Education and Self-efficacy of Mothers Regarding Alerting Signs in Children Less than Five Years in Arak, Iran

Introduction: Many ill children have symptoms and signs, some of which are dangerous. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of education on self-efficacy of mothers about alerting signs in children less than five years. Methods: This interventional, semi-experimental study was conducted on 116 mothers with children under five years old, referring for treatment to six health centers in Arak, Iran. Data was collected using multistage sampling, with the completion of a researchermade valid and reliable questionnaire together with interviews. Then, based on this questionnaire, results that was training needs assessment selected educational ways and designed educational program. Educational intervention in the case group was established during the four learning sessions and was conducted posttest by questionnaire completion, three months after the educational intervention. Finally, data were analyzed by SPSS software in significance level of P > 0.05. Results: Findings showed that the average scores of mothers' self-efficacy in intervention and control groups did not have a meaningful relationship before the intervention, using independent t-test (P < 0.05), but there was a meaningful relationship between them after the intervention by paired t-test (P > 0.001). This difference in the intervention group was three times more. conclusions: Based on the results of this study, educational intervention on initial assessment was effective in improving mothers' self-efficacy about alerting signs in children, and helpful training programscan be designed based on that.