• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
• /
• v.40 no.10
• /
• pp.191-200
• /
• 2002

The purpose of the study was to investigate parenting stress of mothers with handicapped children. The study employed an ecological model. Data were collected from 142 mothers of handicapped children enrolled in early childhood education classes at welfare facilities in Seoul, Korea. The main results of the study were as follows: 1. The parenting stress of subject mothers was at a severe level. 2. The hierarchical regression analysis yielded the results that mother's depression(β=.383, p<.001), the degree of child's handicap(β=.307, p<.001), child's age(β=.274, p<.01), and mother's participation at parent education program(β=.176, p<.05) were significant factors in explaining mothers' parenting stress. The research model explained 45% of variance.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.63-73
• /
• 1985

Ratio of physically and mentally handicapped people among the total population is about 3∼4%. Regardless of the extent of seriousness of handicaps, they have to sustain various difficulties in their life time and pose challenging problems to their homes, community and nation. In the spectrum of their problems, measures such as treatment, rehabilitation and welfare work all occupied important part but most significant measure is the prevention. Such handicaps items from health care of maternal and child, mostly causes throughout the process of pregnancy, delivery and upbringing. And then this study is focused on the pregnant history of the mothers with handicapped children. The objective of this study is to identify the basic factors which can create a handicapped child during pregnancy and is to prevent the birth of such a child. For this study, 301 mothers who have handicapped children were selected, now receiving various training at 5 rehabilitation and educational facilities. And questionnaires distributed to them during the period of Oct, 1983 to Dec, 14. The collected responses have been analized in terms of significant numbers, percentage and metic average. Their related results are as follows: 1. The sexual ratio between the male and female was 58.5% compare 41.5%. The average age of the handicapped children was 10.1 years old and that of mothers at the time of the children's birth was 28.9 old years. They were born as 2.14th in their family, the ratio of antenatal care for pregnant mothers was 36.2% and 22.9% were abnormally delivered. 37.9% out of the total were born from mothers with ages above 35 years and as their first baby. 2. The time of confirming the handicapped nature of children was during babyhood by 97.1% and discovery of these misfortunes were made by chance. As for causes of those-handicapped status 20.9% disease from complication, 15.3% from difficulties experience at the time of delivery, 11.3% from heredity and 10% were results of drug abuse during pregnancy, and 49.8% of the handicapped children were mentally retarded.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.439-452
• /
• 1997

Mothers of handicapped children experience many problems and difficulties related to the child's prolonged dependency and demands for special care. Social support can be identified as stress-relieving factor, social support is considered to decrease the amount of negativeness in an individual or family. This study attempted to identify the level of burden and social support in mothers of children who are handicapped, and to determine whether social support is an effective strategy for burden relief in these mothers. The method used in the study was a correlational descriptive survey using a questionnaire. The subjects for the study were 42 mothers who have the handicapped children, between two to twelve years of age, being treated at S General Welfare House for Handicapped and S Rehabilitation Center in Seoul. The data were collected during 1 month from March 20 to April 20, 1996. The instruments used for this study was a structured questionnaire which was the Burden scale developed by Suh Mihae and Oh Kasil(1993) and the PRQ(Personal Resource Questionnaire) scale developed by Brandt & Weinert(1981). The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS computer program, yielding frequencies, percentiles, means, standard deviations, $x^{2}$-test, Pearson's correlation coefficienct, t-test and ANOVA. The results of this study are as follows ; 1)The range of age in the subjects was $29{\sim}44$ years, the range age in the handicapped children was $2{\sim}12$ years. 2) The mean score of burden, for the mothers of the handicapped children was 2.75(standard deviation was 0.47) of a possible total of 5. 3) The mean score of social support, for the mothers of the handicapped children was 4.99 (standard deviation was 0.59) of a possible total of 7. 4) There was an negative correlations hip between burden level and the social support, but there was no statistically significant correlationship between burden level and the social support(r = -.2252, p = .076) 5) In the general characteristics influencing on the burden level was significantly related with the sex(t = - 2.87, p = .007) and the degree of child's handicap level(F = 11.8680, p = .000l). In the general characteristics influencing on the social support was significantly related with the family(husband) support(F = 3.5199, p = .0240). There were significant differences in the mother's levels of burden depending upon the severity of child's handicap. In other words, the degree of mother's burden was directly proportionate to the degree of child's handicap level. There were significant differences in the mother's levels of social support depending upon the family(husband) support. In conclusion, on the basis of the results of this study, there was no statistically significant correlationship between burden level and the social support. Above results suggest that strategies for the intervention programs in diminishing the mother's burden and reinforcing the social support.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.7-16
• /
• 1998

