Stress and coping strategies among the mothers of children with intellectual disability

Mothers are the primary caregivers to most of the children with intellectual disabilities. Major issues of concern for the mothers include, reduced quality time available for other family members, financial constraints either due to co-morbid conditions of the child or the other additional expenditures also prove to be taxing for the family as a whole and the mother in specific. Behavioural problems, also contribute to their emotional concerns. Overall the consequences of their role both as a mother and as a care giver to their child with intellectual disability can be seen on the family as a whole but maximum on they themselves. The extensive care giving generates stress among the mothers and they may have significantly more negative emotional state and depressive symptoms. Thus there is a need for appropriate coping strategies. Social support and social resources may contribute not only to coping but may also be helpful in addressing the issues that arise due to disability of their child. This paper outlines the level of stress and coping strategies among the mothers of children with intellectual disabilities. A total of 27 mothers of children with intellectual disability were taken up as a sample for this study. Parenting Stress Index, (Abidin, Richard R., 1995) and Coping for Adults (Frydenberg Erica & Lewis Ramon, 1997) were used to measure the stress and coping strategies among the mothers of children with intellectual disability. The data was analyzed using frequency method. The results showed that score of 100% of mothers in the three groups of children namely(i) mental retardation, (ii) mental retardation and autism & mental retardation, cerebral palsy and visual impairment, had significant level of stress. In coping strategies out of nineteen coping strategies only ten were being used by the mothers under study. Seeking spiritual support was being used most often by majority of the mothers.