Research on the Stress of Mothers of Disabled Children

장애아 모의 스트레스에 관한 연구

Many studies have shown that the parents of developmentally disabled children are adversely affected by the experience of raising a child of this type. However, the range of reactions to parenting a handicapped child is quite varied and is presumably affected by a wide variety of variables. This study examined a number of demographic and psychosocial variables to determine which particular combination could best predict the current level of stress and coping behavior of mothers. Among predictor variables, marital satisfaction and dysfunctional attitude are variables that I am particularly interested in which can mediate parental stress. Five variables are found to be related to the stress of mothers, that is, level of disability, level of needed help, marital satisfaction, type of disability, father's education level. Also variables that affect four different types of stress (which are four factors of QRS-F) are analysed and the results presented. Among these variables, some are pre-determined and some are intervenable. We should make an effort to make changes in those intervenable variables such as marital satisfaction, beliefs and attitude about disability, and level of needed help. In future research we need to search and clarify the beliefs and attitude that help mothers adjust to a life with a disabled child. Also governmental support and policy making to reduce the burden of these mothers should be accompanied as well.