Compliance with eye patching in children and its psychosocial effects: A qualitative application of protection motivation theory

A qualitative investigation was conducted to explore, from the parents' perspective, the psychological effects of eye patching children and issues affecting compliance with the treatment for amblyopia. Protection motivation theory (PMT; Rogers, 1983) was employed as a conceptual framework from which to formulate questions for semi-structured interviews. A total of 20 families attending outpatient appointments at an orthoptic clinic agreed to participate. The application of PMT played a useful role in delineating the dynamic relationship between parents' perceptions of amblyopia and their ability to undertake the treatment. Parents were cognisant of the efficacy of patching for their child's condition and this was linked to the perceived severity and consequences of the condition, with a high value placed on having good visual ability in both eyes. However, due to the level of psychological distress associated with patching for both the child and parents, regular compliance was often difficult to achieve. These issues require further exploration before decisions on the future of screening and treating amblyopia in pre-school children can be made.