Identification of the Problems Experienced by Mothers with Children with Multiple Disabilities

Abstract

Reasons such as society’s view on disabled individuals, parents’ perceptions related to feelings of incompetency and issues stemming from disabilities cause certain difficulties for the parents pursue their daily lives and adapt to social lives. Mothers or people undertaking the role of motherhood are traditionally responsible for the care of disabled children and therefore they face these problems the most. It is believed that hardships experienced as a result of disabilities increase based on the degree and type of disability. Aim of this study is to provide an insight to the difficulties experienced at home, school, social and healthcare environments by mothers with children who have multiple disabilities, resulting from problem behaviors of their children. 10 mothers residing in Bolu province with children between the ages of 6-12 and diagnosed with multiple disabilities participated in the study. Data were collected by using semi-structured interview technique. Research data were analyzed via descriptive analysis technique. Mothers with children with multiple disorders reported that they experienced most of the difficulties at home and school environments, in terms of their children’s friendships, lessons and homework. It was found that mothers with children with multiple disorders experience the following problems in social life: problems caused by behaviors and discourse of people in the environment, problems caused by the
behaviors of their children (problem behaviors), behaviors of relatives and problems caused by lack of friends-social spheres. It was also stated that mothers with children with multiple disorders encounter difficulties related to their children’s health and need to visit the hospital constantly