Annette V Joosten1, Anneleise P Safe. 1. School of Occupational Therapy and Social Work, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM: Mothering children with autism results in mothers spending more time on daily tasks as well as managing the disorder. The need for mothers to self-manage often increases when the child is school aged. Mothers develop strategies, and occupational therapists and other health professional rely on or expect mothers to be involved in meeting the extra needs of their children with autism and other family members. Little is known about the strategies adopted by the mothers. The aim of this study was to explore the strategies mothers used to manage their roles and emotions, and their child's behaviours. METHOD: In-depth individual interviews were conducted with seven mothers and data were analysed in this qualitative study using phenomenological analysis. RESULTS: Findings revealed that the mothers had adopted strategies to manage their roles, their emotions and their child's behaviour. However, the strategies were often shaped by the expectations of others or circumstances beyond their control and at times added further to their stress. CONCLUSIONS: Mothers of children with autism developed strategies to self-manage their lives and their child's disorder. However, even when these strategies were effective, they sometimes placed further stress on the mothers. The mothers provided insights to how they coped but need help to consider the support they require and therapists need to consider the pressures of expecting mothers to self-manage their child's disorder, their own lives and their family. Family-centred practice emphasising collaboration with mothers needs to be maintained with school-aged children.
BACKGROUND/AIM: Mothering children with autism results in mothers spending more time on daily tasks as well as managing the disorder. The need for mothers to self-manage often increases when the child is school aged. Mothers develop strategies, and occupational therapists and other health professional rely on or expect mothers to be involved in meeting the extra needs of their children with autism and other family members. Little is known about the strategies adopted by the mothers. The aim of this study was to explore the strategies mothers used to manage their roles and emotions, and their child's behaviours. METHOD: In-depth individual interviews were conducted with seven mothers and data were analysed in this qualitative study using phenomenological analysis. RESULTS: Findings revealed that the mothers had adopted strategies to manage their roles, their emotions and their child's behaviour. However, the strategies were often shaped by the expectations of others or circumstances beyond their control and at times added further to their stress. CONCLUSIONS: Mothers of children with autism developed strategies to self-manage their lives and their child's disorder. However, even when these strategies were effective, they sometimes placed further stress on the mothers. The mothers provided insights to how they coped but need help to consider the support they require and therapists need to consider the pressures of expecting mothers to self-manage their child's disorder, their own lives and their family. Family-centred practice emphasising collaboration with mothers needs to be maintained with school-aged children.
Authors: Gisele Weissheimer; Verônica de Azevedo Mazza; Vanessa Ferreira de Lima; Maria de Fátima Mantovani; Márcia Helena de Souza Freire; Paulo Ricardo Bittencourt Guimarães Journal: Rev Lat Am Enfermagem Date: 2018-11-14
Authors: Melanie Palmer; Juan Paris Perez; Joanne Tarver; Thomas Cawthorne; Margot Frayne; Sophie Webb; Elena Baker; Isabel Yorke; Dale Hay; Vicky Slonims; Andrew Pickles; Emily Simonoff; Stephen Scott; Tony Charman Journal: J Autism Dev Disord Date: 2021-01