Impact of gluten-free diet on parental depression and perceived stress in children with celiac disease: a Prospective Study from Turkey

Abstract

Abstract Celiac disease (CD) has a substantial impact on caregivers since parental involvement is inevitable in a gluten-free diet (GFD). This study aims to compare the alteration in depression and perceived stress levels in parents of children with CD within 6 months of GFD. Parents of 104 pre-treatment children with CD were included. Beck depression inventory (BDI) and perceived stress scale (PSS) were applied to parents before and after treatment. BDI and PSS scores lowered significantly. Final PSS scores were higher in working mothers, parents with higher education, higher income and parents of symptomatic patients. This study highlights the need for psychosocial support in CD.