Care-giving Coping Strategies Among Mothers with Chronically Ill Children

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study is to identify the types of stresses experienced and the coping strategies used by mothers who are responsible for providing care to their chronically ill and disabled children. A qualitative approach was selected to systematically document the experiences and highlight individual coping strategies. Purposive sampling was used in this qualitative pilot study, fifteen (15) mothers who were known to the researcher as well as two schools that specifically cater for children with disabilities were selected to participate in the study. Thirty questionnaires were handed out of which fifteen were returned. Data was collected using the coping Health Inventory for Parents (CHIP) to measure the extent to which parents perceived a number of coping strategies to be helpful in coping with the chronic illness of their child (ren). The scale comprised 45 items with 3 subscales. The results highlighted the types of stresses that were experienced by the mothers and the coping strategies practiced by these mothers when caring for their disabled children. Mothers who care for chronically ill children are faced with daily stress that relates to care as well as their personal life.