Various difficulties and inconveniences arise from having a mentally handicapped child in a family and these place many demands on mothers. There are few studies in Korea on these demands nor on what mothers go through with their mentally handicapped daughters' menarche and puberty. The purpose of the study was to examine the experiences of mothers of mentally handicapped daughters, as it relates to their daughters' menarche and the beginning of puberty. With indepth interviews, both in person and by telephone and participant observation the study used a qualitative research methodology to attempt to understand the experiences of these mothers. The data were gathered from October 1995 to April 1996. The subjects for the research included nine mothers of mentally handicapped daughters whose ages ranged from 12 to 18 and who attended one of three special schools located in either Inchon or Seoul. The data were recorded and analyzed : meaningful statements were grouped according to subjects raised by the mothers. Content Analysis was also applied to identify similar content and confirm common experiences. and to highlight concepts and categorized them. The results of this study are as follows. Five categories were identified : mothers' emotional responses to their mentally handicapped daughters' menarche and menstration were of severe despair accompanied by anxiety, guilt, fear, anguish, shame and pity because the mothers were afraid their daughters would not be able to use appropriate hygienic measures during menstration and the mothers felt heavily burdened in having to look them. The mothers also had negative feelings about their daughters' physical development. The experience of mothers related to their daughters' possibilities for marriage and pregnancy were of powerlessness, distress, withdrawal, fear. pity and desperation and they were afraid that their daughters might be violated sexually. The mothers rejected the possibility of marriage and pregnancy for their daughters and instead planned very restricting futures for them. The mothers used various coping methods to bring meaning to their lives. Because the negative emotional responses of the mothers. nurses need to work to empower mothers to overcome these negative responses. Sex education can also play an important role especially for the daughters especially through the use of visual aids. Further, nurses should understand the tearing difficulties of mentally handicapped daughters, what mothers need and also what they experience with their mentally handicapped daughters. In conclusion, nurses should understand the negative experiences of the mothers in relation to their mentally handicapped daughters' menarche, help the mothers cope with the negative. emotions through real life education and counselling. In addition, there is a need for nursing interventions and an administrative system which will minimize the prejudices of society towards handicapped people.

• Child Health Nursing Research
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.151-166
• /
• 1999

