Effects of a Self-Efficacy Enhancement Program on Caregiving Competency among Caregivers of Patients with Terminal Cancer at Banpong Hospital

Abstract

         Background: Cancer is the leading cause of death in Thailand. Caregivers of terminally ill cancer patients at home often face challenges including lack of knowledge and skills in patient care, low confidence in their abilities, and stress from caregiving. Enhancing self-efficacy is a crucial strategy for developing caregivers' competency.

         Objective: To compare mean self-efficacy scores and caregiving competency scores among caregivers of patients with terminal cancer before and after participating in a self-efficacy enhancement program.

         Methods: A quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was conducted with 30 caregivers of patients with terminal cancer at Banpong Hospital. Participants received a self-efficacy enhancement program developed based on Bandura's self-efficacy theory, consisting of four sessions over six weeks. Data were collected using a self-efficacy scale and a caregiving competency assessment tool. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-test.

         Results: Caregivers' mean self-efficacy scores increased significantly from a moderate level before the program (x̄ = 2.91, SD = 0.62) to a high level after the program (x̄ = 4.22, SD = 0.54) (t = 12.16, p < .001). Mean caregiving competency scores also increased significantly from a moderate level (x̄ = 2.83, SD = 0.65) to a high level (x̄ = 4.29, SD = 0.51) (t = 12.70, p < .001).

         Conclusion: The self-efficacy enhancement program improved both self-efficacy and caregiving competency among caregivers of patients with terminal cancer. These findings can be applied to enhance the quality of home-based palliative care and may serve as a framework for developing caregiver support programs in other contexts.