Time demands and experienced stress in Greek mothers of children with Down's syndrome.

The purpose of the present study was to asses the time demands placed on mothers of children with Down's syndrome, and the possible relationship between those demands and the stress which the mothers experience. The study sample consisted of 41 mothers of children with Down's syndrome living in Northern Greece and a comparison group of 41 mothers of non-disabled children. Three instruments were used for the data collection: (1) a questionnaire for biographic information; (2) a self-report form assessing the time demands placed on the mothers; and (3) an adaptation of the Clark Questionnaire on Resources and Stress (QRS) for the evaluation of the stress experienced. The results of the present study revealed increased time demands on the mothers of children with Down's syndrome in comparison to the mothers of non-disabled children in terms of recreational/educational activities and total time demands. Furthermore, the mothers of children with Down's syndrome perceived the time they spend with their children less positively than the mothers of the comparison group. In regard to the stress experienced, it appeared that mothers of children with Down's syndrome differ significantly from mothers of non-disabled children, not only on the level of the stress which they experience, but on the activities related to this stress as well.