A Study on the Stress Level from Caregivers of Children with Developmental Delay Using Data Mining Technique

• Main Authors: Da-Jou Guan, 官大州
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/hhv73j

碩士 === 國立虎尾科技大學 === 工業工程與管理研究所 === 94 === This study mainly discusses the illnesses that result in a child’s development delay, the levels of delay, the types of delay, and which type of stress is affecting caregivers due to these illnesses of a developmentally delayed child. Moreover, this study examines the correlations among different types of delays, and between these delay types and the sources of the stress problem. Simultaneously, this study also provides aftercare resources, rehabilitation information, and common sense to help stress relief of main caregivers of children with each type and level of developmental delay. After conducting data analysis applying decision tree and association rule of data mining technique through questionnaires and hospital database, the results indicate that, first of all, the accuracy of the rule for applying decision tree to mining classifications of delay levels is 89.33%. From the classification results, children with minor levels of delay takes the lead, which has 92 pieces of data, followed by those of intermediate delays with 41 pieces, showing that the majority of developmentally delayed children has minor developmental delays. Secondly, the accuracy of the rule for applying decision tree to mining classifications of stress of caregivers is 65.33%, with research results of correct number of cases being 98. From classifying results of stress sources, caregivers receive most of their stress from “caring for children”, which takes 67 pieces of data, indicating that caregivers feel most stressful from “caring for children”. Concerning the correlation analysis of delay types and stress sources, under the condition of a child exhibiting delays in language, motor, social-emotional, and adaptive/self-help skills, caregivers will feel more stressful from “caring for children” with a reliability of 70.6%, indicating a very close correlation. Conducting data analysis of hospital database research results using decision tree for mining classifications of delay types, the results shows that 292 pieces of data are the correct classification cases, with rule accuracy of 56.59%. As for the delay types of the developmentally-delayed children, those exhibit “cognitive, language, and motor delays” are the majority, taking 153 pieces; followed by those with “language delays”, taking 110 pieces. Regarding the association rule of delay types, a close correlation exists among cognitive, language, and motor delays, with 97.8% reliability. The results of this study suggest appropriate intervention service programs based on individual levels and types of developmental delays in hopes to decrease the delay levels as soon as possible. Also, it is recommended in this study that caregivers should attempt to reduce their stress through “working together”, “joining support groups”, “doing proper leisure activities”, “establishing sufficient care knowledge”, and “seeking helps from professional psychological services” and cope with their everyday activities and routines with positive and optimistic attitudes.