Impact of the Family-Centered Early Intervention Program Good Start on Psychosocial Constructs Related to Quality of Life in Parents of Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Pre-Post-Follow-Up Study

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the four-day family-centered early intervention program Good Start on psychosocial constructs related to quality of life in parents of children with cerebral palsy.

Parental well-being, life satisfaction, sense of coherence, parenting efficacy, and family empowerment were assessed using recognized scales in a pre-post-follow-up design involving 38 parents.

Measurements at baseline, three weeks, and six months post-program showed statistically significant improvements over time in most outcomes, except for the Efficacy and Family Empowerment Subscales immediately after the program. At six months, all outcomes except the Family Subscale showed sustained improvement.

The findings suggest that Good Start is associated with positive changes in parental well-being, life satisfaction, sense of coherence, and parenting efficacy. Overall, family empowerment ratings were relatively high, which indicates a solid foundation of perceived capacity and confidence among families. This study indicates that a brief, family-centered intervention may be associated with psychosocial changes similar to those observed in longer programs. Studies with larger samples and including control factors are needed to confirm the study’s findings.