This project aims to design and implement a Carer Aromatherapy Training (CAT) program, guided by the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation and Behaviour (COM-B) model, to empower carers with safe and effective aromatherapy practices.
Methods This study will employ a mixed-methods approach to explore behavioural changes and the experience of adopting the CAT programme among parents of children with physical disabilities in Hong Kong. Around 30 carers (preferably parents) of children with global developmental delay from different districts of Hong Kong will be recruited to participate in CAT Program. Following participants' consent to participate, a a one-day (8-hour) face-to-face training program will be given to carers being recruited in the study.
One session of introduction will be given to staffs by certified IFPA aromatherapy nurse in centres on the first session of training programme for introducing the theories of aromatherapy, the possible benefit behind and safety issues they must be aware of. Afterwards, massage sessions will be demonstrated with standardised effleurage, on abdomen and four limbs and return demonstrated.
After the training program, each carer is required to provide a 4-week aromatherapy massage to his/her child (twice per week for around 10-15 minutes).
Qualitative data will be collected from semi-structured interviews and focus groups with questions set based on COM-B framework. Quantitative data will be collected through pre- and post-training surveys and analysed using descriptive statistics and t-test to measure changes in carers motivation and behaviour before and after the CAT programme intervention.
Expected Outcomes and implications Integration of findings will provide a comprehensive understanding of the training's impact. The study is expected to demonstrate that behaviourally-informed training can improve care delivery, to strengthen workforce resilience and improve care quality.
Carer aged 18 or above (preferably parents) with children having global developmental delay.
Carers who has not received any aromatherapy training.
Carers cannot communicate with English or Chinese.
Single group
Carer Aromatherapy Training (CAT) program and home massage with massage oil with the mixture of Petitgrain Mandarin (Citrus reticulate) essential oil and fractionated coconut oil
Other interventionCarer Aromatherapy Training (CAT) program Following participants' consent to participate, an 8-hour face-to-face training program will be given to carers being recruited in the study. The program consists of three modules: (1) Introduction of aromatherapy massage with safety concerns, (2) demonstration of massag steps and (3) return demonstration. One session of introduction will be given to staffs by certified IFPA aromatherapy nurse in centres on the first session of training programme for introducing the theories of aromatherapy, the possible benefit behind and safety issues they must be aware of. Afterwards, massage sessions will be demonstrated with standardised effleurage, which mould our hands to the shape of the body being massaged on abdomen and four limbs and return demonstrated. After the training program, each carer is required to provide a 4-week aromatherapy massage to his/her child (twice per week for around 10-15 minutes).
To explore the behaviour change and the experience of adopting CAT programme among parents with children suffer physical disability in Hong Kong.
Measurements The Capacity, Opportunity and Motivation Behaviour (COM-B) model is a theoretical framework for understanding and supporting behaviour change, consisting of six components that are hypothesised to drive behaviour change, namely capacity (physical capability and psychological capability), opportunity (physical opportunity and social opportunity) and motivation (reflective motivation and automatic motivation). This design allows for a comprehensive understanding of behavioural changes among carers by first identifying measurable outcomes and then exploring the underlying experiences and contextual factors.
Explore the behaviour change and the experience of adopting CAT programme among parents with children suffer physical disability in Hong Kong.
MeasurementsThe Capacity, Opportunity and Motivation Behaviour (COM-B) model is a theoretical framework for understanding and supporting behaviour change, consisting of six components that are hypothesised to drive behaviour change, namely capacity (physical capability and psychological capability), opportunity (physical opportunity and social opportunity) and motivation (reflective motivation and automatic motivation). This design allows for a comprehensive understanding of behavioural changes among carers by first identifying measurable outcomes and then exploring the underlying experiences and contextual factors.
Psychosocial well-being on parents
The secondary outcome is parental stress, assessed using the Chinese version of the Parenting Stress Index (PSI-SF, 4th version) before and after the intervention.Parenting stress level was assessed using the Chinese version of the Parenting Stress Index (PSI-SF) (4th version), which has been validated as an appropriate tool for measuring parenting stress among Chinese mothers in Hong Kong, with a reliability coefficient of 0.93. The PSI-SF (4th version) consists of 3 subscales and 36 items in total, with 12 items in each of the 3 subscales): difficult child (DC), parental distress (PD), and parent-child dysfunctional interaction (P-CDI). A 5-point Likert-type scale is used, ranging from 1 (strongly agree) to 5 (strongly disagree) with a total score ranging from 36-180. The overall reliability of the Chinese version of the PSI-SF was 0.89. A total raw score of ≥ 90 (i.e., at or above the 90th percentile) indicates significant stress in the parent-child dyad.
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