activities.
After the six-week intervention, all participants from the two groups have to complete a set of self-rated questionnaires. Participants in the online-intervention group will complete the questionnaires at the end of the final session. Participants who are unable to complete the post-test questionnaire in the final session can complete the questionnaire and return it in one week. Those in the waitlist control group will be invited to attend a meeting to complete the post-test questionnaire in the same week. The researcher will contact participants individually who are unable to attend the intervention groups’ final session or the waitlist control group meeting.
The researcher will facilitate data collection by reading aloud questions to participants who are unable to read or prefer to have the questions read to them. Demonstration on how to select responses by circling or ticking will be given.
I) Measures
Pre-post questionnaire surveys will be conducted to understand the following aspects:
1) participants’ sociodemographic characteristics (pre-test questionnaire only),
2) their self-perceived stress by using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10),
3) their positive and negative affect by using PANAS,
4) their subjective self-compassionate situation by using SCS-C, and
5) total satisfaction towards the group (post-test questionnaires only).