MOTHERS REPORT OF STRESSFUL EXPERIENCES RELATED TO HAVING A CHILD WITH A PHYSICAL-DISABILITY

In this study, we delineated the types of psychosocial stressors experienced by mothers of children with chronic physical conditions. One hundred nineteen mothers, each having a child between 2 and 18 years of age with a motor or sensory disability, were asked on three occasions to describe the most bothersome thing that had happened to them related to their child's disability. A content analysis was then performed on the 246 independent responses to this request. On this basis, four general domains of concern were delineated: medical and legal concerns, concerns for the child, concerns for the family, and concerns for the self. Each domain can be further divided into three to five more specific areas of concern. None of the demographic variables evaluated were found to associate with the type of concern reported. However, specifics of the child's condition were found to be related to the types of problems described. Mothers who reported problems in the area of concerns for the self also reported poorer physical health. However, neither maternal mental health nor maternal physical health were found to be related to other types of concern reported by the mother.