Mother’s participation in health-promoting activities is one of the strongest factors of mental health

 

'...service systems and professionals can change what and how they provide services for families of children with disabilities, so that they are more effective'

By Helen Bourke-Taylor, MONASH University, Victoria, Australia

Mothers of school-aged children with disabilities often face numerous challenges, including sometimes difficult caregiving duties on top of their other life roles (working, caring for others). Researchers have reported that mothers of children with disabilities experience significantly higher stress levels and have more mental health issues than mothers of typically developing children.

Several factors were challenging to mothers including, challenging behavior exhibited by child with disability, having younger children in the family, sleep interruption, and the inability to work as desired due to caregiver duties.

 

The four strongest factors of maternal mental health identified in the research were:

 

1.  
   1. The frequency of mothers’ participation in health-promoting activities (e.g., active and passive recreational pursuits, time with socially supportive others, time out and actively planning healthy lifestyle choices);
   2. Maternal empowerment over their child’s disability, needs and family matters (e.g., access to information about their child’s condition and service needs);
   3. The child’s emotional functioning; and
   4. The degree to which the child’s service needs were unmet.

There is a common belief that the challenges faced by mothers of children with disability stem from grief and sadness related to their child’s disability.

However, the current research did not show this. Instead, the research suggests there are a number of other factors that influence maternal mental health and wellbeing.

This is important because service systems and professionals can change what and how they provide services for families of children with disabilities, so that they are more effective.

To learn more about these findings contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Full Journal Article: Bourke-Taylor, H., Pallant, J. F., Law, M., & Howie, L. (2012). Predicting mental health among mothers of school-aged children with developmental disabilities: The relative contribution of child, maternal and environmental factors. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 33(6), 1732–1740.