Exploring Caring Motivation Barriers among Mothers of Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Qualitative Content Analysis.
Seyed Javad Hosseini, Monir Ramezani, Farah Ashrafzadeh and 1 others
PMID 39906248WHAT IT FOUND
Mothers of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities described losing caregiving motivation when they felt unprepared, unsupported, or exhausted.
They also cited child growing older, financial strain, healthcare staff discouragement, and lack of progress as reasons they considered placement.
Key findings
01Mothers said insufficient knowledge, physical strain, and their own health problems reduced their readiness to care.
02Mothers said lack of family, social, financial, spiritual, and healthcare provider support reduced motivation.
03Mothers linked reduced motivation to their child's lack of progress and to challenging behaviours.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only mothers were studied, so fathers, grandparents, and paid caregivers may face different barriers. The sample was 26 mothers in two Iranian cities, so the themes may not transfer to other countries, health systems, or disability groups. The study described experiences and did not test whether any support reduces caregiver strain or improves motivation. It focused on Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and autism, not all intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Declared interests
No author conflict-of-interest statement is provided; the supplied publication types list non-U.S. government research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that support programmes improve caregiving motivation. This qualitative study described barriers; it did not test any intervention.