The purposes of this study were to measure the degree of perceived uncertainty, social support & powerlessness, to examine the relationship between the perceived uncertainty, social support & powerlessness and then to find the predictors of powerlessness in mother's of handicapped children. The subjects of this study consist of 102 mothers of handicapped children, registered at rehabilitation & handicapped children school. Data was collected from September 1998 to March 1999. The tools used in this study were Mishel's the Parents' Perception of Uncertainty Scale (28 item, 4 likert scale), Miller's Powerlessness measurement Scale(28 itewt 4 likert scale) & Cohen's Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (40 items, 4 likert scale). Data was analyzed by t-test, ANOVA, Duncan comparison, Pearson Correlation coefficient & Stepwise multiple regression Results of this study are summarized as follows : 1. Mothers perceived their uncertainty to be slightly high(Mn 2.50). The degree of perceived uncertainty by the four components were followed as : lack of clarity(2.69), unpredictability(2.56), ambiguity(2.56) & lack of information(2.46). The degree of perceived uncertainty of the mothers of handicapped children revealed to be influenced significantly by age of children, admission experience, disability types of children. 2. The degree of mothers' powerlessness was measured to be slightly high(Mn 2.14). The degree of perceived powerlessness of the mothers with handicapped children revealed to be influenced significantly by age of children, duration of illness admission experience,8E marital status of the mothers. 3. Mothers perceived their social support to be slightly high(Mn 2.71). The degree of perceived social support revealed to be influenced significantly by sex of children, married state of mothers. 4. Mothers' uncertainty was related positively to the mothers' powerlessness(r=.33, p=.0008). And also mothers' powerlessness was related inversely to social support(r=-.50, p=.0001). But, mothers' uncertainty was not related to social support significantly. 5. To analyze the variables which affect powerlessness, stepwise regression was implemented. As a result, about 61% of the powerlessness were explained by social support, marital status of the mothers and perceived uncertainty. Based upon these results, it is recommended that the nurses, who are caring handicapped children and their families, provide various support programs for them to overcome their difficulties. Also programs which decrease the uncertainty & powerlessness used social support multidimensionally & individually are recommended to be developed.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.209-227
• /
• 2007

A structured questionnaire was distributed to families using some of the ten specialized caring facilities throughout Gyeongbuk Province. Of the 294 responses, 242 were usable. Results showed that (1) facilities were most used by families of children with autism (31.3%) and by families with severely handicapped children (96.3%). (2) Suggestions for improving facilities, included physical-, performance-, and language-therapies (60%) and teachers with expertise in special education (47.8%).(3) More than half of the respondents were satisfied with the degree of care. (4) Satisfaction with degree of caring services varied with academic background of mothers, mothers' job status, degree of child's disability, length of usage, average expenditure for hospital visits, and burden to the family.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.100-112
• /
• 1999

Objective：In life-long disabilities like autism and mental retardation, the authors thought that it is important for clinician to consider the quality of life of a primary caregiver for long-term management and prognosis. This study was to investigate the factors of children and family environment affecting the quality of life and depression in mothers with autistic and/or mentally retarded children. Methods：41 autistic and/or mentally retarded children aged 5-12 years with their mothers were surveyed from September, 1998 to January, 1999, with K-CBCL, K-BDI, K-FES, and K-SBQOL scale and compared with data from 35 normal control subjects. Results：1) Total K-BDI and K-SBQOL scores of mothers with mentally handicapped children were significantly poorer than the scores of normal control group. Independence, intellectual/cultural orientation and active recreation subscales of K-FES in mentally handicapped children were significantly decreased than those in normal control group. 2) Total K-BDI score of mothers with mentally handicapped children was correlated with their children’s behavioral problems, especially internalizing and thought symptoms, and with family cohesion, expressiveness, conflict and independence. 3) Totol K-SB quality of life score of mothers with mentally handicapped children was correlated with their children’s behavioral problems, especially attention problem, and with family cohesion, conflict, independence, intellectual/cultural orientation, and moral-religional emphasis. 4) The quality of life of mothers with mentally handicapped children was predicted by attention problem($R^2$=.36, p=.000) and social competence($R^2$=.07, p=.038) in children and family cohesion ($R^2$=.16, p=.001). 5) Depression of mothers with mentally handicapped children was predicted by internalizing symptom ($R^2$=.21, p=.003) and thought disorder($R^2$=.06, p=.048) in children and family cohesion($R^2$=.14, p=.008). Conclusion：Reducing behavioral problems and family therapeutic intervention in autistic and mentally retarded children can improve the quality of life of primary caregivers and long-term prognosis of the children, although those are not curative.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
• /
• v.46
• /
• pp.263-289
• /
• 2001

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.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.476-490
• /
• 1992

