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  • Review: mothers of children with physical or mental disabilities experience emotional compromise between acceptance and denial

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Qualitative
Review: mothers of children with physical or mental disabilities experience emotional compromise between acceptance and denial

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebn.6.1.29

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    Nelson AM.A metasynthesis: mothering other-than-normal children.Qual Health Res2002 ;12:515–30OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science

    QUESTION: What are the experiences of mothers of children with physical or mental disabilities?

    Data sources

    Studies were identified by searching CINAHL, Medline, PsycINFO, ERIC, Sociological Abstracts, and Dissertation Abstracts.

    Study selection

    Qualitative studies about mothering children with physical or mental disabilities were selected. Children could be of any age and have any condition.

    Data extraction

    Key phrases, themes, concepts, or metaphors from each study were listed and juxtaposed in tables. Studies were translated into one another and synthesised.

    Main findings

    12 studies were included. The process of mothering entailed 4 steps. (1) Becoming the mother of a disabled child. Timing: mothers of newborns with obvious anomalies held diminished roles as staff cared for their infants. Mothers felt frustrated when staff made decisions about their ability to cope and when staff provided a false protection. When a child’s disability was discovered, mothers had to deal with the loss of the “normal” child and acceptance of a different child. Emotions: emotions commonly expressed by mothers were injustice, fear, anxiety, grief, shock, disappointment, despair, …

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    Footnotes

    • For correspondence: Dr A M Nelson. Department of Nursing, St Joseph College, West Hartford, CT, USA. anelson{at}sjc.edu

    • Source of funding: not stated.