• Change in participation using the Participation Survey- Mobility (PARTS-M) [ Time Frame: Prior to first session of the PSMP group and 4 weeks after the initial session of the PSMP group. ]
  The PARTS/M is a reliable and valid self-report survey that assesses the participation of people with mobility limitations in various life activities and the impact of common environmental factors on participation (Gray, Hollingsworth, Stark, & Morgan, 2006). For the purposes of the PSMP, a modified version of the Parenting section of the PARTS/M was used. Participants were asked how often they participate in parenting activities, their evaluation of their participation (importance, choice, satisfaction, and control), the number and value of supports they may use, and the influence of pain and fatigue on their participation in parenting activities.
• Change in self-efficacy using the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) [ Time Frame: Prior to first session of the PSMP group and 4 weeks after the initial session of the PSMP group. ]
  The GSE was used to determine any influence of the program on participants' self-efficacy. Total score ranges from 10-40 with higher values indicating better outcome.

• Demographic items [ Time Frame: Prior to first session of the PSMP group and 4 weeks after the initial session of the PSMP group as needed. ]
  Age, gender, race, marital status, education level, living situation, income, benefits received, diagnosis associated with SCI/D, time with disability, additional impairments, secondary conditions (pain & fatigue), health status, mobility device use, personal assistance use
• Parenting tasks [ Time Frame: Prior to first session of the PSMP group ]
  Asked about number of children, ages, ages when acquired disability and open ended questions about most important and most difficulty task, use of strategies and assistance received when children were at various stages.
• Skills and Knowledge [ Time Frame: Prior to first session of the PSMP group and 4 weeks after the initial session of the PSMP group. ]
  Participants were asked to rate their knowledge of topics that were going to be included in the PSMP on a 0-10 scale.

• Demographic items [ Time Frame: Prior to first session of the PSMP group and 4 weeks after the initial session of the PSMP group as needed. ]
  Age, gender, race, marital status, education level, living situation, income, benefits received, diagnosis associated with SCI/D, time with disability, additional impairments, secondary conditions (pain & fatigue), health status, mobility device use, personal assistance use
• Hope Scale [ Time Frame: Prior to first session of the PSMP group and 4 weeks after the initial session of the PSMP group. ]
  10 items on scale of "not at all true" to "exactly true".
• Parenting tasks [ Time Frame: Prior to first session of the PSMP group ]
  Asked about number of children, ages, ages when acquired disability and open ended questions about most important and most difficulty task, use of strategies and assistance received when children were at various stages.
• Skills and Knowledge [ Time Frame: Prior to first session of the PSMP group and 4 weeks after the initial session of the PSMP group. ]
  Participants were asked to rate their knowledge of topics that were going to be included in the PSMP on a 0-10 scale.

The project used a self-management approach grounded in self-efficacy theory to increase parenting self-efficacy among persons with spinal cord injury/disease (SCI/D). Program content focused on skill building through opportunities to master techniques and strategies; role modeling, problem solving, decision making, goal setting, and provision of reliable information. The use of a self-management program may also place parents with SCI/D at ease in sharing needs, as it is not an expert model by which a professional is passing judgment on their ability to care for their children. Many parents with disabilities are hesitant to seek professional services for fear of negative consequences such as losing custody of their children. Developing a program that is conducted as a partnership whereby parents direct much of the pace and content may be considered less threatening and more beneficial to those who have experienced distrust of the healthcare system.

There are no other self-management programs that specifically address the needs of parents with SCI/D. The project created a self-management program that was piloted in the St. Louis region and can be replicated across the country among other communities. While the national coordination center for families with disabilities, Through the Looking Glass, provides resource materials to parents across the country, they do not provide a structure for individual problem solving and to meet the needs of parents SCI/D on an individualized level. Providing a format for parents with SCI/D to successfully fulfill their parenting roles has a highly significant social implication; parents will be equipped to meet potential challenges and enjoy participation in their families. Limiting discrimination in the courts, seeking school accessibility, or simply decreasing pain while holding an infant are all worthy goals that could be achieved through a self-management parenting program.

Project Aims

1. To develop a four-week self-management program for parents with SCI/D to meet their needs in the parenting role and the needs of their families
2. To aid parents with SCI/D in building the skills and resources needed to continue or begin parenting in a successful manner
3. To disseminate the PSMP content to other regions, disability organizations, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) chapters, healthcare organizations, and parenting groups to be replicated
4. To build a sustainable format for meeting the needs of parents with SCI/D that can be replicated and continued across the U.S.

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• Signore C, Spong CY, Krotoski D, Shinowara NL, Blackwell SC. Pregnancy in women with physical disabilities. Obstet Gynecol. 2011 Apr;117(4):935-947. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e3182118d59. Review.
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Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18 or older, parent/guardian/grandparent with diagnosis of SCI/D, community dwelling, able to read at or above sixth grade level and either newly injured (sustained SCI in last year) or self-identified as being less experienced in their parenting role.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Individuals were excluded if they were under age 18, did not have SCI/D, were not a parent/guardian/grandparent or lived in an institution.

A convenience sampling method was used to recruit participants through distribution of flyers at rehabilitation facilities, independent living centers and word of mouth