This study was designed to develop and test a structural model for maternal adaptation and family stress in families with mentally handicapped children. A hypothetical model was constructed on the basis of the family stress theory developed by McCubbin etc. The model included 6 theoretical concepts and 11 paths. For the purpose of the model testing, empirical data were collected from May to August, 1992. The subjects of the study constituted 190 mothers of children in five special schools and one private institute in Seoul and Choong Nam. An SPSS PC＋ and PC－LISREL 7.13 computer programs were used for descriptive and covariance structure analysis. The results of the study were as follows. (1) The hypothetical model showed itself a good fit to the empirical data ［Chi - square＝18.35(df＝7, P＝0.005), Goodness of Fit Index＝0.991, Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index＝0.959, Root Mean Square Residual＝0.042), Non Normed Fit Index＝0.90, Normed Fit Index＝0.96］. (2) The results of Hypothesis testing indicated : 1) Social support(${\gamma}$$_{11}$＝.238, T＝2.352), Family functioning(${\gamma}$$_{12}$＝.729, T＝5.957) and Family life event stress(${\gamma}$$_{13}$＝.125) had direct effects on situational definition. 2) Life event stress(${\gamma}$$_{23}$＝.319, T＝3.872) had direct effects on the effect of the handicapped child on the family. Family functioning(${\gamma}$$_{22}$＝-.245) and situational definition($\beta$$_{21}$＝-.335, T＝3.227) had direct effects on the effect of the handicapped child on the family. 3) Situational definition($\beta$$_{31}$＝-.273, T＝3.493), family life event stress (${\gamma}$$_{33}$＝.124, T＝2.169) and the effect of the handicapped child on the family($\beta$$_{32}$＝.264, T＝-3.227) showed the direct effect on the maternal adaptation. The model was supported by the empirical data. Thus it was suggested that the model could be applied to family nursing care with the families with the mentally handicapped. The construction and testing of the comprehensive model seem to be the first trial in Korea.a.a.a.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.65-80
• /
• 1998

Parents of handicapped children are experiencing difficulties in their children's care, social isolation, change of life style and lirnited leisure time. Because the parents should take care of the children's daily life, they have lots of psychological and physical stress. Chronic stress of parents puts stress to the other family members and affects the development of children with handicap. The purpose of this study were to identify the level of stress in each of parents of children with motor problem, the characteristics of the children and general information related with the children, and to analyse the stress by reasons. Specially organized questionnaire were used for an investigation method. "Test of stress in mother who has children with chronic illness" by Kim Hee-soon were modified and used. The questionnaire answered by 43 mothers and 35 fathers were analyzed. Data analysis includes frequency analysis, Pearson correlation coefficients, paired-samples t-test and MANOV A by SPSSWIN. The results were as follows: 1) Degree of handicap was most moderate (46.5%), level of motor development was most pull to walk (34.9%), and combined handicap was 69.8%. 2) Sexual distribution represented that 51.2% male and 48.8% female. The cost of physical therapy was 69.8% in no more than 100,000 won. 3) The mean of age, for the mother was 32.8 years and 35.3 years. Level of motor development that mother and father expect was 88.4%, 83% walk alone. 4) Both mother and father experienced stress in other of Part II (changes in father was the illness status of the child and difficulty in taking care of child), Part III (prognosis of the child's condition), Part I (social-personal relationships and the responsibility of the care givers). In the total score of stress, mother's stress is indicated higher level than father's stress. 5) There was no correlationship between characteristics and stress of mother and father. 6) There was no statistically significant difference between characteristics and related general information of children with handicap and stress of mother and father. As a results, the mother of children with handicap are experiencing more stress than the father. Both of parents have the most difficulties in the changes in the illness status of the child and difficulty in taking care of child. This study can be used as resources of education, therapy and counselling for children with handicap and their parents. This study, also, can be used to encourage the quality of Iife for the children with handicapped and their family.