I Duvdevany1, S Abboud. 1. School of Social Work, Faculty of Welfare and Health Studies, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The present study examined the influence of a social support system on the level of stress and the sense of personal well-being of 100 Israeli Arab mothers of young children with special needs. METHODS: Fifty mothers were served by the welfare services in the Nazareth area while 50 did not get help on a regular basis. A comparison was done between educated, urban mothers, and less-educated, rural mothers. RESULTS: The research results point to a relationship between informal support resources, and the marital and economic stress of the mothers: the higher the amount of the informal support resources, the lower the level of stress that was experienced by the mothers. A relationship between the amount of informal support and level of parental stress was not confirmed. A relationship between the amount of support resources and the personal well-being of the mothers was found: the higher the amount of informal support resources, the higher the sense of well-being of the mothers. A relationship between formal support (the welfare services), and level of stress or personal well-being was not found. Education and place of living were not related to level of stress or personal well-being. Educated mothers from urban areas used the formal support (the welfare services) less than less-educated mothers who lived in rural areas. CONCLUSIONS: The findings are interpreted with respect to practice and previous studies.
BACKGROUND: The present study examined the influence of a social support system on the level of stress and the sense of personal well-being of 100 Israeli Arab mothers of young children with special needs. METHODS: Fifty mothers were served by the welfare services in the Nazareth area while 50 did not get help on a regular basis. A comparison was done between educated, urban mothers, and less-educated, rural mothers. RESULTS: The research results point to a relationship between informal support resources, and the marital and economic stress of the mothers: the higher the amount of the informal support resources, the lower the level of stress that was experienced by the mothers. A relationship between the amount of informal support and level of parental stress was not confirmed. A relationship between the amount of support resources and the personal well-being of the mothers was found: the higher the amount of informal support resources, the higher the sense of well-being of the mothers. A relationship between formal support (the welfare services), and level of stress or personal well-being was not found. Education and place of living were not related to level of stress or personal well-being. Educated mothers from urban areas used the formal support (the welfare services) less than less-educated mothers who lived in rural areas. CONCLUSIONS: The findings are interpreted with respect to practice and previous studies.