The impact of caregiver burden on the anxiety of parents of pediatric patients with SMA Type 1

It is well-known that the increased caregiving burden for parents raising a child with SMA can lead to psychological issues. It is important to investigate how caregiving burden is associated with anxiety to identify parents’ psychosocial needs. This study examined the impact of caregiver burden on anxiety experienced by parents of pediatric patients with SMA. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the caregiving burden and anxiety levels among parents of children diagnosed with SMA Type 1. This study is descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational. The study sample consisted of 100 parents of pediatric patients with a diagnosis of SMA Type 1 who were undergoing treatment at a foundation university hospital’s pediatric department in Istanbul. Data were collected between August 2024 and May 2025. Data were gathered via in-person interviews using the “Parental Demographic Information Form,” the “Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale,” and the “State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.” SPSS Statistics version 22.0 was used to analyze the data. The mean total scores of caregiving burden, state anxiety and trait anxiety were 49.03 ± 12.38, 42.97 ± 6.71 and 44.05 ± 4.94, respectively. A positive and significant correlation was found between caregiver burden and state anxiety scores ( r = 0.224, p = 0.025), as well as a moderate and significant correlation between caregiver burden and trait anxiety scores ( r = 0.328, p = 0.001). It was found that care burden scores varied significantly depending on parental role, monthly income, and whether the marriage was between relatives ( p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were found in caregiving burden and anxiety levels based on other demographic characteristics ( p > 0.05). Significant positive correlations were found between parents’ caregiving burden and their levels of state and trait anxiety. These results underscore the importance of developing social and psychosocial support programs for parents of pediatric patients with SMA Type 1. Not applicable.